[1] It is surrounded by Jammu to the northwest, the Doda and Udhampur districts to the north, the state of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Punjab to the south, and Pakistan's working boundary to the west.

Its terrain is diverse, consisting of rich agricultural areas along the Punjab/Kashmir border, plains sweeping eastward to the foothills of the Himalaya, and the mountainous Pahari region in the east.

Jodh Singh of the Andotra clan (shares ancestry with Tomar and Som Rajputs) is believed to have migrated from Hastinapur to Kathua nearly 2,000 years ago.

[4][5] Greek historians, who provide an insight into the ancient history of Jammu hills, prominently record the existence in this area of two powerful empires - Abhisara (present day Poonch) and Kathaioi - at the time of invasion of India by Alexander.

Strabo describes the people of this republic as the epitome of bravery and courage, and records that they gave a tough fight to invading army of Alexander.

Because of its close proximity to the Pakistan border, Kathua District has had a significant Indian Army presence since independence.

The Army units were camped at Kathua during militancy in the state when the ultras (extremists) carried out attacks against government installations.

A style of painting characterized by vigorous use of primary colours and a peculiar facial formula prevailed in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries in the foothills of the Western Himalayas in the Jammu and Punjab States.