Kohistan (Urdu: کوہستان; "Land of Mountains"), also called Indus Kohistan (سندھُ کوہستان),[2][3] was an administrative district within the Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. In 2014, it was bifurcated into two districts: Upper Kohistan and Lower Kohistan. In 2017, the Lower Kohistan District was further bifurcated and a district Kolai-Palas was established.[4][5] It covered an area of 7,492 square kilometres (2,893 sq mi) and had a population of 472,570 according to the 1998 Census.[6] Geographically, Kohistan stretched from Gilgit-Baltistan in the north to the Mansehra District in the east to the Battagram District and Shangla and Swat districts in the west.[7]
The district lies between 34° 54′ and 35° 52′ north latitudes and 72° 43′ and 73° 57′ east longitudes.[7] It was bounded by the Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan in the north, Manshera District in the southeast, Kaghan Valley of the Mansehra District in the southeast , Battagram District in the south and Shangla and Swat Districts in the west .[7]
Kohistan is the point of convergence for the Hindukush, Karakorum, and Himalayan mountain ranges, acting as a natural boundary delineating distinct environmental regions within the expanse of the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush mountain chains.[7] This uniqueness of the mountain system also results in rich flora and fauna, thus providing a habitat for unique species such as the Western Tragopan pheasant and the snow leopard.[7]
The literacy rate of the district among the population aged 10 years and older is 11.1%: male 17.23% and female 2.95%. The proportion of the working or employed population to the population aged 10 years and older is 26.47%, which is 70.53% of the total labour force. Out of the total employed population, 71.60% are self-employed, 10.68% work as employees, and 17.32% are unpaid family helpers.[citation needed]
Kohistan's literacy rate is among the lowest in Pakistan and hovers around 20%.[8] It has the lowest Human Development Index of all districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
At the time of the 2017 census the district had a population of 784,711, of which 424,643 were males and 360,055 females. The rural population was 706,433 (97.95%) while the urban population was 72,654 (2.05%). The literacy rate was 76.20% - the male literacy rate was 86.40% while the female literacy rate was 65.76%. 3,172 (0.24%) people in the district were from religious minorities, mainly Christians.[10]
At the time of the 2017 census, 91.96 of the population spoke Kohistani, 7.09% Pashto, 0.36% Urdu and 0.63% Punjabi as their first language. 2.07% of the population spoke languages classified as 'Others', mainly Kohistani languages.[10]
The major language of the area is Kohistani, which in the 1981 census, was the mother tongue of 92% of households.[11] The variety spoken in the District of Kohistan has formed the basis of a literary language.[12] It is very close to the Dardic Language of Kohistan: the two share 86% of their basic vocabulary.[13]
Other languages, such as Pashto, Urdu and Punjabi, are found more in urban than rural areas.