Siachen Glacier is the largest glacier in India. In
fact, it has the distinction of being the largest glacier outside the
polar and the sub-polar regions. Siachen glacier is 75.6 km long and 2.8
km wide. It is the source for the 80km-long Nubra River, a tributary of
the Shyok, which is part of the Indus River system.
The Siachen Glacier lies south of the great watershed that separates
China from the Indian subcontinent in the extensively glaciated portion
of the Karakoram. The word 'Siachen' means "the place of wild roses".
Siachen also has the dubious distinction of being the highest
battleground on earth. India and Pakistan have fought intermittently
since April 13, 1984. The volume of the glacier has been reduced by 35
percent over the last twenty years. Global warming and military activity
have been cited as the main reasons for the receding of the glacier.
