Which religions are practiced by people in Jammu, the Vale of Kashmir, and Ladakh?

The religious composition of the Kashmir region is diverse and varies significantly across its sub-regions:

• Jammu: The population is religiously mixed. More than two-thirds of the residents are Hindu, primarily concentrated in the southeastern portion of the region. The proportion of Muslims increases toward the northwest, forming a dominant majority in the area around Poonch. Additionally, the majority of Sikhs in the union territory reside in the Jammu region.1
• Vale of Kashmir: The vast majority of the population in the vale are Muslims.23
• Ladakh: The religious landscape is divided by district. In the Leh district, the inhabitants are predominantly Buddhists of Tibetan ancestry. In the Kargil district to the west, the population is predominantly Muslim, with most belonging to the Shi'i branch of Islam.4

While the broader region is characterized by a Muslim majority, these distinct areas maintain their own unique religious demographics.5