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==History==
==History==
[[Image:Abbottabad 1907.JPG|thumb|Abbottabad City, 1907]]
[[Image:Abbottabad 1907.JPG|thumb|Abbottabad City, 1907]]
The town of Abbottabad in [[British India]] was the headquarters of the then Hazara district, and was named after [[James Abbott (British army officer)|Major James Abbott]] who founded the town and district in January 1853 after the annexation of the [[Punjab region|Punjab]]. He remained the first Deputy Commissioner of the Hazara district between 1849 until April 1853. Major Abbott is noted for having written a poem titled "[[Abbottabad (poem)|Abbottabad]]", prior to his departure back to [[United Kingdom|Britain]], in which he wrote of his fondness for the town and his sadness at having to leave it. Abbottabad became and is still an important military [[cantonment]] and sanatorium, being the headquarters of a brigade in the Second Division of the Northern Army Corps.<ref name="EB1911">[[:wikisource:1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Abbottabad|Abbottabad - Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition]]</ref> The garrison consisted of four battalions of native infantry (Gurkhas and Frontier Force) and four native mountain batteries.<ref name="IGI">[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V05_009.gif Abbottabad Town - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 5, p. 1.]</ref> In 1901 the population of the town and cantonment was 7764<ref name="EB1911"/> and the income averaged around Rs. 14,900. This increased to Rs. 22,300 in 1903, chiefly derived from [[octroi]]. During this time chief public institutions were built such as the Albert Victor unaided Anglo-Vernacular High School, the Municipal Anglo-Vernacular High School and the Government dispensary<ref name="IGI"/>. In 1911 the population had risen to 11,506 and the town also contained four battalions of Gurkhas.<ref>[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24562/24562-h/24562-h.htm The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Panjab, North-West Frontier Province, and Kashmir, by Sir James McCrone Douie]</ref> In June 1948, the [[British Red Cross]] opened a hospital in Abbottabad to deal with thousands of patients who were being brought in from the Kashmir fighting areas.<ref>[http://www.redcross.org.uk/standard.asp?id=70104 Partition of India and Pakistan 1947 - British Red Cross]</ref> On the October 8th, 2005 Abbottabad was devastated by the [[2005 Kashmir earthquake|Kashmir earthquake]]. Although most of Abbottabad survived, many old buildings were destroyed or damaged.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4328028.stm BBC News - Doctor's diary]</ref>
The town of Abbottabad in [[British India]] was the headquarters of the then Hazara district, and was named after [[James Abbott (British army officer)|Major James Abbott]] who founded the town and district in January 1853 after the annexation of the [[Punjab region|Punjab]]. He remained the first Deputy Commissioner of the Hazara district between 1849 until April 1853. Major Abbott is noted for having written a poem titled "[[Abbottabad (poem)|Abbottabad]]", prior to his departure back to [[United Kingdom|Britain]], in which he wrote of his fondness for the town and his sadness at having to leave it. Abbottabad became and is still an important military [[cantonment]] and sanatorium, being the headquarters of a brigade in the Second Division of the Northern Army Corps.<ref name="EB1911">[[:wikisource:1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Abbottabad|Abbottabad - Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition]]</ref> The garrison consisted of four battalions of native infantry (Gurkhas and Frontier Force) and four native mountain batteries.<ref name="IGI">[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V05_009.gif Abbottabad Town - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 5, p. 1.]</ref> In 1901 the population of the town and cantonment was 7764<ref name="EB1911"/> and the income averaged around Rs. 14,900. This increased to Rs. 22,300 in 1903, chiefly derived from [[octroi]]. During this time chief public institutions were built such as the Albert Victor unaided Anglo-Vernacular High School, the Municipal Anglo-Vernacular High School and the Government dispensary<ref name="IGI"/>. In 1911 the population had risen to 11,506 and the town also contained four battalions of Gurkhas.<ref>[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24562/24562-h/24562-h.htm The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Panjab, North-West Frontier Province, and Kashmir, by Sir James McCrone Douie]</ref> In June 1948, the [[British Red Cross]] opened a hospital in Abbottabad to deal with thousands of patients who were being brought in from the Kashmir fighting areas.<ref>[http://www.redcross.org.uk/standard.asp?id=70104 Partition of India and Pakistan 1947 - British Red Cross]</ref> On the October 8th, 2005 Abbottabad was devastated by the [[2005 Kashmir earthquake|Kashmir earthquake]]. Although most of Abbottabad survived, many old buildings were destroyed or damaged.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4328028.stm BBC News - Doctor's diary]</ref> This was the spot of Osama Bin Laden's death on May 1st 2011.


==Geography==
==Geography==

Revision as of 03:41, 2 May 2011

Abbottabad
City
Abbottabad
View of Abbottabad from Sarban Hills
View of Abbottabad from Sarban Hills
Country Pakistan
ProvinceKhyber Pukhtoonkhwa
DistrictAbbottabad
Government
 • NazimHaider Zaman
 • Naib NazimLiaqat Ali Khan
Elevation
1,260 m (4,130 ft)
Population
 (1998)[1]
 • Total27,915
 • Estimate 
(2006)
120,888
Time zoneUTC+5 (PST)
Calling code0992
Number of Union Councils6[2]
Abbottabad District Government

Abbottabad (Urdu: ایبٹ آباد) is a city located in the Hazara region/division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, formerly NWFP, of Pakistan . The city is situated in the Orash Valley, 150 km north of Islamabad and 200 km east of Peshawar at an altitude of 4,120 feet (1,260 m). The city is well-known throughout Pakistan for its pleasant weather, high standard educational institutions and military establishments. It remains a major hub for tourism of regions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir in the summer.

History

Abbottabad City, 1907

The town of Abbottabad in British India was the headquarters of the then Hazara district, and was named after Major James Abbott who founded the town and district in January 1853 after the annexation of the Punjab. He remained the first Deputy Commissioner of the Hazara district between 1849 until April 1853. Major Abbott is noted for having written a poem titled "Abbottabad", prior to his departure back to Britain, in which he wrote of his fondness for the town and his sadness at having to leave it. Abbottabad became and is still an important military cantonment and sanatorium, being the headquarters of a brigade in the Second Division of the Northern Army Corps.[3] The garrison consisted of four battalions of native infantry (Gurkhas and Frontier Force) and four native mountain batteries.[4] In 1901 the population of the town and cantonment was 7764[3] and the income averaged around Rs. 14,900. This increased to Rs. 22,300 in 1903, chiefly derived from octroi. During this time chief public institutions were built such as the Albert Victor unaided Anglo-Vernacular High School, the Municipal Anglo-Vernacular High School and the Government dispensary[4]. In 1911 the population had risen to 11,506 and the town also contained four battalions of Gurkhas.[5] In June 1948, the British Red Cross opened a hospital in Abbottabad to deal with thousands of patients who were being brought in from the Kashmir fighting areas.[6] On the October 8th, 2005 Abbottabad was devastated by the Kashmir earthquake. Although most of Abbottabad survived, many old buildings were destroyed or damaged.[7] This was the spot of Osama Bin Laden's death on May 1st 2011.

Geography

The city is bounded at all four sides by the Sarban hills, from which residents and tourists can see breathtaking views of the region and city. The location of the city and the hills allows Abbottabad to experience pleasant weather in the summer and cold winters. Neighbouring districts are Mansehra to the north, Muzaffarabad to the east, Haripur to the west and Rawalpindi to the south. Tarbela Dam is situated west of Abbottabad.

Topography

Abbottabad is situated in the Orash Valley lying between 34°09′N latitude and 73°13′E longitude at an altitude of 4,120 feet (1,260 m).

Climate

Abbottabad's climate is of extremes with mild temperatures during the spring and autumn months, humid temperatures during the months of June and July and below freezing temperatures during the winter. The temperature can rise as high as 30°C during the mid-summer months and can drop to below 0°C during the winter months. Snowfall is common in January while most rainfall occurs during the monsoon season stretching from May to August and can sometimes cause flooding.

Climate data for Abbottabad, Pakistan
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 12
(53) 		14
(57) 		18
(64) 		23
(73) 		28
(82) 		33
(91) 		30
(86) 		28
(82) 		28
(82) 		25
(77) 		20
(68) 		15
(59) 		22
(71)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 2
(35) 		4
(39) 		8
(46) 		12
(53) 		16
(60) 		20
(68) 		20
(68) 		19
(66) 		17
(62) 		13
(55) 		8
(46) 		4
(39) 		11
(51)
Average precipitation cm (inches) 7.3
(2.9) 		10.3
(4.1) 		12.3
(4.9) 		10.4
(4.1) 		7.3
(2.9) 		7.7
(3.0) 		24.7
(9.7) 		24.4
(9.6) 		9.6
(3.8) 		5.1
(2.0) 		3.1
(1.2) 		4.7
(1.9) 		127
(49.9)
Source: Weatherbase[8]

Demographics

  • Languages

According to the 1998 Census of the 81,000 who resided in Abbottabad, Hindko was spoken by 94.26% of the population, followed by Potohari at 2.30%, Pashto at 2.22% and Urdu at 1.05%.[9] Although the first language of most people in Abbottabad is Hindko, Urdu is understood and spoken fluently by majority of the residents and commonly used in the markets, offices and formal functions. English is widely used in business and education.

  • Ethnicity

The majority of the residents identify themselves as either Abbasis,Karlal, Jadoons, Sayeds, Malik Awan, Tanolis, Karlugh Turkss, Sheikhs, Sattis, Qazis, Sadozai, Kashmiris, Mughals, Rajputs, Qureshis, Malik Kakazai, Akazai, Utmanzai and Gujjars.

Government

Abbottabad is the headquarters of Hazara Division and Abbottabad District. The District Nazim, Commissioner, Inspector General and Forest Conservator all reside in Abbottabad. Abbottabad is divided into localities, towns, colonies and neighbourhoods.

Tourism

A view of Nathia Gali

Abbottabad has been attracting tourists to the city since the colonial era, as it is a major transit point to all major tourist regions of Pakistan such as Nathiagali and Naran. According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India, "the town is picturesquely situated at the southern corner of the Rash (Orash) plain, 4,120 feet (1,260 m) above the sea".[4] Like much of the mountainous Northern Areas, tourism is one of the important sources of income in Abbottabad. In the summer when temperatures rise to around 45 degrees Celsius in Punjab and NWFP, a large number of tourists travel north to Abbottabad. The Karakoram Highway, which traces one of the paths of the ancient Silk Road, starts from Hasan Abdal on the N5 and heads north passing through the city eventually reaching Khunjerab Pass. The Karakorum Highway is a major attraction itself for its views. The Karakoram, Himalayas and the Hindu Kush ranges can be approached from Abbottabad and it continues to be a transit city for tourists, serving as a base for visiting numerous nearby places, such as Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu and Indus Kohistan, of the Karakoram Range.[10]

Sports

Education

Main article: List of educational institutions in Abbottabad

Abbottabad attracts people from all over Pakistan to its high standard educational institutions and is commonly referred to "The City of Schools".

Transportation

Roads

  • N-35 (also known as the Karakoram Highway)
  • Kakul Road or P.M.A Road
  • Chinar Road
  • College Road
  • Sherwan Road
  • Link Road
  • Kasala Road
  • Nari Road
  • Link Road Narrian
  • Murree Road

Transport

Abbottabad's main public transport consists of modified pickup vans Suzukis, which can accommodate anywhere from 8 to 13 people at one time. Taxis are also available as well as wagons which connect Abbottabad to the surrounding cities and towns (ex. Nathiagali, Sherwan, Dhamtour, Haripur, Mansehra) in the region. Abbottabad is also served by Daewoo Express and Niazi Express.

Rail

Pakistan Railways does not serve Abbottabad however a PR Reservation Office is located in Fawara Chowk in the city centre. The nearest railway station is located in Havalian, which is the last and most northern station on the Pakistan Railway network. The station is approximately thirty minutes drive south from Abbottabad city centre.

See also

Notes

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Abbottabad".
  1. ^ http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/pop_major_cities/pop_major_cities.html
  2. ^ [1]. URL accessed 5 April 2006
  3. ^ a b Abbottabad - Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
  4. ^ a b c Abbottabad Town - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 5, p. 1.
  5. ^ The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Panjab, North-West Frontier Province, and Kashmir, by Sir James McCrone Douie
  6. ^ Partition of India and Pakistan 1947 - British Red Cross
  7. ^ BBC News - Doctor's diary
  8. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Abbottabad, Pakistan". Weatherbase. 2009.
  9. ^ People Of District Abbottabad - Language
  10. ^ Tourism in District Abbottabad

External links


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