The Western Himalayan States

Surrounded by high mountain ranges, the western Himalayan states of Gilgit, Nager, Hunza, Chitral, and Baltistan have historically been determined by the geographical layout of the region, which makes any unity or coordination between these areas very difficult to achieve. Originally inhabited by Turkic tribes, these states developed independently in the Middle Ages, each with their own ruling dynasty, language and culture. Relations between states and with the surrounding countries were generally peaceful, although there were invasions by Timurid forces in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and influences from Kashmir, China and northern Central Asia combined to make this small area a melting pot of religions and cultures.