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at 1.8%, but in the fiscal year that ended [[June 30]], [[2005]], the nominal GDP growth rate peaked at 8.4%. This puts Pakistan as the second-highest after China, among the ten most populous countries in the world.<ref name="growth">[http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000039&refer=columnist_mukherjee&sid=aiSFuvMKI2Gw Bloomberg.com article: China's New Growth Challenger Is Pakistan]</ref> However inflationary pressures and a below par savings rate, among other economic factors make it tough to sustain the same 8% growth rate, year on year. <ref>[http://www.adb.org/Media/Articles/2006/9638-regional-GDP-table/ Country-by-Country Growth and Forecasts] - [[Asian Development Bank]], [http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C05%5C01%5Cstory_1-5-2006_pg3_5 VIEW: Is GDP growth sustainable?] - [[Daily Times]] </ref> The growth of non-agricultural sectors has changed the structure of the economy, and agriculture now only accounts for roughly 20% of the GDP. The [[service]] sector accounts for 53% of the country's GDP with [[wholesale]] and [[retail]] trade forming 30% of this sector.
{{Infobox Country
|native_name = {{lang|ur|اسلامی amrdiadوریۂ پاکستان}}<br />''Islāmī Jamhūriya-i-Pākistān''
|conventional_long_name = Islamic Republic of Pakistan
|common_name = Pakistan
|image_flag = Flag of Pakistan.svg
|image_coat = Pakistan emblem.jpg
|symbol_type = State Emblem
|national_motto = Iman, Ittehad, Nazm <br /> ([[English language|English]]: Faith, Unity, Discipline)
|image_map = PakistanWorldMap.png||Location of Pakistan
|national_anthem = [[Qaumi Tarana]]<br>(National Anthem)<ref name="aips">{{cite web| url=http://www.pakistanstudies-aips.org/en/nap.htm| title="National Anthem of Pakistan"| first=American Institute of Pakistan Studies| last=Official website| accessdate=2006-04-18}}</ref><ref name="embassy">{{cite web| url=http://www.embassyofpakistan.org/nationalanthem.php| title="Pakistani Flag"| first=Washington D. C.| last=Embassy of Pakistan| accessdate=2006-04-18}}</ref>
|official_languages = [[Urdu language|Urdu]] and [[English language|English]]
|capital = [[Islamabad]]
|latd = 33|latm=40|latNS=N|longd=73|longm=10|longEW=E
|government_type = [[Federal republic]]
|leader_titles = [[President of Pakistan|President]]<br />[[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]]
|leader_names = [[Pervez Musharraf]]<br />[[Shaukat Aziz]]
|largest_city = [[Karachi]]
|area = 880,254
|areami²= 339,778 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] -->
|area_rank = 34th
|area_magnitude =
|percent_water = 3.1
|population_estimate = 163,985,373<ref name="estimate">[http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gpro&lng=en&dat=32&geo=-172&srt=npan&col=aohdq World Gazetteer population estimate for 2006]</ref>
|population_estimate_year = 2006
|population_estimate_rank = 6th
|population_census =
|population_census_year =
|population_density = 186
|population_densitymi² = 483 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] -->
|population_density_rank = 42nd
|GDP_PPP_year = 2005
|GDP_PPP = $385.2 billion<!--cia.gov-->
|GDP_PPP_rank = 26th
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $2,388
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 135th
|HDI_year = 2003
|HDI = 0.527
|HDI_rank = 135th
|HDI_category = <small><font color="black">medium</font></small>
|sovereignty_type = [[Independence of Pakistan|Independence]]
|established_events = - Declared<br /> - Republic
|established_dates = From the [[United Kingdom]]<br />[[1947-08-14]]<br />[[1956-03-23]]
|currency = [[Pakistani Rupee|Rupee]] (Rs.)
|currency_code = PKR
|time_zone = [[Pakistan Standard Time|PST]]
|utc_offset = +5:00
|time_zone_DST = not observed
|utc_offset_DST = +6:00
|cctld = [[.pk]]
|calling_code = 92
|footnotes =
}}
'''Pakistan''', officially the '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''' ({{lang-ur|اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان}}), is a [[country]] located in [[South Asia]] that overlaps with the [[Greater Middle East]]. It has a thousand-kilometre coastline along the [[Arabian Sea]] in the south and borders [[Afghanistan]] and [[Iran]] to the west, [[India]] to the east and the [[People's Republic of China]] in the far northeast.<ref name="kashmir">The [[Kashmir]] region is claimed by [[India]] and Pakistan. Both countries and China separately administer parts of the region with the Indian- and Pakistani-held areas defined by the [[Line of Control]]. The Pakistan&ndash;China border is not recognized by India.</ref>

The name "''Pakistan''" ([[IPA]]: {{IPA|/paːkɪst̪aːn/}}) means "Land of the Pure" in [[Urdu]] and [[Persian language|Persian]] and was coined in 1933 by [[Choudhary Rahmat Ali]], who published it in the pamphlet ''[[Now or Never]]''<ref name="pamphlet">[http://www.zyworld.com/slam33/non.htm Text of the ''Now or Never pamphlet'', issued on [[January 28]], [[1933]]]</ref> as an [[acronym]] of the names of the "Muslim homelands" of western India &mdash; '''P''' for [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]], '''A''' for ''Afghania'' (the [[Pashtun|Afghan]] areas), '''K''' for [[Kashmir]], '''S''' for [[Sindh]] and '''tan''' for [[Balochistan (Pakistan)|Balochistan]]. An '''i''' was later added to the [[English language|English]] rendition of the name to ease pronunciation.

Pakistan is the [[List of countries by population|sixth most populous country]] in the world and the second most populous [[Muslim]] country, after [[Indonesia]]. It was established as a modern state in 1947, as one of the two parts of the partitioned British India, but the region has a long history of settlement and civilisation including the [[Indus Valley Civilisation]]. The region was invaded by [[Afghans]], [[Greeks]], [[Persians]], [[Arabs]], and was incorporated into [[British Raj]] in the nineteenth century. Since [[Independence of Pakistan|independence]], Pakistan has seen both instability, with the loss of [[East Pakistan]] (present day [[Bangladesh]]) and significant military and economic growth. Pakistan has the seventh largest armed forces in the world and is a [[List of countries with nuclear weapons|declared nuclear weapons state]].

== History ==
<!-- THIS SECTION IS A SUMMARY. CONSIDER ADDING MATERIAL TO THE 'HISTORY OF PAKISTAN' ARTICLE.-->
{{Main|History of Pakistan}}
[[Image:Priest_King_of_Indus.jpg|thumb|125px|left|[[Mohenjo-daro|Mohen-jo-daro]] was once the center of [[Indus Valley Civilization]], ([[3000 BCE]]-[[1700 BCE]]). This is the famous statue of Priest King of Indus Valley.]]
The modern state of Pakistan was established on [[August 14]] 1947, but the region has an extensive ancient history that overlaps with the histories of [[Ancient India]], [[Iran]] and [[Afghanistan]]. The region was a crossroads of historic trade routes, including the [[Silk Road]], and was settled over thousands of years by many groups including [[Dravidians]], [[Indo-Aryans]], [[Persians]], [[Greeks]], [[Scythians]], [[Kushans]], [[White Huns]], [[Afghans]], [[Turks]] and [[Arab]]s. Historian and geographer de Blij Muller characterized quite aptly while describing the historical embodiment of the land when he said,"If, as is so often said, [[Egypt]] is the gift of the [[Nile]], then Pakistan is the gift of the [[Indus]]." The earliest evidence of humans is pebble tools of the [[Soan Culture]]<ref name="soan">[http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/research/pakistan University of Sheffield's archaeological research in Pakistan]</ref> in the [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]] province between 500,000 to 100,000 years ago. The [[Indus River|Indus region]] was the site of several ancient cultures including [[Mehrgarh]], one of the world's earliest towns, and the [[Indus Valley Civilisation]] at [[Harrappa]] and [[Mohenjo-Daro]].<ref name="indus_valley">[http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/middle_east/mohenjo_daro.html Minnesota State University page on Mohenjo-Daro]</ref> The Indus Valley Civilisation collapsed in the middle of the second millennium [[Before the Common Era|BCE]] and was followed by the [[Vedic Civilisation]] which extended over much of northern India and Pakistan. Successive empires and kingdoms ruled the region from the [[Achaemenid]] Persian empire<ref name="achaemenid">[http://www.livius.org/aa-ac/achaemenians/achaemenians.html Livius.org on the extent of the Achaemenid Empire]</ref> around 543 BCE, to [[Alexander the Great]]<ref name="plutarch">[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Alexander*/8.html#ref98 Plutarch's ''Life of Alexander'']</ref> in 326 BCE and the [[Mauryan]] empire. The [[Indo-Greek Kingdom]] founded by [[Demetrius I of Bactria|Demetrius of Bactria]] included [[Gandhara]] and [[Punjab region|Punjab]] from 184 BCE, and reached its greatest extent under [[Menander I|Menander]], establishing the [[Greco-Buddhism|Greco-Buddhist]] period with advances in trade and culture. The city of [[Taxila]] (Takshashila) became a major centre of learning prior to the arrival of Islam - the ruins may still be seen within the Swat Valley, to the west of [[Islamabad]].

In 712 CE, the Arab general [[Muhammad bin Qasim]]<ref name="qasim">[http://www.infinityfoundation.com/ECITChachnamaframeset.htm Infinity Foundation's translation of the Chach-Nama]</ref> conquered [[Sindh]] and [[Multan]] in southern [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]], setting the stage for several successive Muslim empires including the [[Ghaznavid Empire]], the [[Muhammad of Ghor|Ghorid]] Kingdom, the [[Delhi Sultanate]] and the [[Mughal Empire]]. During this period [[Sufi]] missionaries played a pivotal role in converting a majority of the regional population to [[Islam]]. The gradual decline of the Mughal Empire in the early eighteenth century provided opportunities for the [[People of Afghanistan|Afghans]], [[Balochis]] and [[Sikhs]] to exercise control over large areas until the [[British East India Company]]<ref name="east_india">[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/pktoc.html Library of Congress study of Pakistan]</ref> gained ascendancy over South Asia.
[[Image:Badshahi Mosque July 1 2005 pic32 by Ali Imran.jpg|thumb|200px|[[seventeenth century|17th Century]] [[Badshahi Masjid]] built by [[Mughal]] emperor [[Aurangzeb]] in [[Lahore]] ]]
The 1857 [[Indian War of Independence|War of Independence]] was the region's last major armed struggle against the British, but it laid the foundations for the generally unarmed freedom struggle led by the [[Indian National Congress|Congress]]. However the [[All India Muslim League|Muslim League]] rose to popularity in the late 1930's amid fears of under-representation and neglect of Muslims in politics. In 1930 [[Allama Iqbal]]<ref name="iqbal">[http://www.infopak.gov.pk/iqbal/iqbal_and_pakistan.htm Iqbal and the Pakistan Movement]</ref> called for a separate Muslim state in northwest and eastern [[South Asia]]. [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] espoused the ''[[Two Nation Theory]]'' and led the Muslim League to adopt the ''[[Lahore Resolution]]''<ref name="resolution">[http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/spedition/23%20march%202005/index.htm#d Jang.com page on the Lahore Resolution]</ref> of 1940, which led to independence in 1947.
[[Image:GGJinnah.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Governor General [[Jinnah]] delivering the opening address on [[August 11]], [[1947]] to the new state of Pakistan.]]
[[Image:PAK1971.JPG|200px|thumb|The two wings of Pakistan in 1970; [[East Pakistan]] obtained independence in 1971 as [[Bangladesh]].]]
Pakistan was formed on [[August 14]], [[1947]] with two Muslim-majority wings in the eastern and northwestern regions of the [[South Asia]], separated by [[Hindu]]-majority India, and comprising the provinces of [[Balochistan (Pakistan)|Balochistan]], [[East Bengal]], the [[North-West Frontier Province]], [[Punjab (Pakistan)|West Punjab]] and [[Sindh]]. The partition of [[British India]] resulted in communal riots<ref name="1947riots">[http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat3.htm#India Estimates for the 1947 death toll]</ref> across India and Pakistan&mdash;millions of Muslims moved to Pakistan and millions of Hindus and [[Sikhs]] moved to India. Disputes arose over several princely states including [[Jammu and Kashmir]] which led to the [[First Kashmir War]] (1948) ending with Pakistan and India each occupying large parts of the state. From 1947 to 1956, Pakistan was a [[Dominion]] in the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. The republic declared in 1958 was stalled by a [[coup d'etat]] by [[Ayub Khan]] (1958&ndash;69), who was president during a period of internal instability and a [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|second war]] with India in 1965. His successor, [[Yahya Khan]] (1969&ndash;71) had to deal with the [[1970 Bhola cyclone|cyclone]] which caused 500,000 deaths<ref name="cyclone">[http://nirapad.org/care_nirapad/Home/Magazine/chronology/currentissue/html/news8.html "Community participation in disaster management can reduce the losses"]</ref> in East Pakistan. Economic and political dissent in [[East Pakistan]] led to violent political repression and tensions escalating into [[civil war]]<ref name="1971war">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1971.stm 1971 war summary by BBC website]</ref> ([[Bangladesh Liberation War]]) and the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]] and ultimately the secession of East Pakistan as the independent state of [[Bangladesh]].<ref name="bangladesh">[http://countrystudies.us/bangladesh/17.htm US Country Studies article on the Bangladesh War]</ref>
Civilian rule resumed from 1972 to 1977 under [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]], but he was deposed by General [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]], who became the third military president. The [[secular]] policies of the past were replaced by Zia's introduction of the Islamic [[Shariat]] legal code, and increased religious influences on the civil service and the military. [[Muhammad Khan Junejo]] was elected in 1985 as [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]], but with the death of General Zia in a plane crash in 1988, [[Benazir Bhutto]], daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was elected as the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan. Over the next decade, she alternated in power with [[Nawaz Sharif]] as the political and economic situation worsened. Military tensions in the [[Kargil War|Kargil conflict]]<ref name="kargil">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/352995.stm Kargil conflict timeline on the BBC website]</ref> with India in 1999 were followed by a military [[coup]]<ref name="1999coup">[http://www.news.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1999/10/13/wcoo13.html Daily Telegraph (UK) article on the 1999 coup]</ref> in which General [[Pervez Musharraf]] assumed executive powers. In 2001, he became [[President of Pakistan|President]] after the resignation of [[Rafiq Tarar]] and after the 2002 parliamentary elections, transferred executive powers to newly elected Prime Minister [[Zafarullah Khan Jamali]], who was succeeded in 2004 by [[Shaukat Aziz]]. On [[8 October]], [[2005]], a [[2005 Kashmir earthquake|powerful earthquake]] of magnitude of 7.6 on the [[Richter scale]] struck the northern mountains of Pakistan and neighbouring regions in India and Afghanistan with the official death toll on [[8 November]] standing at 87,350<ref name="quake">[http://www.dmrg.org/resources/news/2005/2005.11.08-South%20Asian%20quake%20toll%20jumps%20to%2087,350.pdf CBC News Brief from [[November 8]], [[2005]]]</ref> and an estimated 3.3 million left homeless in Pakistan.

== Government and politics ==
{{main articles|[[Government of Pakistan]] }}
The first [[Constitution of Pakistan]] was adopted in 1956, but was suspended in 1958 by Ayub Khan. The Constitution of 1973, suspended in 1977 by [[Zia-ul-Haq]], was re-instated in 1991 and is the most important document laying the foundations of government in the country. Pakistan is a [[federal republic]] with [[Islam]] as the state religion. The [[semi-presidential system]] includes a [[bicameral]] legislature consisting of a 100-member [[Senate of Pakistan|Senate]] and a 342-member [[National Assembly of Pakistan|National Assembly]]. The [[President of Pakistan|President]] is the [[Head of State]] and the [[Commander in Chief]] of the Armed Forces and is elected by an [[Electoral College of Pakistan|electoral college]]. The [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|prime minister]] is usually the leader of the largest party in the National Assembly. Each province has a similar system of government with a directly elected Provincial Assembly in which the leader of the largest party or alliance becomes Chief Minister. Provincial Governors are selected by the Provincial Assemblies on the advice of the Chief Minister.
[[Image:ParliamentHouse.jpg|thumb|200px|Parliament house in [[Islamabad]]]]
The Muslim League's leadership of Pakistani politics reduced significantly with the rise of other political parties, especially the [[Awami League]] in East Bengal, which would lead the creation of Bangladesh. The [[Military of Pakistan|Pakistani military]] have played an influential role in mainstream politics throughout Pakistan's history, with military presidents ruling from 1958&ndash;71, 1977&ndash;88 and from 1999 onwards. The leftist [[Pakistan People's Party]], led by [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]], emerged as a major political player during the 1970s. Under the military rule of Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan began a marked shift from the British-era secular politics and policies, to the adoption of [[Shariat]] and other Islamic religious laws. During the 1980s, the anti-[[feudal]], pro-[[Muhajir Urdu|Muhajir]] [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement]] (MQM) was started by unorthodox and educated urban dwellers of [[Sindh]] and particularly [[Karachi]]. The 1990s were characterized by coalition politics dominated by the PPP and a rejuvenated Muslim League.

In the October 2002 general elections, the [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)]] (PML-Q) won a [[plurality]] of National Assembly seats with the second-largest group being the [[Pakistan Peoples Party|Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians]] (PPPP), a sub-party of the PPP. [[Zafarullah Khan Jamali]] of PML-Q emerged as Prime Minister but resigned on [[June 26]], [[2004]] and was replaced by PML-Q leader [[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain]] as interim Prime Minister. On [[August 27]], [[2004]] the National Assembly voted 191 to 151 to elect the [[Finance Minister of Pakistan|Finance Minister]] and former [[Citibank]] Vice President [[Shaukat Aziz]] as Prime Minister. [[Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal]], a coalition of Islamic religious parties, won elections in [[North-West Frontier Province]], and increased their representation in the [[National Assembly of Pakistan|National Assembly]].

[[Image:2006PresidentMusharaff&Bush.jpeg|thumb|200px|President Pervez Musharraf (right) with [[United States|U.S.]] President [[George W. Bush|Bush]] (left)]]
Pakistan is an active member of the [[United Nations]] (UN) and the [[Organisation of the Islamic Conference]] (OIC), the latter of which Pakistan has used as a forum for ''Enlightened Moderation'',<ref name="enlightened_moderation>[http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/EnlightenedModeration.aspx President Musharraf on Enlightened Moderation]</ref> a plan to promote a [[renaissance]] and [[Age of Enlightenment|enlightenment]] in the Muslim world. Pakistan is also a member of the major regional organisations of the [[South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation]] (SAARC) and the [[Economic Cooperation Organisation]] (ECO). In the past, Pakistan has had mixed relations with the United States especially in the early 1950s when Pakistan was the United States' "most allied ally in Asia"<ref name="mostallied">[http://www.fpa.org/newsletter_info2583/newsletter_info_sub_list.htm?section=Pakistan%3A%20The%20Most%20Allied%20Ally%20in%20Asia Pakistan: The Most Allied Ally in Asia]</ref> and a member of both the [[Central Treaty Organisation]] (CENTO) and the [[Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation]] (SEATO). During the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s Pakistan was a crucial US ally, but relations soured in the 1990s, when sanctions were applied by the US over suspicions of Pakistan's nuclear activities. The [[September 11 attacks]] and the subsequent [[War on Terrorism]] have seen an improvement in US&ndash;Pakistan ties, especially after Pakistan ended its support of the [[Taliban]] regime in [[Kabul]]. In January 2004, founder of Pakistani nuclear program [[A. Q. Khan]] confessed of nuclear proliferation to [[Libya]], [[Iran]] and [[North Korea]]. On [[February 5]], [[2004]], the President of Pakistan, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], announced that he had pardoned [[A Q Khan]].

Pakistan has long had troubled relations with [[Relations between India and Pakistan|neighbouring India]]. The long-running dispute over [[Kashmir]] resulted in full fledged wars in [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947|1947]] and [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|1965]]. Civil war in 1971 flared into the simultaneous [[Bangladeshi Liberation War]] and the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]. Pakistan conducted nuclear weapon tests in 1998 to counterbalance India's [[Pokhran-II|nuclear tests]] and became the only Muslim [[declared nuclear states|nuclear weapons state]]. The relations with India are steadily improving following peace initiatives in 2002. Pakistan maintains close economic, military and political relationships with the [[People's Republic of China]]. Pakistan also faces internal rebellion in the [[Federally Administered Tribal Areas]], where the tribal leaders support the Taliban; Pakistan has had to deploy its army in these regions to suppress the local unrest.<ref name="local_unrest">[http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2005%5C12%5C31%5Cstory_31-12-2005_pg7_29 'Taliban' gain sway in tribal region]. <u>Daily Times</u>. [[December 31]], [[2005]].</ref>

== Provinces and territories ==
{{main|Subdivisions of Pakistan}}
[[Image:PakistanNumbered.png|thumb|200px|Provinces and territories of Pakistan]]
Pakistan is a [[federation]]<ref name="federation">[http://www.nrb.gov.pk/constitutional_and_legal/constitution/part1.notes.html#1 The Constitutional basis of the Federation of Pakistan]</ref> of four provinces, a capital territory and federally administered tribal areas. Pakistan exercises ''de facto'' jurisdiction over the western parts of the [[Kashmir]] region, organised as two separate political entities ([[Azad Kashmir]] and [[Northern Areas]]), which are also claimed by India. In 2001 the federal government abolished the third tier of government ([[Divisions of Pakistan|administrative divisions]]) in favour of the former fourth tier districts. The provinces and the capital territory are subdivided into a total of [[Districts of Pakistan|107 districts]] which contain numerous [[tehsils]] and local governments. The tribal areas comprise seven tribal agencies and six small frontier regions detached from neighbouring districts whilst Azad Kashmir comprises seven districts and Northern Areas comprises six districts.

'''Provinces''':
# [[Balochistan (Pakistan)|Balochistan]]
# [[North-West Frontier Province]] (NWFP)
# [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]
# [[Sindh]]

In the early part of 2006, the government of Pakistan has announced creating 10 new provinces by dividing the others into different parts. Punjab will be divided into three parts; Sindh will also be divided into three parts. NWFP will be divided into two parts and the area between Gwadar and Mekran in Balochistan will also be divided into one unit. The provinces will also be able to elect their own chief ministers (as do the four provinces now). The reason for creating more provinces is because many groups have asked the government to and felt it necessary.

:* Balochistan and NWFP also have [[Provincially Administered Tribal Areas]]<ref name="pata">[http://www.nrb.gov.pk/constitutional_and_legal/constitution/part12.ch3.html Constitutional article 246(b) on the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas]</ref> (PATA) which are being developed into regular districts.

'''Territories''':
<ol start=5>
<li> [[Islamabad Capital Territory]]
<li> [[Federally Administered Tribal Areas]]
</ol>

'''Pakistani-administered portions of the Kashmir region''':
<ol start=7>
<li> [[Azad Kashmir]]<ref name="pok">India does not recognise [[Azad Kashmir]] and the [[Northern Areas]] as part of Pakistan and refers to them as [[Pakistan Occupied Kashmir]] (PoK)</ref>
<li> [[Northern Areas]]<ref name="pok" />
</ol>

== Geography and climate==
{{main|Geography of Pakistan}}
[[Image:K2 8611.jpg|thumb|200px|The world's second-highest mountain, [[K2]]]]
Pakistan covers 880,254&nbsp;[[square kilometre]]s (340,022&nbsp;[[square mile|sq&nbsp;mi]]), approximately the combined land areas of France and the United Kingdom, with its eastern regions located on the [[Indian plate|Indian tectonic plate]] and the western and northern regions on the [[Iranian plateau]] and [[Eurasian landplate]]. Apart from the 1,046&nbsp;kilometre<!--Format per WP:MOSNUM --> (650&nbsp;[[mile|mi]]) [[Arabian Sea]] coastline, Pakistan's land borders total 6,774&nbsp;kilometres&mdash;2,640&nbsp;kilometres (1,640&nbsp;mi) with Afghanistan to the northwest, 523&nbsp;kilometres (325&nbsp;mi) with China to the northeast, 2,912&nbsp;kilometres (1,809&nbsp;mi) with India to the east and 909&nbsp;kilometres (565&nbsp;mi) with Iran to the southwest.

The different types of natural features range from the sandy beaches, [[lagoon]]s, and [[mangrove]] swamps of the southern coast to preserved moist temperate forests and the icy peaks of the [[Himalaya]], [[Karakoram]] and [[Hindu Kush]] mountains in the north. Many of the mountains, including [[K2]] and [[Nanga Parbat]] are over 7,000&nbsp;metres (23,000&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|ft]]) high and covered in snow and glaciers. Linking the two areas and running the length of the country is the [[Indus River]] and its many tributaries. To the west of the Indus are the dry, hilly deserts of [[Balochistan (Pakistan)|Balochistan]]; to the east are the rolling sand dunes of the [[Thar Desert]]. Most areas of Punjab and parts of Sindh are fertile plains where agriculture is of great importance.

The climate varies as much as the scenery with very cold winters and hot summers in the north and a mild maritime-influenced climate in the south. The central parts have extremely hot summers with temperatures rising to 45&nbsp;º[[Celsius|C]] (113&nbsp;º[[Fahrenheit|F]]), followed by very cold winters, often falling below freezing. There is very little rainfall ranging from less than 250&nbsp;millimetres to more than 1,250&nbsp;millimetres (9.8&ndash;49.2&nbsp;[[inch|in]]), mostly brought by the unreliable south-westerly [[monsoon]] winds during the late summer. Water shortages have been eased by the construction of dams on the rivers and the drilling of water wells in many drier areas.

== Flora and fauna ==
[[Image:Hunza by jayzee.jpg|thumb|200px|The [[Hunza Valley|Hunza]] valley in northern Pakistan. &mdash; Agricultural and scenic]]
The wide variety of landscapes and climates in Pakistan allows for a wide variety of wild animals and birds. The forests range from [[coniferous]] [[alpine]] and [[subalpine]] trees such as spruce, pine, and [[deodar cedar]] in the northern mountains to [[deciduous]] trees such as the mulberry-type Shisham in the Sulaiman range in the south. The western hills have [[juniper]] and [[tamarisk]] as well as coarse grasses and scrub plants. Along the coast are [[mangrove]] forests which form much of the coastal wetlands.

In the south, there are crocodiles in the murky waters at the mouth of the Indus River whilst on the banks of the river, there are boars, deer, [[porcupine]]s, and small rodents. In the sandy scrublands of central Pakistan are found jackals, hyenas, wild cats, panthers, and leopards while the clear blue skies abound with hawks, falcons, and eagles. In the northern mountains are a variety of endangered animals including [[Marco Polo sheep]], [[Urial|Urial sheep]], [[Markhor]] and [[Ibex]] goats, [[Asiatic black bear|black]] and [[Brown bear|brown]] Himalayan bears, and the very rare [[Snow Leopard]]. Another rare species is the blind [[Indus River Dolphin]] of which there are believed to be about 1,000 remaining, protected in two major sanctuaries. In recent years the number of wild animals being killed for fur and leather trading led to a new law banning the hunting of wild animals and birds and the establishment of several wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves.<ref name="wildlife">[http://www.wildlifeofpakistan.com/wildlifesanctuarygamereservesmap.htm Wildlife Sanctuaries of Pakistan]</ref>

== Economy ==
{{main|Economy of Pakistan}}
[[Image:KarachiFinancial.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Karachi]] is the financial capital of Pakistan.]]
Pakistan is a rapidly [[developing country]] which has faced a number of challenges on the political and economic fronts. Despite being a very poor country in 1947, Pakistan's economic growth rate was better than the global average during the subsequent four decades, but imprudent policies led to a slowdown in the late 1990s.<ref name="econ_1990s">[http://www.pakistanstudies-aips.org/en/economy.htm Pakistan Studies] URL accessed [[March 21]], [[2006]]</ref> Recently, wide-ranging economic reforms have resulted in a stronger economic outlook and accelerated growth especially in the [[manufacturing]] and [[financial services]] [[sector]]s. There has been a great improvement in the [[foreign exchange]] position and a rapid growth in [[hard currency]] reserves in recent years. The 2005 estimate of foreign debt was close to US$40 billion. However, this has decreased in recent years with assistance from the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) and debt-relief from the United States.<ref name="cia_econ">[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/pk.html#Econ CIA World Factbook] URL accessed on [[March 20]], [[2006]]</ref> Pakistan's [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) in 2005 was estimated at US$385.2 billion and its [[per capita]] GDP was US$2,400. Pakistan's GDP growth rates have seen a steady jump over the last 5 years. In 2001, the country's GDP growth rate was at 1.8%, but in the fiscal year that ended [[June 30]], [[2005]], the nominal GDP growth rate peaked at 8.4%. This puts Pakistan as the second-highest after China, among the ten most populous countries in the world.<ref name="growth">[http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000039&refer=columnist_mukherjee&sid=aiSFuvMKI2Gw Bloomberg.com article: China's New Growth Challenger Is Pakistan]</ref> However inflationary pressures and a below par savings rate, among other economic factors make it tough to sustain the same 8% growth rate, year on year. <ref>[http://www.adb.org/Media/Articles/2006/9638-regional-GDP-table/ Country-by-Country Growth and Forecasts] - [[Asian Development Bank]], [http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C05%5C01%5Cstory_1-5-2006_pg3_5 VIEW: Is GDP growth sustainable?] - [[Daily Times]] </ref> The growth of non-agricultural sectors has changed the structure of the economy, and agriculture now only accounts for roughly 20% of the GDP. The [[service]] sector accounts for 53% of the country's GDP with [[wholesale]] and [[retail]] trade forming 30% of this sector.


== Demographics ==
== Demographics ==

Revision as of 16:33, 29 May 2006

at 1.8%, but in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2005, the nominal GDP growth rate peaked at 8.4%. This puts Pakistan as the second-highest after China, among the ten most populous countries in the world.[1] However inflationary pressures and a below par savings rate, among other economic factors make it tough to sustain the same 8% growth rate, year on year. [2] The growth of non-agricultural sectors has changed the structure of the economy, and agriculture now only accounts for roughly 20% of the GDP. The service sector accounts for 53% of the country's GDP with wholesale and retail trade forming 30% of this sector.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Pakistan
File:Pakistan ethnic 80.jpg
Major Ethnic Groups in Pakistan and surrounding areas, 1980

Pakistan has an estimated population of 166 million in 2006.[3] Pakistan has the world's sixth largest population, more than Russia, but less than Brazil; because of Pakistan's high growth rate, it is expected to surpass Brazil in population in the year 2020. Population projections for Pakistan are relatively difficult because of the apparent differences in the accuracy of each census and the inconsistencies between various surveys related to fertility rate, but it is likely that the rate of growth peaked in 1980s.[4] The population was estimated at 162,400,000[5] on July 1, 2005, with a fertility rate of 34 per thousand, a death rate of 10 per thousand and the rate of natural increase was 2.4%. Pakistan also had a high infant mortality rate of 85 per thousand births.

Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan but English is the official language used in the Constitution and widely used by corporate businesses, the educated urban elite and most universities. Punjabi is spoken by over 60 million people, but has no official recognition in the country.[6] The population comprises several main ethnic groups, most of whom speak Indo-Iranian languages - Punjabis (44.15% of the population), Pakhtuns (15.42%), Sindhis (14.1%), Seraikis (10.53%), Muhajirs (7.57%), Balochis (3.57%) and others (4.66%).

Census data[7] indicates that 96% of the population are Muslims of whom nearly 80% are Sunni Muslims and 20% are Shi'a Muslims), Qadianis. The non-Muslim population mainly comprises of Christians (1.6% of the population) and Hindus (1.6%), Jews, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, and Animists (mainly the Kalash in Chitral). A few Buddhists are included in Pakistani statistics, however, these live in Indian administered Ladakh which Pakistan claims along with the rest of Kashmir. The demographics of Pakistan were significantly influenced in 1947 by the movement of Muslims to Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs to India. As of 2005 over three million refugees (approximately 81.5% being ethnic Pashtuns) remain in Pakistan as a result of the wars in Afghanistan, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, with 83% of the refugees reporting their intent to permanently settle in Pakistan.[8]

Society and culture

Main article: Culture of Pakistan
File:Faisal masjid isla galleryfull.jpeg
King Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, one of the largest in the world
Shalimar Gardens of Lahore.

Pakistan has a rich and unique culture that has preserved established traditions throughout history. Prior to the arrival of Islam, many Punjabis and Sindhis were Hindu and Buddhist but this changed during the expansion of Islam by the Ummayad General Muhammad bin Qasim, Mahmud of Ghazni and others. Many cultural practices, foods, monuments, and shrines were inherited from the rule of Muslim Mughal and Afghan emperors including the national dress of Shalwar Qameez. Women wear brightly coloured Shalwar Qameez, while men often wear solid-coloured Shalwar Qameez, usually with a sherwani or achkan (long coat) that goes over the Shalwar Qameez.

The rich variety of Pakistani music ranges from diverse provincial folk music and traditional styles such as Qawwali and Ghazal Gayaki to modern forms fusing traditional and western music, such as the synchronisation of Qawwali and western music by the renowned Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Other major Ghazal singers include Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, Farida Khanum, Tahira Syed, Abida Parveen and Iqbal Bano. The arrival of Afghan refugees in the western provinces has rekindled Pashto and Persian music and established Peshawar as a hub for Afghan musicians and a distribution centre for Afghan music abroad. Until the 1990s, the state-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Pakistan) were the dominant media outlets, but there are now numerous private television channels such as Geo TV, Indus TV, Mashriq, Hum and ARY with a strong focus on plays or soap operas - some of them critically acclaimed. Various American, European, and Asian television channels and movies are available to a majority of the Pakistani population via cable and satellite television. There are also small indigenous movie industries based in Lahore and Peshawar (often referred to as Lollywood and Pollywood). Although Bollywood movies are banned, pirated discs are easily available and Indian film stars are popular in Pakistan.

Pakistani society is largely multilingual and predominantly Muslim, with high regard for traditional family values, although urban families have grown into a nuclear family system due to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system. Recent decades have seen the emergence of a middle class in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Sukkur and Peshawar that wish to move in a more liberal direction,[9] as opposed to the northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan that remain highly conservative and dominated by centuries-old regional tribal customs. Increasing globalization has increased the influence of "Western culture" with Pakistan ranking 46th on the Kearney/FP Globalization Index.[10] There are an approximated four million Pakistanis living abroad,[11] with close to a half-million expatriates living in the United States[12] and around a million living in Saudi Arabia.[13]

Tourism is a growing industry in Pakistan based on the diverse cultures, peoples and landscapes ranging from ancient ruins such as Mohenjodaro, Harappa and Taxila to the Himalayan hill stations that attract those interested in field sports, winter sports and mountaineering[14], which attracts adventurers from the around the world, especially to K2. The northern parts of Pakistan have many old fortresses, towers and other architecture as well as the Hunza and Chitral valleys, the latter being home to the small pre-Islamic animist Kalasha community who claim descent from the army of Alexander the Great. Punjab is the site of Alexander's battle on the Jhelum River and historic Lahore, Pakistan's cultural capital with many examples of Mughal architecture such as the Badshahi Masjid and the Shalimar Gardens.

Holidays

Main article: Holidays in Pakistan
Mughal-era Hazuri Bagh in Lahore, an example of Mughal era Islamic architecture.

There are many holidays and festivals celebrated annually in Pakistan. While Pakistan is an Islamic nation, there are also several secular holidays including Pakistan Day (March 23), Independence Day (August 14), Defence of Pakistan Day (September 6), the anniversaries of the birth (December 25) and death (September 11) of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Allama Iqbal Day (November 9). Labour Day (also known as May Day) is also observed in Pakistan on May 1.

Several important festivals are celebrated by Pakistani Muslims during the year, dependent on moon sightings. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is characterised by daytime fasting for 29 or 30 days and is followed by the festival of Eid ul-Fitr. In a second festival, Eid ul-Adha, an animal is sacrificed in remembrance of the actions of Abraham and the meat is shared with friends, family, and the less fortunate. Both Eid festivals are public holidays, when people visit family and friends, and children receive new clothes, presents, and sweets. Some sects celebrate the birthday of the prophet Muhammad in the third Islamic month (Rabi' al-Awwal) with Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi. Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Christians of Pakistan also celebrate their own festivals and saints' days. Sikhs come from across the world to visit several holy sites including the shrine of Guru Nanak at Hassan Abdal in the Attock District, and the birthplace of Guru Nanak at Nankana Sahib. There are also several regional and local festivals, such as the Punjabi festival of Basant, which marks the start of spring and is celebrated by kite flying.

Sports

Main article: Sports In Pakistan
File:Rawalpindi cricket.jpg
The Rawalpindi cricket stadium

The official sport of Pakistan is field hockey, although cricket and squash are also popular. The national cricket team has won the Cricket World Cup once (1992) and co-hosted the games twice (1987 and 1996). The team has also won the Australasia Cup in 1986, 1990, and 1994. At an international level, Pakistan has competed many times at the Summer Olympics in field hockey, boxing, athletics, swimming, and shooting. Hockey is the sport that Pakistan has been most successful at the Olympics, with three gold medals (1960, 1968, 1984). Pakistan has also won the Hockey World Cup four times (1971, 1978, 1982, 1994).[15] Pakistan has also hosted several international competitions, including the South Asian Federation Games in 1989 and 2004. A1 Grand Prix racing is also becoming popular with the entry of a Pakistani team in the 2005 season. The Tour de Pakistan, modelled on the Tour de France, is an annual cycling competition that covers the length and breadth of Pakistan.

See also

Template:PakistanTopics

Template:Pakistan ties

Notes

  1. ^ Bloomberg.com article: China's New Growth Challenger Is Pakistan
  2. ^ Country-by-Country Growth and Forecasts - Asian Development Bank, VIEW: Is GDP growth sustainable? - Daily Times
  3. ^ International Data Base U.S. Census Bureau. URL accessed on 5 May 2006.
  4. ^ Feeney and Alam, 2003
  5. ^ Population Reference Bureau's 2005 World Data Sheet
  6. ^ Ethnologue Western Punjabi
  7. ^ Census results for languages of Pakistan
  8. ^ UNHCR Statistical Summary Report: Census of Afghans in Pakistan
  9. ^ Beinart, Peter. "Understate". The New Republic Online. July 01, 2002.
  10. ^ Kearney Foreign Policy Globalization Index
  11. ^ http://www.pakistaneconomist.com/database1/cover/c2000-50.asp URL accessed March 17, 2006
  12. ^ Ahmed, Fasih. "U.S. Rules Give Pakistan a Windfall". Wall Street Journal. New York, New York. October 22, 2003. Page A18.
  13. ^ Hussain, Shaiq. Musharraf to focus on Palestine in Saudia visit from today. The Nation. June 25, 2005. URL accessed March 17, 2006
  14. ^ PTDC page on mountaineering
  15. ^ Bharatiya Hockey

Additional references

  • Cohen, Stephen P. The Idea of Pakistan. The Brookings Institution. November 2004. ISBN 0-8157-1502-1.
  • Halliday, Fred. State and Ideology in the Middle East and Pakistan. Monthly Review Pr. Feb 1998. ISBN 0853457344.
  • Banuazizi, Ali and Weiner, Myron. The State, Religion, and Ethnic Politics: Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. Syracuse University Press. August 1988. ISBN 0815624484.
  • Halliday, Fred. State and Ideology in the Middle East and Pakistan. Monthly Review Pr. Feb 1998. ISBN 0853457344.
  • Hammond Incorporated. Hammond Greater Middle East Region: Including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, and Turkey. American Map Corporation. August 2002. ISBN 0843718277.
  • Hilton, Isabel. "Letter from Pakistan: The Pashtun Code". The New Yorker. December 03, 2001. [1]
  • Insight Guides, Halliday, Tony and Ikram, Tahir. Insight Guide Pakistan. Apa Productions. January 1998. ISBN 0887297366.
  • Malik, Hafeez. Pakistan: Founders' Aspirations and Today's Realities. Oxford University Press, USA. May 2001. ISBN 0195793331.
  • Malik, Iftikhar H. "Religious Minorities in Pakistan". Minority Rights Group International. September 2002. ISBN 1897693699. [2]
  • Najim, Adil. "Pakistan and Democracy". The News International Pakistan. May 06, 2004. [3]
  • Rooney, John. Shadows in the dark: A history of Christianity in Pakistan up to the 10th century. Christian Study Centre. January 1984. ASIN B0006EPRFS.
  • Sharif, Shuja. "Musharraf's Administration And Pakistan's Economy". Contemporary Review. Mar 31, 2005. 129-134.
  • Wolpert, Stanley. Jinnah of Pakistan. Oxford University Press, USA. May 1984. ISBN 0195034120.
  • Pak History: Historical Facts on Pakistan and South Asia
  • Statehood in South Asia
  • Strategic Insights, Volume III, Issue 10 (October 2004)

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