Located in the Northeastern region of the main Himalayan range in India, Srinagar is one of the most densely populated mountain habitations at 5000+ feet above the sea-level. As per the 2011 census, the total population of the district was 1.23 million The city is picturesquely located in the valley of the river Jhelum. Kashmiri is the spoken language of the region. While the ancient Sharada script is still alive, Kashmiri is today largely written in the Persian-Arabic or Urdu script. 33 percent of the population of Srinagar is in the working age. Agriculture is not the main source of employment owing to the mountainous &snowy terrain, and engages only 3 percent of the total working population. About 90 percent of the working population is employed in the handicraft, wooden furniture, woolen shawls and carpet production. To a large extent the artisans utilize the natural resources available in the region – the rich flora and fauna of the region providing a wide range of trees, flowers and medicinal plants (Deodar, Pine, Firewood etc). Srinagar has been one of the most popular summer holiday destinations from the time of the Mughals and through the British Raj days. The serene lakes dotted with old wooden bridges and houseboats & lush forests interspersed with clear streams continue to attract tourists from the plains of India. Tourism & Handicrafts are the mainstay of the Srinagar economy. As the state capital of the modern Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir, Srinagar is the hub of state government.
