the town was more than 5,000 in 1992. It had four clans of herdsmen tending livestock. Out of a population of 16,000 (65,000 in the valley) as of 1995, most of the residents of the town and the Hunsa valley are Shia Ismaili Muslims. Literacy in the valley is as high as 90% as against a national average of 58 percent. Residents of the town say that all young people of the town below the age of 30 are literate. Education There was a high school in the town in 1986 itself when the population of the Hunza valley was 30,000. The town has received substantial assistance from the Aga Khan Foundation, a charitable institution, which is involved in infrastructure activities such as roads and water supply, as well as in establishing educational institutions and health centres. There are also schools for women such as the Aga Khan Higher Secondary School for Girls, and the Hasegawa Memorial Public School run by Japan, which are popular for girls. Economy The economy is dependent on agriculture with crops such as corn (maize), fruits, and vegetables grown under irrigated conditions. Landmarks The landmarks around the town are the Baltit Fort, Queen Victoria Monument, Channel Walk and the snow clad mountains of Rakaposhi and glaciers of Ulter Nala. Baltit Fort Baltit, which was the original capital of the Hunza valley, was established in the 13th century. A fort was built, in the backdrop of snow clad mountains, in the 17th century when Mir Ayesho II's (great-grandson of Girkis, a legendary ruler) wife, the daughter of the Balti ruler, came to live in Hunza. The fort was built in Balti-style by the artisans brought by her. It was refurbished during Ayesho II's son's rule. Mir Nazim Khan got it refurnished with wall paper, curtains, fireplaces, balconies, and windows with tinted glass. The exterior of the fort was given a white wash. He also built a raised platform in the terrace to hold meetings of the council. Once the capital was moved to Karimabad, the fort was stripped of all its interior furnishings and decorations. Nazim Khan's son had moved to Karimabad in 1945.It was a deserted structure in 1984. However, between 1990 and 1996 the fort was completely rebuilt with all structural elements of the old fort to its original plan taking earthquake factor into consideration. The fort presents a view as if it has