Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world and is the second most populous country with a Muslim majority. Its territory was a part of the pre-partitioned British India and has a long history of settlement and civilisation including the Indus Valley Civilisation. Most of it was conquered in the 1st millennium BCE by Persians and Greeks. Later arrivals include the Arabs, Afghans, Turks, Baloch and Mongols. The territory was incorporated into the British India in the nineteenth century. Since its independence, the country has experienced both periods of significant military and economic growth, and periods of instability, with the secession of East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh).

The name "Pakistan" means "Land of the Pure" in Urdu, Sindhi, and Persian. It was coined in 1934 as "Pakstan" by Choudhary Rahmat Ali, who published it in the pamphlet Now or Never. The name represented, according to Ali, the "thirty million Muslims of PAKSTAN, who live in the five Northern Units of (British) India—Punjab, N.W.F.P. (Afghan Province), Kashmir, Sindh, and Baluchistan." The nation was founded officially as the Dominion of Pakistan in 1947, and was renamed the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956. 

Intro and History

Pakistan displays some of Asia's most magnificent landscapes as it stretches from the Arabian Sea, its southern border, to some of the world's most spectacular mountain ranges in the north. Pakistan is also home to sites that date back to word's earliest settlements rivaling those of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Waves of conquerors and migrants including Harappan, Indo-Aryan, Persian, Grecian, Saka, Parthian, Kushan, White Hun, Afghan, Arab, Turkics, and Mughal settled in Pakistan throughout the centuries, influencing the locals and being absorbed among them. The modern state of Pakistan was established on 14 August 1947, but the country has an extensive history that overlaps with the histories of Ancient India, Afghanistan and Iran. The region is a crossroad of historic trade routes, including the Silk Road.

Pakistan was formed on 14 August 1947 with two Muslim-majority wings in the eastern and northwestern regions of the British India, separated from the rest of the country with a Hindu majority, and comprising the provinces of Balochistan, East Bengal, the North-West Frontier Province, West Punjab and Sindh.

Geography and Landscape

Pakistan covers 803,940 square kilometers (310,403 square miles), approximately the combined land areas of France and the United Kingdom, with its eastern regions located on the Indian tectonic plate and the western and northern regions on the Iranian plateau and Eurasian landplate. Apart from the 1,046 kilometre (650 mi) Arabian Sea coastline, Pakistan's land borders total 6,774 kilometres—2,430 kilometres (1,509 mi) with Afghanistan to the northwest, 523 kilometres (325 mi) with China to the northeast, 2,912 kilometres (1,809 mi) with India to the east and 909 kilometres (565 mi) with Iran to the southwest.[29]

The different types of natural features range from the sandy beaches, lagoons, and mangrove swamps of the southern coast to preserved beautiful moist temperate forests and the icy peaks of the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountains in the north. There are an estimated 108 peaks above 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) high that are covered in snow and glaciers. Five of the mountains in Pakistan (including K2 and Nanga Parbat) are over 8,000 metres (26,000 ft). Indian-controlled Kashmir to the Northern Areas of Pakistan and running the length of the country is the Indus River with its many tributaries. The northern parts of Pakistan attract a large number of foreign tourists. To the west of the Indus are the dry, hilly deserts of Balochistan; to the east are the rolling sand dunes of the Thar Desert. The Tharparkar desert in the southern province of Sindh, is the only fertile desert in the world. Most areas of Punjab and parts of Sindh are fertile plains where agriculture is of great importance.

Climate

Although the country is in the monsoon region, it is arid; except for the southern slopes of the Himalayas and the sub-Mountainous tract which have rainfall from 76 to 127 cm. Balochistan is the driest part of the country with an average rainfall of 21 cm. On the southern ranges of the Himalayas, 127 cm. of precipitation takes place, while under the lee of these mountains (Gilgit and Baltistan) rainfall is hardly 16 cm. Rainfall also occurs from western cyclonic disturbances originating in the Mediterranean.

The contribution of these western disturbances to rainfall over the plains is about 4 cm. A large part of the precipitation in the northern mountain system is in the form of snow which feeds the rivers. The all-pervasive aridity over most of Pakistan, the predominant influence on the life and habitat of the people, coupled with the climatic rhythm, characteristic of a monsoon climate, are conducive to homogeneity of the land.

Provinces

Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world and is the second most populous country with a Muslim majority. The name Pakistan means “The Land of the Pure”, a name coined in 1934 by Choudhary Rahmat Ali, one of the earliest proponents of the creation of Pakistan as an independent state.

The nation is comprised of four semi-autonomous provinces, namely, Sindh, Punjab, NWFP and Balochistan, each having contrasting landscape, weather, and ethnicities. It also governs part of Kashmir which is currently split between Pakistan and India. (More info on each Province)

Languages

Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan while 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.

Demographics

The demographics of religion in Pakistan were significantly influenced in 1947 by the movement of Muslims to Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs to India. Census data indicates that 96% of the population is Muslims, (nearly 77% are Sunni Muslims and 20% are Shi'a Muslims according to CIA estimates). The remainder comprises Christians, Hindus, Jews, Sikhs, Parsis, Ahmadis, Buddhists, and Animists (mainly the Kalasha of Chitral). Pakistan is the second most populous Muslim-majority country and also has the one of the largest Shi'a populations of any country. As of 2006, an estimated 2.5 million refugees — approximately 81.5% being ethnic Pashtuns — remain in Pakistan as a result of the wars in Afghanistan.
 

Sightseeing In Pakistan

Being a large country with a variety of cultures and flavours, Pakistan offers numerous sightseeing places and spots to discover, enjoy and get abundance of information of old cultures, religions, civilizations and societies.

Here is a list of some of the must see places throughout Pakistan, no matter where you are staying you are likely to find a place to discover.

1: The Lahore Fort & Badshahi Mosque - Lahore Punjab
The Lahore Fort was built by Emperor Akbar in 1566 and is locally known as Shahi Qila. . It is located in the northwestern corner of Lahore, adjacent to the Walled City. Some of the famous spots within the fort are: Sheesh Mahal, Alamgiri Gate, Naulakha pavilion, and Moti Masjid. The fort is 1400 feet long and 1115 feet wide.

To the west of the Lahore Fort across the Alamgiri Gate is the grand red sandstone Badshahi Mosque, built in 1673-74 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. It is, one of the finest specimens of Mughal architecture. With its imposing gateway, lofty minarets, large domes and a huge courtyard, the Badshahi Mosque is believed to be one of the largest mosques in the world.

2: Shalimar Garden- Lahore
Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, About 5 kms east of Lahore lies the famous Shalimar Gardens complex, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The garden reflects the Mughal-Persian style of architecture that reached its crescendo during the Mughul era. There are three lakes, about 450 fountains and a marble pavilion over which water flows down to create a waterfall. Small earthen lamps placed in the niches created a magical effect by their interplay with the cascading flow.

3: Lahore Zoo
Founded in 1872, Lahore Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the sub-continent. Amongst the various sections, the lion house is probably the oldest original structure remaining, with seven dens in the rear and two grottoes for exercising the animals. There are two aviaries for peafowl and a round aviary for the songbirds. The Lahore zoo also has a collection of very old trees, some of which are estimated to be nearly four centuries old. There are huge grassy lawns for visitors to picnic and children's parks with recreational facilities.

4: Lahore Museum
The Lahore Museum opposite the old University Hall is the oldest and largest museum of Pakistan. Inaugurated in 1894 by the British, the museum has 17 galleries that cover the history and culture of Pakistan and its neighboring countries. The display includes a valuable collection of miniature paintings, exquisite Gandhara sculptures and wooden carvings from the Mughal and Sikh periods.