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Pakistan is a populous Muslim country with a rich history of conquest and rule by outsiders. It gained independence from British India in 1947 and has since had a tumultuous relationship with India, experiencing several wars. The country is large and diverse in geography, with Karachi as its financial center and Islamabad as its capital. Its economy is growing at a good pace despite political instability.
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is located on the edge of the Middle East, between the Arab Sea, Afghanistan, Iran, India and China. It is the sixth most populous country in the world with a population of over 161 million, 96% of which are Muslim. This makes it the second most populous Muslim country.
The country consists of four main provinces: Northwest Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. Like many countries in the region, Pakistan has a history rich in culture and heritage, as well as a tumultuous one, with wars raging for centuries.
Pakistan has a long history of conquest and rule by outsiders, including Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks, Afghans and Mongols. More recently, the region was part of British India before gaining independence in 1947. The Indus region was home to ancient cultures, which were colonized as early as 2500 to 1500 BC. As the country has not always been a state, the common history of India, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan collide and share a related ancestry and culture. The Silk Road, an important trade route in its time, criss-crossed the region, spreading religion and culture.
An important development in the country’s history is when, in 712 AD, Muhammad bin Qasim, an Arab general, conquered large parts of the region. He ushered in the beginning of several successive Muslim empires and opened the area to Islamic conversion.
In the 19th century, the British East India Company gained a foothold in the region, and what is now Pakistan, was under British control until the early 20th century. Muslim opposition grew during the occupation, and in 1930 there was a call to create a state separate from India for Muslims. This concept has been labeled the “Two Nations Theory”. Pakistan was created on 14 August 1947 and many Muslims emigrated to the area, while many Sikhs and Hindus stayed or moved to India.
Pakistan’s relationship with India has been tumultuous and there have been several wars and struggles in the region since the infancy of the country including First Kashmir War, Bangladesh War of Independence when Bangladesh seceded from Pakistan and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Politically, the country is a semi-presidential republic, although it has gone through a period of military rule. It has had two constitutions, but it is the second, the 1973 Constitution, suspended from 1977 to 1991, that dictates the current rules of government.
Pakistan is a large country – 310,403 square miles (803,940 square km) in size. Its geography is extremely diverse, with miles of coastline, lagoons, mangrove swamps, forests and mountains. It has 108 snow-capped mountain peaks that are more than 23,000 feet (7,000m) high, some of which are huge tourist attractions. Its climate, flora and fauna are as diverse as its geography.
Although its capital is Islamabad, the city of Karachi is the financial center of the country and the most populous city. Among its main sectors are telecommunications, software and aerospace, as well as tourism. The region is not known for its stability, but its financial outlook is seen as sound and continues to grow at a good pace.
