Strategically located Jammu and Kashmir State constitutes the northern most extremity of India situated between 32.17 degree and 36.58 degree north latitude and 37.26 degree and 80.30 degree east longitude. The total area of the State is 2, 22,236 sq. kms including 78114 sq kms under occupation of Pakistan and 42,685 sq kms under that of China, of which Pakistan handed over 5130 sq kms to China. The State is bounded by Pakistan, Afghanistan and China from the West to the East.

The State is well connected with rest of the country by air, rail and road. The Indian Airlines and private airlines operate regular flights to Srinagar, Jammu and Leh.

The National Highway 1-A connects the capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu with rest of the country. There are daily passenger trains connecting Jammu with most of the major cities of the country. A railway project connecting Kashmir with rail is presently in progress. However there are some areas which remain cut off from rest of the country during winter. This includes the districts of Kargil and Leh and some parts of Baramulla, Kupwara and Doda districts.

The State ranks 6^th in area and 17^th in population among the States and the Union Territories of India. The State consists of 14 districts, 59 tehsils, 119 blocks, 3 municipalities, 54 towns and notified area committee, 6477 inhabited villages and 281 uninhabited villages.

The Literacy rate of the state is 55.5. The male literacy rate is 66.6% and the female literacy rate is 43%. There is a large gap in the male female literacy. This gap is more than the national average in 12 out of 14 districts of the state. Similarly the gap between rural and urban literacy is 22.1%. If we exclude the main urban centres of Srinagar and Jammu then this gap is further widened. There is a gap of 25% between the rural male and female literacy. In urban areas this gap is of the order of 18%.

The literacy rate of district Kupwara is the lowest with 43.2%, the male literacy rate being 56.1% and female literacy rate 28.7% only. Besides this there are 6 districts where literacy rate is less than 50%. Jammu district has the highest literacy rate of 77% with 84.4% in males and 68.5% in females. In 11 districts out of the 14 female literacy rate is less than 50%. The lowest female literacy rate is 28.7% in District Kupwara. And the highest female literacy rate of 68.5% in Jammu district. There are 6 districts where female literacy rate is even below 30%. There is a huge gap in male female literacy ratios also.

Against the All India Level of 65.38% as per 2001 census, the rate of literacy for the State is indicated as 55.5% with 66.6% among males and 43% only among females. District Jammu with 77.30% tops the literacy level with male literacy at 84.92% and female literacy at 68.75 %.