The Balti are the descendants of an amalagam of Tibetan, Turkic and Dard people. Their population of 400,000 is found between the Pakistani-controlled Baltistan and Gilgit and Indian-controlled Kargil. Their language, Balti, belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family.
Like the Ladakhis, the Balti are agriculturalists. Their staple crops include wheat, maize, flour, etc. However, these could be planted in late summer and at lands with elevations not above 2,500 m, particularly along the Indus and Shyok river, as the Winter snow in Baltistan could be so heavy that it could cut off several regions from the rest of the world.
The Balti are mainly Muslims of the Shia' denimination. Mosques in Baltistan and Gilgit are mainly built in the Persian style, though several mosques constructed in the Tibetan style can be found in areas nearer to Ladakh and in Kargil. A fair denomination are Muslims of the Sunni sect. The Balti, who converted to Islam from Lamaism since the 15th century, have regarded the Mosques as a part of their life. On every Friday, the menfolk would generally attend the prayers sometime a little after noon. All Muslims will fast in the day during the month of the Ramadan, and a celebration will be held at the end of the celebration.
However, nothing is perfect. The Balti, who were formerly adherents of Bon and Lamaism, have largely converted to Islam. Small pockets of adherents that amount up to 3,000 in Baltistan of these age-old religion can be found in the most remote areas of Baltistan and West Kargil, where they have largey shunned off contacts with the outside world.