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Introduction.
Pakistan is the land of the Indus River, which flows through the country
for 2,880 km. from the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges to the
Arabian sea. It is located between 23 and 37 degrees north latitude and
61 and 76 degrees east longitude. It is a land of snow covered peaks
and burning deserts, of fertile mountain valleys and irrigated plains.
Created in 1947 as a homeland for the Muslims of the Indian
subcontinent, it is inhabited by some 128 million people (1995)
belonging to many ethnic groups speaking over 20 different languages and
wearing distinctive costumes, but all united by the Islamic faith.
The Land of Pure (as the Urdu name Pakistan translates into English) is
strategically placed at the crossroads of Asia, where the road from
China to the Mediterranean meets the route from India to Central Asia.
For thousands of years, this junction has been a melting pot of diverse
cultures, attracting traders and adventurers, pilgrims and holy men.
For any visitor, Pakistan has a wealth of attractions: its 4,000-year
history is richly illustrated by archaeological sites and imposing
monuments scattered the length and breadth of the country. Brick cities
from the Indus Civilization, which flourished around 2000 BC, stand
beside Buddhist ruins contemporaneous with the birth of Christianity.
Magnificent Muslim tombs from the 12th century vie with palaces, mosques
and forts of the Mughal emperors of the 16th and 17th centuries.
The country's main cities reflect the many influences, both historical
and modern, that have made Pakistan what it is today. Lahore is the
cultural center of the country, with an elegant core of Mughal
architecture embellished by the flowery exuberance of the British Raj.
Islamabad, the capital, is a modern garden city. Finally bustling
Karachi is a huge international port, industrial and financial center.
In the north of the country, four great mountain ranges meet, offering
some of the most challenging and scenic mountaineering, trekking and
jeep safaris in the world. Five huge rivers flow south to the sea,
forming the flight paths for migrating birds and providing exciting
white water rafting and boating.
To the spirit hungry for exploration and adventure, Pakistan beckons.
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Official Name |
Islamic Republic of
Pakistan |
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Father of the Nation |
Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah |
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Capital |
Islamabad |
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Area |
796,096 Sq. km. |
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Population |
145.28 million |
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Ethnic composition |
97% Muslims, 3% others |
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Per capita income |
US$ 460 |
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Currency |
Rupee |
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Exports |
Cotton, textile goods, rice, leather items, carpets, sports
goods, fruits, handicrafts Sea Food (Fisheries) |
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Imports |
Industrial equipment, vehicles, iron ore, petroleum, edible
oil |
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Languages |
Urdu (National language)
English (Official) |
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Literacy rate |
39% |
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Government |
Parliamentary form |
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Parliament |
It consists of two Houses i.e., the Senate (Upper House) and
the National Assembly (Lower House).
The Senate is a permanent legislative body and symbolises a
process of continuity in the national affairs. It consists
of 87 members. The four Provincial Assemblies, Federally
Administered Tribal Areas and Federal Capital form its
electoral college.
The National Assembly has a total membership of 217 elected
through adult suffrage (Muslim 207 and Minorities 10). |
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Pakistan National Flag |
Dark green with a white vertical bar, a white crescent and a
five-pointed star in the middle. The Flag symbolises
Pakistan's profound commitment to Islam and Islamic world. |
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National Anthem |
Approved in June, 1954 Verses Composed by: Abul Asar Hafeez
Jullundhri Tune Composed by: Ahmed G. Chagla |
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State Emblem |
The State Emblem consists of:
1. The crescent and star which is symbol of Islam
2. The shield in the centre shows four major crops
3. Wreath surrounding the shield represents cultural
heritage
4. Scroll contains Quaid's motto: Unity Faith, Discipline |
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National Flower |
Jasmine |
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Popular games |
Cricket, Hockey, Football |
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Tourist's resorts |
Murree, Quetta, Hunza, Ziarat, Swat, Kaghan, Chitral and
Gilgit |
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Archaeological sites |
Moenjo Daro, Harappa, Taxila, Kot Diji, Mehr Garh |
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Major Cities |
Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi,
Hyderabad, Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad |
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Agriculture |
Major crops are cotton, wheat, rice and sugarcane
Total cropped area 22.14 million hectares |
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Industry |
Textiles, cement, fertiliser, steel, sugar, electric goods,
shipbuilding |
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Energy |
Major sources: Oil, Coal, Hydel, Thermal, Nuclear and Liquid
Petroleum Gas |
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Transport & Communication |
Total length of roads: 228,206 km
Pakistan Railway network: 8,775 km
Railway stations: 781
Pakistan International Airlines: Covers 55 international and
38 domestic stations
Major Airports: 6 - Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Quetta,
Peshawar and Gwadar |
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Seaports |
International : 2 - Karachi and Bin Qasim |
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Famous Mountain Peaks |
K-2 (Mt. Godwin Austin): 28,250 ft./8611 m (2nd in World)
Nanga Parbat : 26,660 ft./8125 m (8th in World)
Gasherbrum-I: 26,470 ft./8068 m (11th in World) |
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Famous Mountain Passes |
The Khyber Pass
The Kurram Pass
The Tochi Pass
The Gomal Pass
The Bolan Pass
The Lowari Pass
The Khunjrab Pass |
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Rivers |
The Indus 2880 km
Jhelum 825 km
Chenab 1242 km
Ravi 901 km
Sutlej 1551 km
Beas (tributary of Sutlej) 398 km |
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Famous Glaciers |
Siachin 75 km
Batura 55 km
Baltoro 62 km |
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Deserts |
Thar: Sindh
Cholistan: Punjab
Thal: Punjab |
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Major Dams |
Tarbela Dam- North West Frontier Province
Mangla Dam- Punjab
Warsak Dam- North West Frontier Province |
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OFFICIAL NAME:
Islamic Republic of
Pakistan
CAPITAL:
Islamabad
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT:
Federal Multiparty Islamic Republic
AREA:
803,943 Sq Km (310,404 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED POPULATION IN 2000:
153,594,000
LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY
Pakistan is located in South Asia. It is bound by
India to the east, Afghanistan and Iran to the west, China to the north
and the Arabian Sea to the south. The country is divided into three main
geographical regions. (1.) the northern
highlands which include the
Hindu Kush Mountain Ranges, including the K2 peak while south of the
Khyber Pass they
include the Safed Koh, Toba Kakar and Ras Koh Ranges.
(2.) The Indus River Plain which contains fertile agricultural
land and to the west the Thal and Thar Deserts. (3.) The Baluchistan Plateau
which is an arid tablelands with a number
of small mountain ranges such
as the Central Brahui, Kirthar, Makran and Sulaiman Ranges. The
principal river is the
Indus with its major tributaries, the Kabul, Gumal and Panjnad Rivers. Major Cities (pop. est.); Karachi 5,208,100,
Lahore 2,953,000, Faisalabad 1,104,000, Rawalpindi 795,000, Islamabad
204,500 (1981). Land Use; forested 4%,
pastures 7%, agricultural-cultivated 28%, other 61% (1993).
CLIMATE
Pakistan has a subtropical
climate characterized by four seasons. (1.) A dry cool winter season
from December to February, (2.) a dry hot summer season from March to
May, (3.) a SW Monsoon season from June to September and a (4.) NE
Monsoon season from October to November. Average annual precipitation
varies from 1,520 mm (60 inches) to 127 mm (5 inches) depending on the
region. The prevailing summer wind is a dry wind called the LoW Average
temperature ranges in Karachi
are from 13 to 25 degrees Celsius (55 to
77 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 28 to 34 degrees Celsius (82 to 93
degrees Fahrenheit) in June.
PEOPLE
The principal ethnic majority are the Punjabis who
account for 48% of the population. Other ethnic minorities include
the
Sindhi, Pushtuns, Baluchis, Makranis, Mujahirs, Khos and Kafirs.
DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS
Density; 144 persons per sq km (372 persons per sq
mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 32.0% urban, 68.0% rural (1993). Sex
Distribution; 52.5% male, 47.5% female (1990). Life Expectancy at Birth;
59.3 years male, 60.7 years female (1990). Age Breakdown; 46% under 15,
25% 15 to 29, 14% 30 to 44, 9% 45 to 59, 5% 60 to 74, 1% 75 and over
(1988). Birth Rate; 43.3 per 1,000 (1990). Death Rate; 10.5 per 1,000
(1990). Increase Rate; 32.8 per 1,000 (1990). Infant Mortality Rate;
113.0 per 1,000 live births (1990).
RELIGIONS
The official religion is Islam which is followed
by 97% of the population, of which Sunni Muslims account for 77% of the
population while 20% are Shiite Muslims. The remainder are Christians.
LANGUAGES
The official language is Urdu, which is spoken by
8% of the population while English is spoken by only 2%. Over 30
distinct languages are more widely spoken with Punjabi spoken by an
estimated 65% of the population.
EDUCATION
Aged 25 or over and having attained: no formal
schooling 78.9%, incomplete primary 8.7%, incomplete secondary 10.5%,
higher 1.9% (1981). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over
11,938,790 or 25.6% (1981).
MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993
On Aug. 14, 1947 Britain's Indian empire was
divided into the independent dominions of Pakistan and India, while
Pakistan consisted of West Pakistan and East Pakistan (Bangladesh).
Fighting between the Hindus and Muslims continued even after the
partition of India and in 1948 India and Pakistan went to war because
Pakistan claimed Kashmir as most of its inhabitants are Muslims,
although in 1949 the UN arranged a ceasefire. In 1956 Pakistan became an
Islamic republic. In Oct. 1958 martial law was imposed and Gen. Ayub
Khan assumed the presidency as Pres. Iskander Mirza was sent into exile.
In 1962 a new constitution introduced a more centralized system of
government and in the presidential elections of 1965 Gen. Ayub was
narrowly re-elected. In the same year, the dispute over Kashmir led to
renewed fighting between India and Pakistan until the UN arranged
another cease-fire. In 1967 the completion of the Mangla Dam provided
West Pakistan with flood control, irrigation and hydroelectric power. In
1969 after growing unrest, Pres. Ayub resigned and Martial Law was
imposed by Gen. Yahya Khan. Presidential elections in Dec. 1970 resulted
in a victory for Sheik Mujibur Rahman of the East Pakistan-Sajal Awami
League (AL). West Pakistan was reluctant to recognize the AL's victory
and a full-scale civil war ensued. On March 26, 1971 East Pakistan
declared itself the independent nation of Bangladesh. On Dec. 16, 1971
West Pakistan surrendered after India's intervention on behalf of East
Pakistan. In the same month Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of the Pakistan People's
Party (PPP) became President. In 1973 a new constitution was drafted
which allowed for a parliamentary system of government and Bhutto became
Prime Minister. In July 1977 Bhutto was deposed by Gen. Zia ul Haq and
martial law was again imposed. On Apr. 4, 1979 Bhutto was executed after
being convicted of complicity in the murder of a political opponent. In
1981 a presidential advisory federal council known as the Majlis i Shura
was established. In Dec. 1985 Martial Law was lifted and in 1986 ethnic
riots in Karachi resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. In May
1988 Zia dissolved the assemblies and on August 17, 1988 was killed in a
plane crash. After elections in Dec. 1988 Benazir Bhutto, daughter of
Zulfikar, became the country's first woman Prime Minister. In Oct. 1989
Pakistan was re-admitted to the Commonwealth and in Aug. 1990 Pres.
Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismissed Prime Minister Bhutto on charges of
corruption and incompetence. In Oct. 1990 Nawaz Sharif of the People's
Democratic Alliance was elected Prime Minister by the National Assembly
and during the year, relations with India were strained over Kashmir
with India accusing Pakistan of backing a Muslim separatist campaign. In
Feb. 1991 a powerful earthquake in the northwest killed some 200 people.
In May 1991 the government established the Koran or Qur'an, the Islamic
holy book, as the country's supreme law. In June 1991 a passenger train
collided with a freight train killing 50 people. In Aug. 1991 the
husband of former Prime Minister Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari was acquitted
of charges that he pressured a state-owned bank to grant him a huge
loan. In Sept. 1991 Prime Minister Shariff added 11 new ministers and 18
deputy ministers to his Cabinet. Also in Sept. 1991 Princess Diana made
her first visit to Pakistan. In Nov. 1991 Pres. Khan's son-in-law,
Irfanullah Marwat was accused of organizing the gang rape of one of
former Pres. Bhutto's close friends, although he was acquitted of the
allegations by the courts mass violent street protests followed. Also
during 1991 there was a marked escalation in kidnappings for ransom with
foreigners becoming the targets for the first time and the country
remained a major source of narcotics with an estimated 30 tons of heroin
being illegally exported each year. In 1992 Prime Minister Sharif
launched a economic reform program that privatized dozens of state-owned
enterprises, including banks and sugar mills. In July 1992 the
government ordered a military crackdown on sectarian militants that
terrorized southern Sindh province, the base of Bhutto's PPP, for the
last decade with some 50,000 troops taking part. In Sept. 1992 a massive
flood due to continuous monsoonal rains over three days resulted in some
2,000 deaths, 3 million people being left homeless and US $1 billion in
property damage. In Nov. 1992 and in defiance of a government ban
Benazir Bhutto led a mass protest march in Islamabad against the
government, alleging electoral fraud and other crimes. In Dec. 1992
Muslims attacked Hindu temples across the country following the
destruction of the Babri Mosque in India by Hindu extremists. Also in
1992 the government faced difficulties over a court ruling in line with
Koranic law that outlawed bank interest and relations with the US were
further strained after the government indirectly confirmed that it had
been working on nuclear weapons, claiming that if it stopped development
or destroyed its atomic components it would leave itself open to attack
from India. Relations with India remained tense over Kashmir, which
demanded independence from India. On April 18, 1993 Pres. Ghulam Ishaq
Khan dismissed Prime Minister Sharif's government and on May 26, 1993
the Supreme Court ruled that Pres. Khan had overstepped his
constitutional authority and restored Sharif's government. On July 18,
1993 after serious political conflict both Pres. Khan and Prime Minister
Sharif resigned with Khan succeeded by Wasim Sajjad and Sharif by Moeen
Qureshi. In Aug. 1993 Prime Minister Quershi announced sweeping economic
reforms while the IMF and World Bank pledged US $1.5 billion in new
loans. On Aug. 25, 1993 the US imposed trade sanctions on Pakistan over
allegations that it had breached an international arms control agreement
by accepting M11 surface-to-surface missile technology from China. In
Oct. 1993 general elections resulted in the PPP forming a new government
with Bhutto as Prime Minister. Also in 1993 the government closed
numerous embassies and information centers worldwide due to austerity
measures and the government imposed taxes on Pakistan's powerful feudal
landlords.
CURRENCY
The official currency is the Rupee (PRs) divided
into 100 Paisa.
ECONOMY
Gross National Product; USD $54,045,000,000
(1993). Public Debt; USD $20,306,000,000 (1993). Imports; PRs
258,250,100,000 (1994). Exports; PRs 205,499,400,000 (1994). Tourism
Receipts; USD $111,000,000 (1993). Balance of Trade; PRs -22,968,000,000
(1994). Economically Active Population; 33,800,000 or 28.0% of total
population (1993). Unemployed; 6.3% (1992).
MAIN TRADING PARTNERS
Its main trading
partners are Japan, Saudi Arabia, the USA, the UK and Germany.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS
Antimony, Bauxite, Copper, Cotton, Fruit, Gypsum,
Iron Ore, Maize, Natural Gas, Oil, Rice, Sugar Cane, Tobacco, Wheat.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES
Agriculture, Cement, Cotton, Fertilizers, Food
Processing, Petroleum Refining, Sports Goods, Sugar Refining, Yarn and
Fabric.
MAIN EXPORTS
Cotton and Cotton Textiles, Guns, Hand Crafted
Carpets, Leather Goods, Petroleum Products, Rice, Sports Goods.
TRANSPORT
Railroads; route length 8,775 km (5,453 mi)
(1990), passenger-km 20,052,000,000 (12,460,000,000 passenger-mi)
(1990), cargo ton-km 6,612,000,000 (4,529,000,000 short ton-mi) (1990).
Roads; length 140,077 km (87,040 mi) (1990). Vehicles; cars 738,059
(1989), trucks and buses 171,519 (1989). Merchant Marine; vessels 71
(1990), deadweight tonnage 507,684 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km
9,298,701,000 (5,777,943,000 passenger-mi) (1989), cargo ton-km
427,527,000 (292,813,000 short ton-mi) (1989).
COMMUNICATIONS
Daily Newspapers; total of 274 with a total
circulation of 809,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 10,200,000 (1994).
Television; receivers 2,080,000 (1994). Telephones; units 1,604,800
(1993).
MILITARY
587,000 (1995) total active duty personnel with
88.6% army, 3.7% navy and 7.7% air force while military expenditure
accounts for 6.4% (1993) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
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