Ladakh is a high-altitude Union Territory of India, known for its cold desert environment, rugged Himalayan and Karakoram ranges, sparse population, glacial systems, and strategic geopolitical location. Historically part of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh became a separate Union Territory on 31 October 2019 after the reorganization of the state.
According to the Census of India 2011, Ladakh (then part of Jammu & Kashmir) had a total population of approximately 274,289. Under the 2011 Census administrative structure, the region had:
- Total Districts: 2
- Total Sub-districts (Tehsils): 7
- Total Villages: 241
- Total Urban Areas: 2
These administrative divisions are important for preparing and using SOI shapefiles, especially for district, tehsil, and village-level GIS work.
Download Ladakh SOI Shapefile
You can download shapefile for the state boundary, district boundaries, and sub-district boundaries for the state.
Click Below Links…
Note: SOI indicates no sub-district shapefiles for Ladakh UT.
Looking for CD Block Boundary Shapefile for Any District?
Districts of Ladakh (2011 Census)
Below is the complete list of districts for Ladakh (Census 2011) / legacy SOI boundary datasets:
Click on individual district name to download district and sub-district boundary shapefile for individual districts.
- Leh
- Kargil
Important Note for GIS users:
Most SOI and Census-based shapefiles for Ladakh follow the 2019 UT Formation. Before using the data in any GIS software, it is advisable to verify whether the shapefile attributes match the 2011 Census district and sub-district.
How to Use These Shapefiles
- Download the Zip File: Click the above link(s) and download the zip file containing the shapefile.
- Extract the Contents: Unzip the downloaded file. Inside, you’ll find multiple files with extensions like
.shp,.shx,.dbf, etc. All these files make up a shapefile dataset. - Import into GIS Software: Open your preferred GIS software (such as QGIS or ArcGIS). Use the “Add Vector Layer” tool, and select the
.shpfile. - Start Mapping: Now you’re ready to visualize and analyze India’s administrative boundaries!
Why Use Official SOI Shapefiles?
- Accuracy: Data is sourced from the official Survey of India, the most authoritative mapping agency in the country.
- Consistency: The boundaries are aligned with government records, ensuring reliability for your work.
- Compatibility: Standard shapefile format works in all major GIS and remote sensing software.
Happy Mapping!
This resource is provided by SimplyGIS to support the GIS and spatial analysis community in India. Please always respect data usage policies and copyright regulations as outlined by the Survey of India.
Leave a Reply