Bandbaajabarat at 18:00, 7 January 2026

2026-01-07T18:00:35Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Karzok
| other_name = Korzok
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| settlement_type = Village
| image_skyline = Karzok Tso Moriri (cropped) 02.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| etymology =
| pushpin_map = India Ladakh#India
| pushpin_relief = y
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Ladakh, India
| pushpin_map1 =
| pushpin_map_caption1 =
| coordinates = {{coord|32.968125|N|78.2639885|E|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = [[India]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and union territories of India|Union Territory]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Ladakh]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Leh district|Leh]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[Tehsil]]
| subdivision_name3 = [[Nyoma]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://leh.nic.in/about-district/administrative-setup/village/ | title=Villages | District Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh | India }}</ref>
| established_title =
| established_date =
| founder =
| seat_type = [[Panchayat]]
| seat =
| leader_party =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_m = 4595
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_total = 1291
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| area_code_type = 
| area_code =
| blank_name_sec1 = [[2011 Census of India|2011 census]] code
| blank_info_sec1 = 899
| footnotes =
| official_name =
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
}}

'''Karzok''' or '''Korzok''' (at an altitude of 14,995 ft or 4,570 m to 15,075 ft or 4,595 m above sea level),<ref>[[List of highest cities in the world]]</ref> on the northwestern shores of the [[Tso Moriri]] lake, is a village in the [[Rupshu]] region and a [[Community development block in India|block]] of the [[Leh district]] in [[Ladakh]], India.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://leh.nic.in/depts/villageamenitydirectory.pdf |title=Blockwise Village Amenity Directory |publisher=Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council |access-date=2015-07-23 }}</ref><ref name=hight1/>

Karzok is among the [[List of highest cities in the world|highest permanent settlements in the world]]. It is located 60 km southwest of [[Nyoma]],<ref name=hight1>Korzok | https://www.dangerousroads.org/asia/india/5683-korzok.html</ref> 40 km south of [[Puga]] separated by [[Salt Valley]], and 80-100 km northwest of [[Chumur]]. The [[Korzok Monastery]], of [[Drukpa Lineage|Drukpa]] [[Tibetan Buddhism|Tibetan Buddhist]] lineage, is located here.

== History ==

Karzok was on the [[Central Asia]]n trade route until 1947 and was the headquarters of the [[Rupshu]] Valley. One of the kings, Rupshu Goba, who lived there with his family, built nine permanent houses there.<ref name=Jina>{{Cite book|last=Jina|first=Prem Singh|title= High pasturelands of Ladakh Himalaya|work=Korzok|page=49|access-date=2009-11-22|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G2jv3ETBwBUC&q=Korzok&pg=PA49|publisher= Indus Publishing|year=1995|isbn= 978-81-7387-026-2}}</ref>

The village has several houses, and the nomadic population who establish their tents (made of [[yak]] hair or skin) in summer, add to the agricultural operations in the region. The tents are provided with vents at the top to let out the smoke. [[Pashmina]] is the valuable product that the Changmas trade along with the salt that they extract from large salt fields in the area, such as the springs at Puga. They barter these two products for food grains and other necessities. In recent years, building activity is on the rise with the nomadic tribes changing their lifestyle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rangan-datta.info/Tso%20moriri.htm|title=Tso Moriri - Tea with Changpas|access-date=2009-11-23|publisher=The Statesman|date=2004-06-16}}</ref>

== Geography ==

Karzok in [[Changthang]] plateau lies on the northwest bank of the salt lake, Tso Moriri,<ref name=hight1/> north of which lies the [[Salt Valley]]. The Salt Valley has the [[Kyago Tso]] salt lake surrounded by several glaciated mountain peaks including the '''Karzok Kangri''' (6,110m/20,046ft, also called Korzok Kangri)<ref name=mount2>[https://peakvisor.com/peak/korzok-kangri.html Korzok kangri], accessed 21 April 2025.</ref> which lies immediate south of [[Spangnak Ri]] and northwest of Karzok.

== Demographics ==
[[File:Karzok.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Karzok village]]

According to the [[2011 census of India]], Karzok has 253 households. The effective literacy rate (i.e. the literacy rate of population excluding children aged 6 and below) is 46.64%.<ref name="census_2011"/>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Demographics (2011 Census)<ref name="census_2011">{{cite news |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/datagov/CDB_PCA_Census/PCA_CDB_0103_F_Census.xls |title=Leh district census |work=[[2011 Census of India]] |publisher=Directorate of Census Operations |access-date=2015-07-23 }}</ref>
! !! Total !! Male !! Female
|-
| Population || 1291 || 673 || 618
|-
| Children aged below 6 years || 189 || 102 || 87
|-
| [[Scheduled caste]] || 4 || 2 || 2
|-
| [[Scheduled tribe]] || 931 || 485 || 446
|-
| Literates || 514 || 292 || 222
|-
| Workers (all) || 813 || 450 || 363
|-
| Main workers (total) || 315 || 225 || 90
|-
| Main workers: Cultivators || 257 || 192 || 65
|-
| Main workers: Agricultural labourers || 3 || 2 || 1
|-
| Main workers: Household industry workers || 6 || 0 || 6
|-
| Main workers: Other || 49 || 31 || 18
|-
| Marginal workers (total) || 498 || 225 || 273
|-
| Marginal workers: Cultivators || 224 || 117 || 107
|-
| Marginal workers: Agricultural labourers || 7 || 3 || 4
|-
| Marginal workers: Household industry workers || 126 || 19 || 107
|-
| Marginal workers: Others || 141 || 86 || 55
|-
| Non-workers || 478 || 223 || 255
|}
[[File:Karzok welcome sign.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Welcome sign, Karzok]]

== Climate ==
Karzok has a [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen classification]] Dfc) bordering on a [[Tundra|tundra climate]] (ET). Summers are cool with chilly nights, and winters are long and cold with highs below zero.

{{weather box
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|location = Karzok

| Jan high C =-7.2
| Feb high C =-5.4
| Mar high C =-1.2
| Apr high C =4.3
| May high C =9.2
| Jun high C =14.0
| Jul high C =16.9
| Aug high C =16.2
| Sep high C =12.9
| Oct high C =6.5
| Nov high C =1.2
| Dec high C =-3.5

| Jan mean C =-13.1
| Feb mean C =-11.2
| Mar mean C =-6.8
| Apr mean C =-1.5
| May mean C =2.9
| Jun mean C =7.4
| Jul mean C =10.7
| Aug mean C =10.2
| Sep mean C =6.4
| Oct mean C =-0.2
| Nov mean C =-5.6
| Dec mean C =-10.0

| Jan low C =-18.9
| Feb low C =-16.9
| Mar low C =-12.4
| Apr low C =-7.2
| May low C =-3.3
| Jun low C =0.9
| Jul low C =4.5
| Aug low C =4.2
| Sep low C =0.0
| Oct low C =-6.8
| Nov low C =-12.4
| Dec low C =-16.5

| Jan precipitation mm =22
| Feb precipitation mm =21
| Mar precipitation mm =24
| Apr precipitation mm =19
| May precipitation mm =19
| Jun precipitation mm =9
| Jul precipitation mm =28
| Aug precipitation mm =34
| Sep precipitation mm =23
| Oct precipitation mm =12
| Nov precipitation mm =7
| Dec precipitation mm =12

|source = climate-data.com
}}

==Transport==

From the north, Karzok is reachable via Sumdo, on the [[Salt Valley#MPSM|Miroo-Puga-Sumdo-Mahe Road]] (MPSM Road) which begins at [[National Highway 3 (India)|NH-3]] ([[Miru, Ladakh|Miroo]]) and ends at [[Leh]]-[[Nyoma]] Road ([[Mahe, Ladakh|Mahe]]). From Sumdo, the Karzok is at the southern end of 40 km long Sumdo-Karzok Road.

From the south, the Karzok is reachable via Sumdo [[Kaza, Himachal Pradesh|Kaza]] (in Himachal Pradesh) by the 125 km long [[Salt Valley#KKR|Kiato-Karzok Road]] via the [[Takling La]] being constructed by the [[Border Roads Organisation|BRO]] as the [[Tourism in Ladakh#Roads|fourth road to Ladakh]].<ref name=kart1>{{Cite web
| url = https://www.amarujala.com/shimla/kyato-korzok-road-will-connect-himachal-to-ladakh-army-will-have-easy-access-to-china-border-2025-04-21?pageId=1
| title = Kyato-Korzok road will connect Himachal to Ladakh, army will have easy access to China border
| last =
| first =
| website = Amar Ujala
| date = 2025-04-21
| accessdate = 2025-04-22
}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Geography of Ladakh]]
* [[Tourism in Ladakh]]

==References==
{{commons category|Korzok}}
{{reflist}}

{{Ladakh}}
{{Leh district}}

[[Category:Villages in Nyoma tehsil]]

Karzok - Revision history

Bandbaajabarat at 18:00, 7 January 2026