LADAKH', otherwise known as MIDDLE TIIIIIET, lies between Great Thibet on the e., and Little Thibet on the w., stretching in n, lat. from 32° to 36% and in e. long, from 76' to 79°. On the s. it is separated from Cashmere by the Himalayas, while on the n. it is divided by the Karakorum mountains from Cliinese Turkistan. It contains about 30.000 sq.m., and about 125,000 inhabitants. The country was conquered by Gholab Singh, the ruler of Cashmere, in 1835. It lies chiefly within the basin of the Upper Indus, being little better than mass of mountains with narrow valleys between them. Not withstanding its great elevation, which is equally unfavorable to soil and climate, the teMperature is sometimes singularly high—a phenomenon attributed partly'to the tenth ity of the atmosphere, and partly to the absence of moisture. Pretty good crops of wheat, barley, and buckwheat are raised; while the mineral products are sulphur, iron, lead, copper, and gold. The transittrade is extensive, being carried on mostly Ity mules
and sheep. The inhabitants are very peaceful and industrious; they are excellent farmers, and their woolen manufactures are said to be important. The women are fresh and fair, but rather lax in their morals; among the lower classes, polyandry is common. The population is essentially Mongolian, but has intermixed with the Cashmerians. The language is Thibetan, and in the opinion of Klaproth the primitive dialect of the abor ignal people 'inhabiting the region between Hindustan and Tartary. The religion is Lamaism, a form of Buddhism (q.v.). It is a province of Cashmere, which is under a maharajah, and is a British feudatory. The capital city is Le (q.v.).