Baltistan is a region in the far north of Kashmir, bordering the Chinese region of Xinjiang. It is situated in the Karakoram mountains just to the south of K2, the world's second highest mountain. It is an extremely mountainous region, with an average altitude of over 3,350 m (11,000 ft), and is the source of the Indus river. It is inhabited principally by Balti Muslims of Tibetan descent.
The region is divided between India and Pakistan. Pakistani Baltistan lies within the Northern Areas of Pakistan, a territory not formally united with Pakistan but administered directly from Islamabad; its main town is Skardu. It contains the highest peaks of the Karakoram, including K2. Indian Baltistan is located in the western Ladakh district of Indian-ruled Kashmir.
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