PAKISTAN
Land and Climate
Pakistan
Region
South Asia
Neighbors
Pakistan is bordered on the north and northwest by Afghanistan, on the northeast by China, on the east and southeast by India, on the south by the Arabian Sea, and on the west by Iran.
Area
796,095 square kilometers (307,374 square miles)
Size Comparison
More than twice the size of Japan
Pakistan is mostly a dry region with great extremes of
elevation and
temperature. Its
topography is partly divided by the
Indus River, which enters the country in
the northeast and flows south into the Arabian
Sea. The Indus forms the demarcation line between the two main
landforms of the country, namely
the Indus Valley, which extends
principally along the east side of the
river, and Baluchistan, which
lies to the west.
Three lesser landforms of Pakistan are the
coastal plain, which is a narrow strip of land bordering the
Arabian Sea; the Kharan Basin, which is west of Baluchistan; and the
Thar Desert, which straddles the border
with India in the southeast.
The Indus Valley in Pakistan varies greatly in width. From north to
south, it includes portions of two main regions: the
Punjab Plains and the Sind Plain. The
Punjab region is drained by the Sutlej,
Ravi, Chenab,
and Jhelum rivers, which are
tributaries of the Indus.
Baluchistan has a series of mountain
ranges. Among these are the Tobakakar Range, the
Siahan Range, the
Sulaiman Range, and the Kirthar Range.
The highest peak in the highlands
is Tirich Mir in the
Hindu Kush in the north. The
Safed Koh mountain range is traversed by
the famous Khyber Pass on the Pakistan-Afghanistan
border.
The highest peak in Pakistan is K2, also
known as Mount Godwin-Austen. Rising 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) above
sea level in the
Karakoram Range, the peak is located in
the region of Kashmir Kili that Pakistan
controls. K2 is the second highest mountain in the world, after
Mount Everest.
The climate of Pakistan varies
widely from region to region. In the
mountainous areas of the north and west,
temperatures fall below
freezing during winter. In the
Indus Valley area, temperatures
range from about 32° to 49°C (90° to 120°F) in summer, and the average
in winter is about 13°C (55°F).
Throughout most of Pakistan,
precipitation is scarce. The
Punjab region receives the most
rainfall, more than 508 millimetres (20 inches) per year. The
arid regions of the southeast
and southwest receive less than 127 millimetres (5 inches) annually.
Most rain falls from July to September.
Most of Pakistan’s large and rapidly growing population lives in the
river
valleys and
plains of the eastern half of
the country.
Habitats there have been
drastically altered, although many important
wetland areas remain, including
flooded lowlands and
mangrove swamps along the
coast. The mountainous western
regions are less
ecologically disturbed,
although settlements and agriculture have modified those regions
richest in
biodiversity. Almost half of
the country's 5,000 plant
species are medicinal.
Currently, about 9 per cent of the country’s land is protected in a
system of ten national parks plus numerous
wildlife sanctuaries and game
reserves. These generally have no ecological basis, however, existing
primarily as tourist attractions or for the preservation of game
animals. In addition, enforcement of regulations is lax. Therefore,
only about 4.6 per cent (1996) of the land is actually significantly
protected.
Pakistan has always had relatively sparse forest cover because of its
arid, mountainous climate.
Forests cover about 26.3 per cent (1995) of the land, and about
two-thirds of this area is reforested with trees planted since
Pakistan achieved independence in 1947. Most forestland is reserved
for
soil conservation, and timber
harvest is minimal. Agricultural output per capita has increased by
about 20 per cent since 1980, although with nearly one-quarter of the
arable land
irrigated, soil salinization
has become a major problem. Overgrazing, particularly by goats,
threatens the ecological balance of many areas.
Most of Pakistan’s electricity comes from a combination of
hydroelectric generation and
the burning of gas and oil, much of which is
imported. The country’s two
nuclear power plants have the
capacity of generating about 2 per cent of the country’s energy. Most
Pakistanis do not have access to
potable water.
Pakistan participates in the World Heritage Convention and the Ramsar
Convention on Wetlands, and it has one designated biosphere preserve
under the
United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere
Program. Other international environmental activities include those
pertaining to Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer, and Ship Pollution.
Facts and Figures
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
796,095 square kilometers
307,374 square miles
Karachi 9,863,000 (1995)
Lahore 5,085,000 (1995)
Faisalabad 1,875,000 (1995)
Peshawar 1,676,000 (1995)
Rawalpindi 1,290,000 (1995)
Multan 1,257,000 (1995)
Hyderabad 1,107,000 (1995)
Islamabad 559,000 (1990)
132,185,328 (1997)
2.22 per cent (1997)
166 persons per square kilometer / 430 persons per square mile (1997)
Per cent urban 35 per cent (1996)
Per cent rural 65 per cent (1996)
Total 59 years (1997)
Female 60 years (1997)
Male 58 years (1997)
95 deaths per 1,000 live births (1997)
Total 37.8 per cent (1995)
Female 24.4 per cent (1995)
Male 50 per cent (1995)
Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baluch, Muhajir (immigrants from India and their descendants)
Urdu (official), English (official; most commonly used language of the Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Urdu, Baluchi
Sunni Muslim 77 per cent
Shiite Muslim 20 per cent
Christian, Hindu, and other 3 per cent
Republic
14 August 1947 (from the United Kingdom)
10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985
Universal at age 21 (Recently modified to the age of 18)
Membership of international organizations
AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ECO, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IJO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
US$64.85 billion (1996)
US$490 (1996)
Total revenue US$11.45 billion (1995)
Total expenditure US$13.69 billion (1995)
1 Pakistani rupee (PRe), consisting of 100 paisa
Major Exports
Cotton, textiles, clothing, rice, leather, carpets, dry fruits, fruits, sea food, automobiles, softwares.
Major Imports
Petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, transport equipment, vegetable oils, animal fats, chemicals
Major trading partners for exports
United States, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, France, African countries.
Major trading partners for imports
Japan, United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, South Korea
Textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp, Automobile, IT, Ship Breaking, Steel, Arms & defence.
Uses the world's largest contiguous irrigation system; major crops: cotton, wheat, rice, sugar cane, fruits, vegetables; livestock products: milk, beef, mutton, eggs
Extensive natural gas reserves, petroleum, low-grade coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
Basic Facts and People
Area data are from the individual country statistical bureaus.
Population, population growth rate, infant mortality, and life
expectancy data are from the United States Census Bureau,
International Programs Center; International database, 1998; (www.census.gov).
Population density data are from the individual country statistical
bureaus, and the United States Census Bureau, International Programs
Center; International database, 1998; (www.census.gov). Urban areas
(city) population data are from the individual country statistical
bureaus. Literacy rate data are from the UN Education, Science and
Culture Organization (UNESCO) database, 1998; (www.unesco.org). Urban
and rural population data are from the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), FAOSTAT database, 1998;
(www.fao.org). Ethnic divisions, languages, religions, government,
independence, constitution, and voting rights data are largely from
the CIA 1995 World Factbook, CIA 1996 World Factbook, and CIA 1997
World Factbook.
Economy
Gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, GDP by economic sectors,
and national budget data are from the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)/World Bank database, 1998; (www.worldbank.org)
& Microsoft Corporation.
Note: Due to rounding, totals may not add up to 100 per cent.
Society
The Punjabi account for about 65 per cent of the population, the
Sindhi for 13 per cent, and the Pashtun (Pathan) for 8 per cent. Other
significant groups include the Baluchi and the Muhajir. The Muhajir
are
immigrants from
India and their descendants. Since
1978 Pakistan has been home to a number of Afghan
refugees who fled their
country's civil war. At one time more than 3 million refugees were living in
Pakistan; now they are estimated at just over 1 million,
many of them living in officially designated camps. The two largest
cities are
Karachi and
Lahore. The capital city is
Islamabad.
The country's
urban areas have a population
growth rate of 4.25 per cent (1995-2000); substantial migration to
cities in recent years has contributed to this growth. Rapid urban
migration has increased problems such as traffic congestion and
pollution in cities.
Languages
Many languages and dialects are spoken in Pakistan, reflecting the country's ethnic diversity. English is an official language and is used in government and education. However, the use of Urdu, the other official language, is encouraged in place of English to foster unity. Although only 7 per cent of the people speak Urdu as a first language, most Pakistanis speak it as a second language. Each province is free to use its own regional languages and dialects.
Religion
About 77 per cent of the people of Pakistan are Sunni Muslim and 20 per cent are Shi'ite Muslim. Most of the other 3 per cent are Hindu or Christian. Freedom of worship is guaranteed. Muslims believe their destiny is subject to the will of Allah, and they also practise the “five pillars of Islam”: to pray five times daily facing Mecca (Makkah), in Saudi Arabia; to profess Allah as God and Muhammad as his prophet; to give to the poor; to fast during the lunar month of Ramadan; and to make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah).
Although increased modernization has brought many women into public
life, the male is considered head of the home. It is common for the
extended family—a father and
mother, children and their families—to live together in the same
household. The presiding male of the family has significant influence
over the lives of all family members, although women are becoming more
active in decision making. Islamic law permits a man to have up to
four wives if he can care for all equally, but very few Pakistani men
have more than one. The elderly are highly respected.
Nuclear families are generally
large, and the average woman bears six children in her lifetime. The government
promotes family planning to help curb population growth. In some areas feudal structures still prevail. Few homes have modern
conveniences.
Individual choice of marriage partners has traditionally played only a
small role in the marriage process, and arranged marriages are still the
standard. Formal engagements may last from a few months to many years, depending
on the age of the couple. In many cases, the bride and groom meet for the first time on their wedding day. Pakistanis
view marriage as a union of two families as much as a union of two
people. Both families participate in the wedding preparations. A
Muslim holy man, usually called a
Qazi in Pakistan, completes the
marriage contract between the two families. Wedding rituals are
elaborate, and men and women celebrate separately.
Food
The mainstay of the Pakistani diet is chapatti or roti, an unleavened bread similar to pitta bread. Pakistani food is generally spicy and oily. Muslims do not eat pork or drink alcohol, and there are strict civil laws governing the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. A type of yogurt is a common ingredient in meals, and rice is part of most meals and desserts. Two customary dishes are pulla'o (lightly fried rice with vegetables) and biryani (rice with meat or vegetables and spices). Kheer is a type of rice pudding.
Only the more affluent families can afford to eat meat (usually
mutton, lamb, beef, or chicken) or fish regularly. For marriage
feasts, chicken curry is common. There are significant regional
differences in cuisine. For example, curries and heavy spices prevail
in the south, whilst barbecuing is more common in the north. The
kabab, strips or
chunks of meat on a skewer barbecued over an open grill, is cooked
with or without spices and is prepared in various ways. Vegetables and
fruits figure prominently in the diet. Snack foods include samosa
(deep-fried pastry triangles filled with vegetables) and pakore
(floured and deep-fried vegetables). Tea is the most popular drink.
Muslims use only the right hand to eat food. In urban areas, many
people have dining tables and may eat with utensils. In rural areas,
people sit on the floor or ground to eat. Whenever possible, the whole
family eats together, usually sharing the same platter and eating from
the portion directly in front of them. Chapatti are used to scoop up
the food. Often the father feeds young children and the mother feeds
infants. In large groups, men and women eat in separate areas.
Extended families often gather for large meals. During the month of
Ramzan (Ramadan), Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to
sundown. They eat together in the evenings, which are also occasions
to visit or offer prayers. During Ramzan, it is considerate for
non-Muslims to avoid eating or drinking in front of Muslims during
daylight hours.
Values & Norms
A handshake is the most common greeting in Pakistan, although close
friends may embrace if meeting after a long absence. Women might greet
each other with a handshake or hug. It is not appropriate for a man to
shake hands with a woman or to touch her in public. Greetings often
include inquiries about one's health and family, which can take some
time. In Pakistan, the most common greeting is
Assalaam alaikum ("May peace
be upon you"). The reply is
Waalaikum assalaam ("And
peace also upon you"). "Good-bye" is
Khodha haafis. Male friends
may walk hand in hand or with their arms over each other's shoulders.
There is a long tradition of hospitality in Pakistan, and friends and
relatives visit each other frequently. Hosts take pride in making
guests feel welcome and whenever possible will greet each person
individually. Visitors are usually offered coffee, tea, or soft
drinks, and may be invited to eat a meal. It is usual to accept,
although one may decline by offering a polite explanation. If well
acquainted with the hosts or if the occasion is special, guests often
bring fruit, sweets, or a gift for the children or the home, but
anything that is expensive may embarrass the hosts. It is customary to
socialize before a meal and then to stay at least half an hour after
the meal is finished. In traditional homes, men and women do not
socialize together, but it is now common for educated urban dwellers
of both genders to mingle socially.
Sports
Introduced during the British colonial period, cricket and field hockey are amongst the most popular national sports, as is squash. Sports that have developed in Pakistan include a particular type of team wrestling called kabaddi, and polo, which was adopted by the British. Pakistanis also enjoy soccer and tennis. Going to the cinema, watching television or videos, having picnics, listening to music, and visiting friends and family members are all popular forms of recreation.
Holidays
Secular holidays include
Pakistan Day (23 March); Labour Day (1 May); Independence Day (14
August); Defence of Pakistan Day (6 September); the Anniversary of the
Death of Quaid-e-Azam, or Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the nation's founder
(11 September); Allama Iqbal Day (9 November); and the Birth of
Quaid-e-Azam (25 December). There are also bank holidays in December
and July.
Islamic holidays are scheduled by the
lunar calendar and fall on
different days each year. The most important ones include
Eid-ul-Fitr, the three-day
feast at the end of the month of Ramzan (Ramadan);
Eid-ul-Azha (Feast of the
Sacrifice), which commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his
son, as well as the pilgrimage (haj)
to
Mecca (Makkah); and
Eid-i-Milad-un-Nabi,
the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. During Ramzan evenings, many towns
sponsor fairs and other celebrations. During Shab-Barat, which
precedes Ramzan, Pakistani Muslims ask Allah to forgive their deceased
loved ones. This is a night for prayer in
mosques, reading the
Koran, and visiting graveyards.
It is believed that this is the time at which Allah decides people's
fates for the coming year. People also light fireworks, light up the
exteriors of mosques, and donate food to the needy.
Music
In general, the music of Pakistan is similar in style to North Indian music,
with some added influences from
Central Asia. As in other Islamic
nations, there is much ambivalence about music. Classes of Pakistani
musicians, called dom or mirasi, have a very low social
status, but religious sanctions do not diminish the importance and
popularity of music, and social niches exist to allow for rich musical
expression. The musicians' class is organized often in hereditary
families, and musicians are often hired for festivals and life-cycle
rituals, such as weddings. Performance is segregated by gender. Men
are hired to sing, dance, and do female impersonation, while women
professionals usually perform for female audiences.
Instruments used in folk music are similar to those found in the North
Indian folk traditions. The ḍholak is a large, double-headed,
cylindrical drum, with one head pitched lower than the other. It is
held horizontally and played with both hands as accompaniment for
dance and many forms of singing. The ḍhol is a similar
instrument played with beaters for outdoor public entertainment and
announcements. The highly rhythmic playing styles of these drums are
often accentuated by other small beat-marking instruments, such as
small cymbals, wooden clappers, and ankle bells worn by dancers.
An important folk melody instrument is the shanai, a
double-reed oboe played with circular breathing, a technique in which
the performer continuously fills the cheeks with air, like a bellows,
in order to get a constant, unbroken sound. The bin is a set of
parallel reed pipes, one used as a drone and the other as a chanter.
This is the stereotypical snake-charmer's instrument. Introduced
originally by European missionaries, the harmonium, a small and
portable bellows-operated organ, is a very popular instrument for
vocal accompaniment.
The sārangī is the chief instrument in classical music. A bowed
violin with a fretless neck and skin-covered body, it is also widely
played in India. The rabāb is a plucked lute also found in
Afghanistan. Classical music uses
the concept of raga, a kind of scale system which not only
specifies what notes are in the scales, but also how they are treated
and grouped together. A typical performance may begin with a solo
instrument exploring the pitches and melodic formulae of the raga,
going from low to high. Eventually the player goes into set rhythmic
cycles called tala, often with drums to mark the beat. As in
India, there are many drone instruments, and drone effects are also
provided by attaching sympathetic strings to the instruments to
provide reinforcing vibrations.
There are some ethnic minorities with musical differences, such as the
Punjabi, whose adherence to the Islamic faith is less strict. Musical
practice for them is much freer and uncontrolled by religious
sanction. Recently, genres of urban popular music and music from
films, mostly in the Urdu and Punjabi languages, have proliferated
over radio and television, creating an outlet for musicians who would
otherwise go unrecognized or suffer the musician's lowly status.
Famous Sufi devotional singers, such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the
Sabri Brothers, have also greatly popularized the song genre
qawwali. Featuring dramatic vocal improvisations based on
religious poetry, qawwali songs are accompanied by the harmonium and
Dholak, or tablā. The electrified versions of qawwali have become
popular in the international “world beat” charts.
Libraries
Karachi is the site of some of the most important libraries in Pakistan, including the Liaquat Memorial Library, the Central Secretariat Library, and the University of Karachi library. Other libraries include the National Archives of Pakistan in Islamabad, and the Punjab Public Library in Lahore. The National Museum of Pakistan, in Karachi, contains important materials from the Indus Valley civilizations, as well as Buddhist and Islamic artefacts. Cultural materials are also displayed in the Lahore Museum and the Peshawar Museum. The Industrial and Commercial Museum in Lahore contains exhibits on the manufactured products of Pakistan.
Pakistan's president, who is elected by the national and provincial
legislatures, has the power under the constitution to dismiss the
prime minister and dissolve parliament. The
bicameral legislature comprises
a 217-member national assembly (the lower house) elected for five
years, and an 87-member senate elected to six-year terms; one-third of
senate seats are up for election every two years. Pakistan is made up
of four provinces (each with an appointed governor and an elected
legislature), the federal capital of Islamabad, and federally
administered “tribal” areas. The voting age is 18.
There has been an ongoing debate within Pakistan as to how much
influence
shariah (the Islamic code of
religious law) should have on society. Most people support the current
approach in which shariah is used when practical, but
Western legal and business
practices also exist. This approach allows for certain personal
freedoms, but some Pakistanis oppose the mixed system which they claim
undermines Islamic values.
Historical Overview
By the 19th century the British East India Trading Company had become
the dominant power in the area of the Indian subcontinent. From the
late 19th century
nationalist movements in
British India (which included present-day Pakistan and
Bangladesh) gained strength. In 1906
the Muslim League was founded to protect the interests of the minority
Muslim population, and in 1940 the League, led by Mohammed Ali Jinnah,
formally adopted the demand for an independent Muslim state in the
event of a British withdrawal from India. The tensions between Hindus
and Muslims were recognized by
Great Britain. Therefore, in 1947,
when Great Britain finally agreed to independence for the
subcontinent, it was as two countries: India, incorporating the
predominantly Hindu areas; and Pakistan, incorporating the
predominantly Muslim areas. However, the Muslim areas were on opposite
sides of India, 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) apart, so the country
of Pakistan was divided into West Pakistan and East Pakistan
(present-day Bangladesh). Partition was traumatic. War broke out in
the state of
Jammu and Kashmīr, where a mainly
Muslim population was ruled by a Hindu prince; a ceasefire was
arranged in 1949, but the area has remained a source of tension
between Pakistan and India ever since.
In newly independent Pakistan, internal tensions soon emerged between
West Pakistan, the centre of political and military power, and East
Pakistan, where a majority of the population lived. The conflict
between East and West eventually led to civil war in 1971. After India
intervened, East Pakistan seceded and renamed itself Bangladesh. In
the power vacuum created by the army's defeat in the civil war,
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was elected leader of Pakistan. He introduced a
policy of “Islamic
socialism”, but as separatist
tensions resurfaced he became increasingly repressive. Victory for
Bhutto's Pakistan People's party in the 1977 elections was met by
opposition claims of massive electoral irregularities. After a period
of unrest, General Muhammad Zia ul-Haq seized control of the
government. Bhutto was jailed and, despite international protests,
hanged in 1979. Zia postponed elections indefinitely, suspended civil
rights, and established
shariah (Islamic law) as the basis
of civil law. In 1988, three months after he had dissolved the
national and provincial legislatures, and in the midst of growing
public unrest, Zia was killed in an aeroplane crash.
Free elections were held and Bhutto's daughter, Benazir Bhutto, was
elected prime minister—the first female leader of an Islamic country.
Bhutto restored civil rights and attempted reforms, but she was
distrusted by the military and plagued by allegations of corruption.
After mounting ethnic tensions and violence, Bhutto was ousted by the
president, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, in 1990. Elections in October that year
brought Nawaz Sharif to power. He began to liberalize the economy and
reform the bureaucracy. An attempt by the president to dismiss Sharif
in 1993 was overruled by the supreme court, but Ishaq continued to try
to undermine the prime minister through the provincial assemblies. To
break the ensuing governmental deadlock, the army forced both leaders
to step down. After elections in October 1993, Benazir Bhutto returned
to power, and in November her choice for president, Farooq Leghari,
was elected by the national and provincial legislatures.
In late May 1998, in response to India conducting five underground
nuclear tests earlier in the month, Pakistan detonated a number of its
own nuclear devices. After the tests, a statement was released by the
government saying that Pakistan was ready to attach nuclear warheads
to the nation's newly developed Ghauri missile, which has a range of
about 1,400 km (900 miles). Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the
tests, conducted in the remote
Chagai region near the border with
Iran, were necessary to restore the regional balance of power in the
wake of India's tests, and criticized the international community for
failing to impose adequate sanctions on India. Pakistan said it had no
immediate plans to conduct further tests. The five permanent members
of the United Nations Security Council, comprised of the declared
nuclear powers—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the
United States—agreed to meet in early June 1998 to develop a strategy
for diffusing the tension between Pakistan and India and to open a
dialogue on longstanding sources of conflict.
Employment & Labour
Almost half of Pakistan's
labour force is employed in
agriculture. Pakistan emphasizes high-yield grain to keep pace with a
growing population. Chief products include rice, cotton, wheat, sugar
cane, fruit, and vegetables.
Industry is dominated by
textiles and food processing,
but also includes chemicals and construction materials. During the
1980s, industrial output increased by an annual average rate of 6.1
per cent. Production of natural gas also rose steeply. Cotton (in
fabric and yarn form as well as raw), garments, and rice are the
principal
exports. Remittances from
Pakistani workers in other countries are an important source of
revenue. These, together with heavy borrowing, have helped fund the
country's trade deficit.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif implemented an economic reform
programme that included
privatization, the abolition of
foreign exchange controls, the
liberalization of trade, and a reduction in the bureaucratic rules and
procedures governing business. Between 1985 and 1992 the economy grew
by an average of 5.6 per cent a year, but the benefits of the
country's economic gains have been shared disproportionately, and the
high rate of population growth has meant that the vast majority of
Pakistanis have seen little (if any) real increase in prosperity.
Economic progress is also hindered by political instability and
corruption. The currency is the Pakistani
rupee.
Transportation
Local transport consists of donkeys and horse-drawn carts in rural areas. In cities, buses, minibuses, and motorized rickshaws are available. Although more than half of the roads are paved, many are in poor condition. Roads in rural areas are not paved, and many areas are not accessible by car. The Grand Trunk Road is a paved superhighway that begins in India and runs from Lahore via Islamabad to Peshawar. Following the British tradition, traffic drives on the left-hand side of the road. There is a domestic airline, and the main international airports serve Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. In 1990 the rail network covered 8,775 kilometres (5,452 miles). Most people do not own telephones, but these are available in hotels, shops, and restaurants. There are several radio stations and newspapers. The state-owned television network has several stations. Privately-owned television stations and satellite dishes are most common in urban areas.
Literacy
Pakistan's average literacy rate is a low 37.8 per cent (1995); female literacy is still lower, at 24.4 per cent (1995). Many children either do not attend school, or they leave after only a few years to help their families. However, government efforts have increased the number of primary schools available in rural areas. Primary school education is free. At secondary levels, the emphasis is on training technicians to help expand the nation's industrial base. Educational facilities, however, are not equipped to meet the needs of the people.
Medical Facilities
Medical services in Pakistan are limited. Fully equipped hospitals are located in urban areas but are generally understaffed. Outside the cities, medical care is scarce. The government is trying to increase the number of doctors available in the rural areas, but many doctors seek more lucrative employment abroad. Malaria is widespread.
Places Of Importance
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BALUCHISTAN
BAHAWALPUR
Faisalabad
Gujranwala
Hyderabad
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POPULATION: 1,107,000 (1995)
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Hyderabad, located on the
Indus River in southeastern Pakistan, is
an important commercial centre for the millet, rice, wheat, cotton, and
fruit that are grown in the surrounding region.
Industrial establishments include
tanneries, film studios, and factories producing cement, metal, and glass.
Embroidery, lacquerware, fine
textiles, and jewellery are also
made in Hyderabad. The University of Sind, a medical school, and
commercial and agricultural colleges are also located in the area.
Hyderabad was founded in 1768.
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Islamabad
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Population
559,000 (1990)
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In 1967 Islamabad officially replaced
Karachi as the capital of Pakistan. The
city is divided into eight largely self-contained zones, each area
characterized by its specific function, such as government, commerce, or
light
industry. Notable structures in
Islamabad include the National Assembly Building, designed by the
20th-century architect Louis I. Kahn. The city is the site of Quaid-i-Azam
University.
|
Karachi
|
Population
9,863,000 (1995)
|
|
The hub of a sprawling metropolitan area, Karachi is Pakistan’s largest
city and its chief transport, financial, commercial, and manufacturing
centre. Most of the international trade of Pakistan and
landlocked
Afghanistan pass through the city’s busy modern port, centred
on the
island of
Among the many products manufactured in Karachi are steel, textiles, chemicals, refined petroleum, footwear, machinery, handicrafts, and processed food. The city is also an important banking centre and has a stock exchange. The University of Karachi and NED University of Engineering and Technology are located here. The tomb of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan, is a well-known landmark. An old settlement, Karachi was a small fishing and trade centre when it was captured in 1839 and subsequently annexed by the British. Karachi is now the capital of the Sind province. |
Lahore
|
Population
5,085,000 (1995)
|
|
Lahore is the capital of the Punjab in northeastern Pakistan and is the
country’s principal commercial and banking centre. Although little
industry is located in the city
itself, Lahore serves as a distribution centre for the heavily
industrialized surrounding area. Products which pass through Lahore
include
textiles, chemicals, machinery,
glassware, and metal, leather and rubber goods.
An educational and cultural centre, the city is the site of the University of the Punjab—the oldest university in Pakistan—and the University of Engineering and Technology. There is also an atomic energy research centre located in the city. Lahore is the site of architecturally significant buildings and monuments, many dating from the Mughal Empire (1526-1857), during which the city achieved great prominence. |
Mardan
|
Population
147,977 (1981)
|
|
Mardan, a road
junction on a spur railway, has one
of the largest sugar mills in
Asia, and it also has
textile-weaving and timber
processing
industries. The town is the market
centre for a region in which wheat, sugar cane, barley, and maize are
grown. Nearby is the noted rock of Shahbazgarhi, which bears one of the
inscriptions of Asoka, a king of the 3rd century BC.
© & (p) 1995-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
|
Sukkur
|
Population
190,551 (1981)
|
|
Sukkur is located on a railway line and road that cross the
Indus waterway in Sind, in southeast
Pakistan.
Industries here include
boatbuilding, cotton ginning, metalworking, tanning,
textile dyeing, and rice and flour
milling. Silk and food processing also contribute to the economy of Sukkur.
The city is the site of a technical school and of the Sukkur Industrial
Trading Estate.
To the south lies the Sukkur Barrage (about 2,000 metres/5,000 feet long), one of the world’s largest dams, which was completed in 1932. Seven canals radiate from the reservoir, irrigating an extensive region of formerly arid land on which millet, oilseed, rice, and wheat are now grown. Local places of interest include the slender minaret of Mir Masum Shah, reliquaries containing the remains of Muslim religious figures, and the ruins of an important fortress on the island of Bukkur in the Indus. |
Multan
|
Population
1,257,000 (1995)
|
|
Multan is the capital of Pakistan’s Multan Division and the home of
Bahauddin Zakariya University. Important products manufactured in the city
include silk, cotton, carpets, glazed pottery, and enamel work. Multan is
an important centre of trade from which the products of the division,
chiefly cotton, wheat, wool, sugar, indigo, oil-seeds, and manufactured
articles, are transported by rail to other parts of the country.
|
Peshawar
|
Population
1,676,000 (1995)
|
|
Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province, is situated near
the entrance to the
Khyber Pass. The city is a commercial
centre and the traditional
terminus of caravans from
Afghanistan. Local
industries produce handicrafts and
processed food. Manufactured goods include footwear, silk, and cotton
textiles.
Peshawar University was established in 1950. The city also houses Peshawar Museum which has collections of ancient Gandhara sculpture. In ancient times, the city was a trading centre known as Purushapure. It was a target for invaders of the Indian subcontinent because of its strategic location near the pass. |
Quetta
|
Population
285,719 (1981)
|
|
Quetta, the capital of
Baluchistān Province in Pakistan, is an
important trade centre. Its
industries include fruit canning
and chromite-mining.
In 1876 the British acquired Quetta by treaty with the khan of Kalāt. The city was capital of the British province of Baluchistan until the province became part of Pakistan in 1947. |
MAJOR POINTS
Bolan Pass
|
Maximum elevation
1,800 metres
|
|
5,900 feet
|
|
Length
100 kilometres
|
|
60 miles
|
|
Bolan Pass is a narrow, steep
gorge in the
Brahui Range, extending in a
northwest–southeast direction between the towns of
Sibi and
Quetta in western Pakistan. For many
centuries the pass has been an important trade artery and a strategic
military route. It is now crossed by a railway and a highway.
|
Disteghil
|
Maximum elevation
7,785 metres
|
|
25,541 feet
|
|
Disteghil, a
peak in the Himalayan region
controlled by Pakistan, was formed during the great Tertiary era, along
with mountain ranges such as the
Alps and the
Andes. Disteghil has proved to be a
formidable challenge to mountain climbers. Bad
weather and the threat of
avalanches thwarted several
attempts, but in 1960 an Austrian expedition successfully reached the
summit via the south face, west
ridge. A Spanish group achieved a
second ascent in 1982.
© & (p) 1995-1998 Microsoft
|
K2
|
Maximum elevation
8,611 metres
|
|
28,251 feet
|
|
Situated in the
Himalayas, K2 is the second tallest
mountain in the world. Only
Mount Everest 8,848 metres (29,028 feet)
is taller. K2 is an almost regular cone of ice and
limestone resting on a
granite base.
In 1856, T. G. Montgomerie of the Survey of India measured the mountain and named it “K2” because it was the second of 35 summits which were surveyed in the Karakoram Range. In 1861 the peak was unofficially renamed Mount Godwin-Austen, after the British soldier and topographer Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen, who was the second European to visit the area. Eight expeditions to K2 were made between 1892 and 1954. On 31 July 1954, Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli, two members of an Italian expedition led by Ardito Desio, made the first successful ascent to the mountain’s summit. |
Khyber Pass
|
Maximum elevation
1,072 metres
|
|
3,517 feet
|
|
One of the most famous
mountain passes in the world, the
Khyber Pass connects the northern frontier of Pakistan with
Afghanistan. For centuries, large camel caravans crossed the
Khyber Pass, bringing fine goods from
Asia. Conquering armies have also used
the pass as an entry point to invade
India. Historically, control of the Khyber Pass has been a key
point in the control of the Afghan border.
The pass winds northwest through the Safed Koh mountain range near Peshawar, Pakistan, for about 53 kilometers (33 miles) to Kabul, Afghanistan. For much of its length the pass is walled by steep cliffs 180 to 300 meters (600 to 1,000 feet) high. At its narrowest point the pass is only 5 meters (20 feet) wide. The mountains on either side of the pass can be climbed in only a few places. Two roads thread their way through the pass today—one for motor vehicles and the other for caravans. Landi Kotal, which sits at the highest point of the pass, is an important market centre. A railway, built in 1925, goes to the head of the pass. |
Nanga Parbat
Rakaposhi
Sulaiman Range
|
Average elevation
1,500 metres
|
|
5,000 feet
|
|
The Sulaiman Range extends in a northern and southern direction, west of
the
Indus River. The highest points are the
twin
peaks of Kaisargarh and
Takht-i-Sulaiman (3,379 metres/11,085
feet). The latter peak takes its name, which means “throne of Solomon”,
from a throne-shaped hollow in the solid rock of the southern
slope.
|
Tirich Mir
|
Maximum elevation
7,690 metres
|
|
25,230 feet
|
|
Tirich Mir is the highest
peak of the
Hindu Kush mountain range in north
Pakistan. It lies north of
Chitral, on the border of
Afghanistan.
The Tirich Mir massif consists of a main peak, an eastern peak separated from the main peak by a ridge, and four northwestern peaks, all of which have attracted climbers from around the world. The first ascent of Tirich Mir was in 1950 via the South Ridge. Plagued by waist-deep snow, illness, earthquakes, and a porter who became deranged over the mountain legends of fairies, the Norwegian expedition nevertheless reached the summit in July. |
Mohenjo Daro
|
Total area
80 hectares Approximate
|
|
200 acres Approximate
|
|
Mohenjo Daro is an archaeological site of Pakistan's
Indus Valley (or Harappan) civilization,
which existed from about 2500 BC to about 1700
BC.
A major city and commercial centre during the Bronze Age, it is the largest Indus Valley settlement. Excavated in the 1920s by the British archaeologist Sir John Marshall, Mohenjo Daro consists of two mounds separated by an unoccupied area. The small western mound, or “citadel,” has several public buildings, which may have been surrounded by a wall. Early excavators believed these buildings to be a granary, assembly hall, college, and public bath, but later studies have cast doubt on that conclusion. The larger eastern mound consists of large blocks of brick buildings, separated by streets and housing the inhabitants’ residences and workshops. Both mounds yielded an abundance of Harappan artifacts. |
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