This section provides an interactive map to visualize the geography and ecology of Gilgit-Baltistan. The mapping section is built upon the Open Street Maps (Operated by the OpenStreetMap Foundation) and Leaflet (Leaflet open-source JavaScript library by Vladimir Agafonkin) with number of base maps, ranging from simple grey canvas to satellite imagery for the region. The base map can be changed from bottom right icon in the map. The overlay layers cover topography, ecoregions, land-cover, temperature, aridity and other physical aspects of Gilgit-Baltistan. For each overlay map you can select different categories individually from the Overlay icon on the top right. Additionally each map section is also supplemented with a statistical table. The table presents numerical/statistical breakup of various categories and aspects for the whole of Gilgit-Baltistan and for each district.

Ecoregions or Eco-zones are relatively large units of land containing distinct assemblages of natural communities and species, with boundaries that approximate the original extent of natural communities prior to major land-use change. This Gilgit-Baltistan ecoregion map provides a useful framework for conducting biogeographical or macro-ecological research, for identifying areas of outstanding biodiversity and conservation priority, for assessing the representation and gaps in conservation efforts worldwide, and for communicating the global distribution of natural communities on earth. In general Gilgit-Baltistan can be divided in 5 eco-zones; 1) Dry Alpine zones & Permanent Snowfields 2) Alpine Meadows and Alpine Scrub 3) Sub-Alpine Scrub 4) Dry Temperate Coniferous Forest 5) Dry Temperate Evergreen Oak Scrub. Approach to ecoregion mapping, the logic and design of the framework, and previous and potential uses are provided in Olson et al. (2001) and Ricketts et al. (1999a). Source data available from World Wildlife Fund and Nature Conservancy Terrestrial Ecoregion layer, 2011.