| Karzok | |||
| Other Name: | Korzok | ||
| Settlement Type: | Village | ||
| Pushpin Map: | India Ladakh#India | ||
| Pushpin Relief: | y | ||
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Ladakh, India | ||
| Coordinates: | 32.9681°N 78.264°W | ||
| Subdivision Type: | Country | ||
| Subdivision Name: | India | ||
| Subdivision Type1: | Union Territory | ||
| Subdivision Name1: | Ladakh | ||
| Subdivision Type2: | District | ||
| Subdivision Name2: | Leh | ||
| Subdivision Type3: | Tehsil | ||
| Subdivision Name3: | Nyoma[1] | ||
| Seat Type: | Panchayat | ||
| Unit Pref: | Metric | ||
| Elevation M: | 4595 | ||
| Population As Of: | 2011 | ||
| Population Total: | 1291 | ||
| Population Density Km2: | auto | ||
| Timezone1: | IST | ||
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 | ||
| Blank Name Sec1: | 2011 census code | ||
| Blank Info Sec1: | 899 | ||
| Module: |
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Karzok or Korzok is a village in the Leh district of Ladakh, India.[2] It is located close to Nyoma, in the Rupshu region and block, on the shores of the Tso Moriri lake. It is among the highest towns in the world and the highest settlement in India.[3] Various sources give slightly different measurements of the altitude from 14,995 ft (4,570 m) to 15,075 ft (4,595 m) above sea level.[4] The Drukpa Buddhist Korzok Monastery is located here.
Karzok was on the Central Asian trade route until 1947 and was the headquarters of the Rupshu Valley. One of the kings, Rupshu Goba, who lived there with his family, built nine permanent houses there.[5]
The village has several houses, and the nomadic population who establish their tents (made of yak hair or skin) in summer, add to the agricultural operations in the region. The tents are provided with vents at the top to let out the smoke. Pashmina is the valuable product that the Changmas trade along with the salt that they extract from large salt fields in the area, such as the springs at Puga. They barter these two products for food grains and other necessities. In recent years, building activity is on the rise with the nomadic tribes changing their lifestyle.[6]
According to the 2011 census of India, Karzok has 253 households. The effective literacy rate (i.e. the literacy rate of population excluding children aged 6 and below) is 46.64%.
| Population | 1291 | 673 | 618 | |
| Children aged below 6 years | 189 | 102 | 87 | |
| 4 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 931 | 485 | 446 | ||
| Literates | 514 | 292 | 222 | |
| Workers (all) | 813 | 450 | 363 | |
| Main workers (total) | 315 | 225 | 90 | |
| Main workers: Cultivators | 257 | 192 | 65 | |
| Main workers: Agricultural labourers | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Main workers: Household industry workers | 6 | 0 | 6 | |
| Main workers: Other | 49 | 31 | 18 | |
| Marginal workers (total) | 498 | 225 | 273 | |
| Marginal workers: Cultivators | 224 | 117 | 107 | |
| Marginal workers: Agricultural labourers | 7 | 3 | 4 | |
| Marginal workers: Household industry workers | 126 | 19 | 107 | |
| Marginal workers: Others | 141 | 86 | 55 | |
| Non-workers | 478 | 223 | 255 |
Karzok has a subarctic climate (Köppen classification Dfc) bordering on a tundra climate (ET). Summers are cool with chilly nights, and winters are long and cold with lows below zero.