Demographics
Ladakh covers an area of 59,146 km² with a population of 274,289 (+12% from 2001, density <5/km²) distributed in the two districts of Leh and Kargil Census Organization of India, 2011.Despite its limited size, the population of Ladakh is very diverse in terms of ethnicity, language and religion. With a degree of generalization, three main groups can be defned. The frst one (roughly 40%) characterized by Buddhist religion, Tibeto-Khanauri languages (Ladakhi, Bothi, Tibetan) with Tibetan alphabet and ethnically related to Tibetan populations. The second group (46%) characterized by Muslim religion, speaking Dardic languages as Purgi, Balti, Shina with arabic alphabet and ethnicity and culture more related to Kashmir, Punjab. The third group (14%) includes various Hindi, Sikh, Christian minorities [1] Census Organization of India, 2011. Two thirds of the population live in rural settings [Census Organization of India, 2011]^(https://censusindia.gov.in/2011-Common/CensusData2011.Html) but the region is experiencing a migration towards the urban centres of Leh and Kargil Goodall and District, 2004.