Gilgit–Baltistan (Urdu: گلگت بلتستان, Balti: གིལྒིཏ་བལྟིསྟན, formerly known as the Northern Areas (Urdu: شمالی علاقہ جات, Shumālī Ilāqe Jāt)),[4] is the northernmost political entity under Pakistani control. It borders Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the west, Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor to the China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the east and northeast. and northeast, Pakistani-controlled Azad Jammu and Kashmir to the southwest, and the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to the southeast. Gilgit–Baltistan covers an area of 72,971 km² (28,174 mi²) and is highly mountainous. It has an estimated population approaching 20,00,000. Its administrative center is the city of Gilgit (population 216,760). Gilgit–Baltistan is home to five of the "eight-thousanders" and to more than fifty peaks above 7000 meters. Gilgit and Skardu are the two main hubs for expeditions to those mountains. The region is home to some of the world's highest mountain ranges. The main ranges are the Karakoram and the western Himalayas. The Pamir mountains are to the north, and the Hindu Kush lies to the west. Amongst the highest mountains are K2 (Mount Godwin-Austen) and Nanga Parbat, the latter being one of the most feared mountains in the world. Three of the world's longest glaciers outside the polar regions are found in Gilgit–Baltistan: the Biafo Glacier, the Baltoro Glacier, and the Batura Glacier. There are, in addition, several high-altitude lakes in Gilgit–Baltistan: Sheosar Lake in Deosii Plains, skardu,e
Satpara Tso Lake in Skardu, Baltistan
Katzura Tso Lake in Skardu, Baltistan
Zharba Tso Lake in Shigar, Baltistan
Phoroq Tso Lake in Skardu, Baltistan
Bara Tso Lake in Gangche, Baltistan
Byarsa Tso Lake in Gultari, Baltistan
Borith Lake in Gojal, upper Hunza, Gilgit
Rama Lake near Astore
Rush Lake near Nagar, Gilgit
Kromber Lake at Kromber Pass, Ishkoman Valley, Ghizer District
Barodaroksh lake in Bar Valley, Nagar
The Deosai Plains, are located above the tree line and constitute the second-highest plateau in the world at 4,115 meters (14,500 feet)after Tibet. The plateau lies east of Astore, south of Skardu and west of Ladakh. The area was declared as a national park in 1993. The Deosai Plains cover an area of almost 5,000 square kilometres. For over half the year (between September and May), Deosai is snow-bound and cut off from rest of Astore and Baltistan in winters. The village of Deosai lies close to Chilum chokki and is connected with the Kargil district of Ladakh through an all-weather road
