[4] Chitral shares much of its history and culture with the neighbouring Hindu Kush territories of Gilgit-Baltistan, a region sometimes called "Peristan" because of the common belief in fairies (peri) inhabiting the high mountains.

The terrain of Chitral is very mountainous, and Tirich Mir (25,289 feet), the highest peak of the Hindu Kush, rises in the north of the district.

Chitral is connected to the rest of Pakistan by two major road routes, the Lowari Pass ( elevation.

[2] The general population is mainly made up of Kho people, who speak Khowar, which is also spoken in parts of Yasin, Gilgit, Dir, and Swat.

There are also smaller communities of speakers of Arabic, Dameli, Gawar-Bati, Gujari, Kalasha, Kyrgyz, Katë, Madaklashti, Palula, Sarikoli, Wakhi, and Yidgha.