Pokhran पोखरण |
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City | |
Pokhran Fort
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Coordinates: 26°55′N 71°55′E / 26.92°N 71.92°ECoordinates: 26°55′N 71°55′E / 26.92°N 71.92°E | |
State | India |
State | Rajasthan |
District | Jaisalmer |
Elevation | 233 m (764 ft) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 28,457 |
Languages | |
• Official | Hindi |
Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
Pokhran Test Range (PTR) | |
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Near Jaisalmer in India | |
Coordinates | 27°05′42″N 71°45′11″E / 27.095°N 71.753°E |
Type | Nuclear test site |
Site information | |
Operator | Indian Army |
Status | active |
Site history | |
In use | 1970–present |
Test information | |
Subcritical tests | not known |
Nuclear tests | 6 |
Pokhran (Hindi: पोखरण) is a city and a municipality located in the Jaisalmer district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a remote location in the Thar Desert region and served as the test site for India's first underground nuclear weapon detonation.
Surrounded by rocks, sand and five salt ranges, its Hindi name Pokhran (पोखरण) means "place of five mirages". It is located en route between Jaisalmer and Jodhpur or Bikaner at 27°05′42″N 71°45′11″E / 27.095°N 71.753°E and has an average elevation of 233 metres (764 feet).
According to 2011 Indian census, Pokhran had a population of 28457. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Pokhran has an average literacy rate of 56%, lower than the national average of 74.0%: male literacy is 68%, and female literacy is 41%. In Pokhran, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Fort Pokhran, the 14th century citadel also known as “Balagarh”, stands amidst the Thar Desert. This monument is the premier fort of the chief of the Champawats, the clan of Rathores of the state of Marwar-Jodhpur.