Pakistan: Land of the Pure

 
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Overview

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Pakistan

Anthem قومی ترانہ (Qaumī Tarāna)
Watch on youtube (with lyrics)
Capital Islamabad
Largest city Karachi
Official language(s) Urdu / English
 
Demonym
 

Pakistani
Government Federal Parliamentary republic
Area 803,940 km2, 340,403 sq mi
Population ~ 170 million
Currency Pakistani Rupee (Rs.) (PKR)
Internet TLD .pk

Geography

Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It has a 1,046-kilometre (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south. It is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast.
Pakistan
The capital city of Pakistan is Islamabad. With a population of 1.21 million, the city is only the tenth largest city in the country. The largest city is Karachi with a population of more than 13 million people. Other large cities are Lahore and Faisalabad.

Society and culture

Pakistani society is largely hierarchical, with high regard for traditional Islamic values. The culture of Pakistan comprises numerous diverse cultures and ethnic groups. In ancient times, Pakistan was a major cultural hub. One of the greatest cultural influences was that of the Persian Empire.

Population

The estimated population of Pakistan in 2010 was over 170 million. This number makes Pakistan the world's sixth most-populous country. The major ethnic groups of Pakistan in numerical size include: Punjabis, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Seraikis, Muhajirs, Balochis, Hindkowans, Chitralis and other smaller groups. Pakistan's census does not include the registered 1.7 million Afghan refugees from neighbouring Afghanistan.

Languages

Pakistan is a multilingual country with more than sixty languages being spoken. English is the official language of Pakistan. It is used in official business, government, and legal contracts. Urdu, however, is the national language. Some provincial languages are Punjabi, Saraiki, Pashto, Sindhi and Balochi.

Religion

Islam is the state religion in Pakistan, which is practised by about 95-97% of the population. The remaining 3-5% practise Christianity, Hinduism and other religions.

Government and politics

Pakistan is a democratic parliamentary federal republic. The Constitution of 1973 is the country's most important document, laying the foundations of the current government. The bicameral legislature comprises a 100-member Senate and a 342-member National Assembly. The president is the Head of state and the Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Pakistan's current president is Asif Ali Zardari.

Economy

Today, Pakistan is regarded as having the second largest economy in South Asia. The structure of the Pakistani economy has changed from a mainly agricultural base to a strong service base. Agriculture now only accounts for 20% of the GDP, while the service sector accounts for 53% of the GDP. Important industries include apparel and textiles, food processing, chemicals manufacture, and the iron and steel industries.
 

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