Pakistan, known officially as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a sovereign country in South Asia. With a population exceeding 180 million people, it is the sixth most populated country in the world.
Official Name: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876-1948)
National Poet: Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938)
Capital:
Islamabad
Total Area: 881,888 Sq. km.
Punjab – 205,344 Sq. km.
Sindh – 140,914 Sq. km.
Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa – 74,521 Sq. km.
Balochistan – 347,190 Sq. km.
Federally Administered Tribal Areas – 27,220 Sq. km.
Islamabad (Capital) – 906 Sq. km.
Gilgit-Baltistan – 72,496 Sq. km
Azad Jammu & Kashmir – 13,297 Sq. km
Population: 217 million (estimated 2018)
Pakistan is divided into four provinces viz., Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. The tribal belt adjoining Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa is managed by the Federal Government and is named FATA i.e., Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have their own respective political and administrative machinery, yet certain of their subjects are taken care of by the Federal Government.
Religion: 95% Muslims, 5% others
Annual per capita income: US$1085
GDP: 5.8%
Currency: Pak Rupee (PKR)
Imports:
Industrial equipment, chemicals, vehicles, steel, iron ore, petroleum, edible oil, pulses, tea.
Exports:
Cotton, textile goods, rice, leather items carpets, sports goods, handy-crafts, fish and fish and fruit
Languages:
Urdu (National) and English (Official)
Literacy rate: 53%
Government: Parliamentary
Parliament consists of two Houses i.e., the Senate (Upper House) and the National Assembly (Lower House).
The Senate is a permanent legislative body and symbolizes a process of continuity in the national affairs. It consists of 100 members. The four Provincial Assemblies, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Federal Capital form its electoral college. The National Assembly has a total membership of 342 elected through adult suffrage (272 general seats, 60 women seats and 10 non-Muslim seats).
Pakistan National Flag
Dark green with a white vertical bar, a white crescent and a five-pointed star in the middle. The Flag symbolizes Pakistan’s profound commitment to Islam, the Islamic world and the rights of religious minorities.
State Emblem:
The State Emblem consists of:
- The crescent and star which are symbols of Islam
- The shield in the centre shows four major crops
- Wreath surrounding the shield represents cultural heritage and Scroll contains Quaid’s motto: Faith, Unity, Discipline
National Flower: Jasmine
National Tree: Deodar (Cedrus Deodara)
National Animal: Markhor
National Bird: Chakor (Red-legged partridge)
Popular games
Cricket, Hockey, Football, Squash
Tourist’s resorts
Murree, Quetta, Hunza, Ziarat, Swat, Kaghan, Chitral and Gilgit
Archaeological sites:
Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, Taxila, Kot Diji, Mehr Garh, Takht Bhai
Major Cities:
Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Multan and Sialkot
Major Crops:
Cotton, Wheat, Rice and Sugarcane