About Pakistan

DEMOGRAPHICS

**Population:** 244,000,000 (2024). Pakistan is the fifth most populous country in the world.
**Languages Spoken:** Urdu; English; Punjabi; Pashto; Saraiki; Sindhi; Balochi
**Major Religions:** The majority of Pakistanis observe Islam but a small percentage practice Hinduism and Christianity.
**Ethnic Groups:** Pakistan has six major ethnic groups: Punjabi; Pashtun; Sindhi; Saraiki; Muhajir; Balochi. There are many other ethnic groups of smaller population.

Pakistan_map_(1990_version).JPG — GEOGRAPHY

Pakistan shares land borders with India, China, Iran, and Afghanistan, and is bordered by the Arabian Sea to its south.
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THE FLAG

The flag of Pakistan represents the country’s commitment to religious minorities and also its Islamic identity. The green, the star, and crescent symbolize Islam, while the white stripe represents religious minorities.
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Parliament_House,_Islamabad_by_Usman_Ghani.jpg — GOVERNMENT

Pakistan has a Parliament that is comprised of a National Assembly and a Senate. The state is governed by a Prime Minister which is considered the “chief executive” and “head of government” and a President who is the “head of state.”

ECONOMY

Pakistan’s economy is dominated by the agriculture, trade, and services sectors.
Major agricultural products include wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, vegetables, fruit, milk, beef, and eggs.
Major industries include food processing, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, textiles and apparel, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, and shrimp.
Pakistan’s economy resembles the middle-income countries of Southeast and East Asia.
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History

All-India Muslim League leaders in Lahore in 1940.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 to 1947 and led the Pakistan Movement which sought to create a new state that protected the political interests and religious identity of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent, which was ruled at the time by the British Empire.

On August 14, 1947, western and eastern portions of the British Empire in South Asia became the independent state of Pakistan. In 1971, East Pakistan became the independent state of Bangladesh.

World Heritage in Pakistan

The United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated six locations in Pakistan as World Heritage sites.

Mohenjo-Daro

As one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley civilization, the Mohenjo-Daro has a planned layout with rectilinear buildings arranged on a grid plan built of fired and mortared brick. It was the most advanced city of the time, with sophisticated civil engineering and urban planning. With little to no evidence of kings and queens, Mohenjo Daro was likely governed as a city-state. (c) Najamuddin Shahwani

Takht-i-Bahi

Defined as the “Throne of the Water Spring,” Takht-I-Bahi is an archeological site of an ancient Buddhist monastery and considered one of the most imposing relics of Buddhism in all of Gandhara, an ancient state in the Peshawar basin of northwest Pakistan. (c) Muhammad Zahir

Shalimar Bagh

Dating back to nearly 377 years ago to the Mughal Empire, Shalimar Bagh is a garden complex and one of Pakistan’s famous tourist destinations. Its layout resembles that of a Persian paradise garden, as a shape of a quadrilateral based on the four gardens of Paradise mentioned in the Quran. It was a primary venue for the Mughal royal family to entertain their guests. CC BY-SA 3.0

Makli Necropolis

Makli Necropolis in Thatta, Sindh is one of the largest funerary sites in the world. It is home to approximately 500,000 – 1 million tombs built over the course of a 400-year period by the Sindh civilization. Today, Makli Necropolis is a place of spiritual awakening for those who have taken their final rest. (C) Younis Junejo CC BY-SA 4.0

Rohtas Fort

Rohtas Fort in Punjab, Pakistan was built during the reign of Sher Shah Suri, the founder of the Suri Empire who later took control of the Mughal Empire. It was designed to suppress the local Ghakar tribes, a clan predominantly on the Potohor plateau of northern Pakistan.

Taxila

Taxila in Rawalpindi, Punjab Taxila is defined as a “City of Cut Stone”. Situated on a branch of the Silk Road that linked China and the West, the ancient site has endured various empires vying for its control. It includes a Mesolethic cave, the archeological remains of early settlement sites, Buddhist monasteries, a mosque, and a madrassa. (c) Anas Cheema CC BY-SA 4.0

Pakistanis Around the World

Approximately 9 million Pakistanis live overseas.

Monuments + Sites

Pakistan is home to some of the highest mountains in the world and the oldest sites of antiquity. Its monuments, landscape, and architecture tell the stories of diverse and multifaceted historical and cultural identities that persist to this day.

Badshahi Masjid

The Badshahi Masjid is a Mughal-era mosque in Lahore, Pakistan that is located on the outskirts of the Walled City of Lahore. (c) Shamila Chaudhary

The second highest mountain in the world, K2 stands at 28,251 ft above sea level in the Gilgit-Baltistan region in northern Pakistan. (c) Svy123

Makkli Necropolis

One of the largest funerary sites in the world, the Makli Neropolis is located near the city of Thatta, in the Pakistani province of Sindh. (c) Chaudhry Khawar

Pakistan Monument

Explore Pakistan

Media

Dawn News
Herald
The Friday Times
The Frontier Post

Arts + Culture

Culture Trip Guide to Pakistan
Modernity Meets Tradition in Contemporary Pakistani Art
A Brief History of Form and Meaning in Pakistani Art

Food

11 Traditional Pakistani Dishes
Pakistan’s Sea Buckthorn Berries
Summers Under the Tamarind Tree
Street Food in Pakistan

Fashion

Revolutionizing Pakistan’s Fashion Industry
10 Designers from Karachi