Kargil /ˈkɑːrɡɪl/ or Kargyil is a city in Indian-administered Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir region. It is also the headquarters of the Kargil district. It is the second-largest town in Ladakh after Leh. Kargil is located 204 kilometres (127 mi) east of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, and 234 kilometres (145 mi) to the west of Leh. It is on the bank of the Suru River near its confluence with the Wakha Rong river, the latter providing the most accessible route to Leh.

The Ladakh Chronicles spell the name of Kargil as Wylie: dkar skyil, THL: kar kyil. The word can be interpreted as meaning a bright or wholesome expanse.

Modern newspapers are said to spell the name as Wylie: dkar `khyil, THL: kar khyil. It can also be interpreted as a bright or wholesome mountainous amphitheatre. This phrase occurs often in Tibetan literature.

The Kargil basin does give the feel of an expanse surrounded by low-pitched mountains, with the low Khurbathang plateau at the southeastern corner. This is in sharp contrast to the deep gorges that give access to the valley.

The people of Kargil however relate the name to Khar (fort) and rkil (centre) and interpret it as a central place among many forts. Radhika Gupta has opined that it is a fitting description for a place that is equidistant from Srinagar, Leh and Skardu.

Kargil is located at the confluence of multiple river valleys: the Suru River valley to the north and south, the Wakha Rong valley to the southeast leading to Leh, and the Sod Valley to the east leading to the Indus Valley near Batalik. In addition, at a short distance to the north, the Dras River valley branches off from the Suru valley leading to the Zoji La pass and Kashmir. Further north along the Suru valley, one reaches the Indus valley, leading to Skardu. Thus, Kargil is located at a key junction of routes between Kashmir, Ladakh and Baltistan.

Scholar Janet Rizvi states that the Indus Valley between Marol and Dah is a narrow gorge and was not easily traversable in the pre-modern period. So the normal trade route between Baltistan and Leh also ran via Kargil, using the Suru valley and Wakha Rong.

After the Partition of India and the First Kashmir War, Baltistan came under the control of Pakistan. The Line of Control with Pakistan-administered Kashmir is roughly 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) to the north of Kargil. A key height called Peak 13620, which overlooks the Kargil town and the Srinagar–Leh Highway, remained in Pakistani control at the end of the First Kashmir War. During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, Indian forces pushed the Line of Control north of the ridgeline, ensuring Kargil's security. A key village called Hunderman came under Indian control as a result of this push.

Despite its central location, Kargil does not appear to have had any large settlement in the medieval period. Instead there were two strong forts in its close vicinity. The Sod Valley to the east had a fort called Sod Pasari (Wylie: sod pa sa ri, now known as Pasar Khar) by the 16th or 17th century. It was the capital of "Lower Purig", which included the Sod Valley itself, the lower portion of Wakha Rong and, the Kargil bowl. By the 18th or 19h century, its dynasty established a branch at Pashkum (Wylie: pas kyum) to the southeast of Kargil in the Wakha Rong valley.

During Zorawar Singh's invasion of Ladakh in 1834, the Dogras attacked both Sod Pasari and Pashkum and destroyed their forts. Afterwards, Zorawar Singh stationed a kardar (administrator) for Kargil and Drass, and appears to have built a fort at Kargil for this purpose. Alexander Cunningham described the "newl fort" at Kargil as a square of about sixty yards on the left bank of the Suru River, immediately above its junction with Wakha Rong. It was able to defend the bridge over the Suru River and completely command the Kashmir–Ladakh road.

In 1838, the people of the region are said to have revolted against the Dogras, killing the kardar. The entire region was beset with rebellions, reportedly instigated by the Sikh governor of Kashmir. In 1840 Zorawar Singh launched a second expedition to Ladakh, deposed the Gyalpo, and annexed Ladakh to the Sikh Empire. He also decided to invade Baltistan. On the way to Baltistan, he made a detour to Sod, routed the rebels there and, "annexed" the whole of Purig. He appointed kardars for Drass and Suru.

After Zorawar Singh's death in Tibet, there was another rebellion in Ladakh and Purig. But Dogras sent fresh forces under Wazir Lakhpat, who beat back the Tibetans and reestablished status quo ante. On his return, the new Wazir garrisoned the Kargil fort and took all the Rajas of the region as prisoners.

In 1854, there were three ilaqas (subdistrics) in the present day Kargil district, at Kargil, Dras and Zanskar respectively. They were headed by civil officers called Thanadars. It would appear that the growth of Kargil as an administrative centre and town owes to this establishment.

During the reign of Pratap Singh, a wazarat (district) was established for all the frontier regions (including Gilgit), and Kargil was made a tehsil of this wazarat. Sometime later, Gilgit was separated, and Kargil, Skardu and Leh were jointly established as the Ladakh wazarat. The district headquarters shifted between the three locations each year.

In historical times, both Leh and Kargil were part of the trade route between South Asia and Central Asia as posts and halting places until the mid-20th century. During the colonial period, the significance of this trade route in Kargil town manifested in the form of a serai, a rest-house, and post and telegraph offices. The small wooden shops and large emporiums of Kargil's small bazaar offered matches, kerosine oil, several varieties of sugar and tea, cotton cloth from Bombay and Manchester, and cheap glass and tinsel ornaments.

The First Kashmir War (1947–48) concluded with a ceasefire line that divided the Ladakh wazarat, putting roughly the Kargil and Leh tehsils on the Indian side, and the Skardu tehsil on the Pakistan side. The two Indian tehsils were later promoted to districts and Ladakh was named a division, on a par with the Jammu and Kashmir divisions in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan renamed the Skardu tehsil as Baltistan and divided it into further districts.

At the end of Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, the two nations signed the Simla Agreement, converting the former ceasefire line with some adjustments into a Line of Control, and promising not to engage in armed conflict with respect to that boundary.

In 1999 the area saw infiltration by Pakistani forces, leading to the Kargil War. Fighting occurred along a 160 km long stretch of ridges overlooking the Srinagar–Leh Road, then the only road to Ladakh The military outposts on the ridges above the highway were generally around 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) elevation, with a few as high as 5,485 metres (18,000 ft). After several months of fighting and diplomatic activity, the Pakistani forces were forced to withdraw to their side of the Line of Control.

Kargil has an average elevation of 2,676 metres (8,780 feet), and is situated along the banks of the Suru River (Indus). The town of Kargil is located 205 km (127 mi) from Srinagar, facing Gilgit-Baltistan across the LOC. Like other areas in the Himalayas, Kargil has a temperate climate. Summers are hot with cool nights, while winters are long and chilly with temperatures often dropping below −20 °C (−4 °F).

The total population of Kargil town increased almost tenfold from 1,681 persons in 1961 to 16,338 persons in 2011. The level of urbanisation concomitantly increased from 3.7% to 11.6%. In the same period, the population of the entire Kargil district was tripled from 45,064 to 140,802. As per the Census India 2011, the town has population of 16,338, of which 10,082 are males and 6,256 are females. The population of children between age 0-6 is 1,569 which is 9.6% of total population. The gender ratio is around 621 compared to 889 which is average of the former erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state. The literacy rate of the town is 75.53%, out of which 85.57% are male literate and 59.35% are females literate.

Islam is the largest religion in Kargil City, followed by over 92% of people. Budhism is the second-largest religion with 7.8% adherents. Other 0.003% of the population follow Sikhism respectively.

All India Radio's channel AIR Kargil AM 684 is broadcast from a radio station at Kargil. Greater Ladakh is the largest circulated bi-lingual newspaper in the Union Territory that publishes once in a week.

Kargil Airport is a non-operational airport located 8 kilometres from the town. The airport is included in UDAN scheme and is proposed to be operational in the near future. The nearest operational airport is the Srinagar International Airport.

There is no rail connectivity to Kargil yet. The Srinagar–Kargil–Leh railway line is proposed which will connect Srinagar and Leh via Kargil. The nearest major railway station to Kargil is Jammu Tawi railway station located at a distance of 472 kilometres.

An Indian national highway (NH 1) connecting Srinagar to Leh cuts through Kargil.

The all-weather Skardu–Kargil Road once linked Kargil to Skardu, a city in Gilgit-Baltistan. Since the 1948 Kashmir War, the road has been closed. Whilst the Indian Government has proposed opening the road as a humanitarian gesture, the Pakistani government has refused.

• Kargil War
• Ladakh
• Leh
• Jammu and Kashmir (state)
• Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)
• 1988 Gilgit massacre

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• Kargil Official Website