About

PAKISTAN

Pakistan is a multiethnic country of South Asia. Officially it is known as Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Covering an area of approximately 803,940 square kilometers, it is connected with

with Iran, Afghanistan and India. To the South is the Arabian Sea, with 1,046 km of Pakistani coastline. To Pakistan’s East is India with 2,912 km border  Iran to the West with 909 km border. To Pakistan’s Northwest lies Afghanistan, with a shared border of 2,430 km. China is towards the northeast and has a 523 km border with Pakistan.

Geographical Regions

There are three main geographical areas of Pakistan; the Northern Highlands, the Indus River plain, and Balochistan Plateau.The Northern Highlands covers regions of Hindu Kush, the Karakoram Range, and the Himalayas. It is the mountainous region and consists of the most famous peak K2 (World’s second highest peak) and many other summits. The Indus Plain is one of the world’s great rivers that rises in southwestern. Furthermore, Balochistan plateau is located in the Southwest of Pakistan with altitude ranging from 600 – 1200m.

Languages

In Pakistan more than 60 languages are spoken. Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. The common language of Punjab province is Punjabi. Sindhi is spoken in province Sindh, Pashto in province KhyberPakhtunkhwa, Balochi in province Balochistan, Shina in Gilgit Baltistan, and Kashmiri in the region of Azad Kashmir. Additionally, many other languages such as Hindko, Saraiki, Gujrati, are spoken in different regions of Pakistan.

Culture

The culture of Pakistan is deep rooted in Islamic traditions. There are differences among the different ethnic groups in cultural aspects i.e., dress, food, and islamic practices. Pakistan was the first country completely impacted by Islam in the region of Indian Subcontinent and has developed a unique Islamic identity. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and public eating is prohibited all over Pakistan. The most famous festivals celebrated in Pakistan include Eid (Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Milaad un Nabi), Muharram (Ashura), Quaid Day, Pakistan Day, Independence Day, and Defence Day.