Topographically, the entire Bagh district is a mountainous area, generally sloping from northeast to south-west. The area falls in the lesser Himalayas zone. The main range in the district is Pir-Panjal. The Haji-Pir Pass is situated at the height of 3421 meters above sea level. The general elevation is between 1500 and 2500 meters above sea level. The mountains are generally covered with coniferous forests. Mahl Nala and Betar Nala are the two main streams. However, numerous other rivulets flow in the district. The climate of the district varies with altitude. The temperature generally remains between 2 °C to 40 °C. The main eastern part of the district is very cold in winter and moderate in summer. However, the lower valleys, the localities bordering Bagh at Kohala and its adjoining areas remain cold in winter and hot in summer. May, June and July are the hottest months. Maximum and minimum temperatures during the month of June are about 40 °C and 22 °C respectively. December, January and February are the coldest months. The maximum temperature in January is about 16 °C and minimum temperature is 3 °C respectively. Annual rainfall is about.
Demography
The total population of the district according to the 2017 census was 371,919. The major language of Azad Kashmir is Pahari. The Pahari dialect spoken in Bagh is closely related to the dialect spoken to the north in Muzaffarabad and with the core Pahari varieties spoken to the south in the Galyat region around Murree.
Education
According to Pakistan District Education Ranking 2017, a report by Alif Ailaan, the district of Bagh is ranked at number 5 nationally in the ranking related to education, with an education score of 73.99. The learning score is at 85.42 and gender parity score of 88.32. The school infrastructure score of Bagh is 28.32, giving Bagh a national rank of 126. School infrastructure is a major problem in all of Kashmir. Access to schools, schools being far away is also a reason why there are fewer enrollments, especially after completing primary school.
2005 earthquake
The city of Bagh, like other areas of the district, was heavily damaged in the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. Sixty percent of the buildings collapsed. Thousands of people died and many more found themselves homeless. In the aftermath of the earthquake, NATO came to the district to help with reconstruction and clearing. There was a report that an entire village was wiped out in the district. The U.S., through Pakistan, distributed vouchers so people could buy water and food.
