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PAKISTAN
The separation in 1947 of British
India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with
two sections West and East) and largely Hindu
India was never satisfactorily resolved. A third
war between these countries in 1971 resulted in
East Pakistan seceding and becoming the separate
nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state
of Kashmir is ongoing.
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Official
Name: |
Islamic
Republic of Pakistan |
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Location: |
South
Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between
India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan
on the west and China in the north (Pakistan
is located between 32o-42' and
36o-55' North
latitudes and 60o-45' and 75o-20' East
longitudes |
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Land
Area: |
8,03950
sq. Kilometer (land is 778,720 sq. Km and
water 25,220 sq. Km).
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Land
Boundaries: |
6,774
Km, Afghanistan 2430Km, China 523 Km,
India 2912 Km, Iran 909 Km
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Administrative
divisions: |
Four
provinces Punjab, Sindh, Northwest
Frontier
Province
(N.W.F.P) and Baluchistan, also included
Federal capital of Islamabad, Federally
Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and
Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA).
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Government: |
Federal
Republic. Parliamentary form of government
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Population: |
140
millions approximately, population growth
rate is 2.17% and Pakistan is the 7th
populous country in the world. 52.0% are
male and 48.0 % female; birth rate is
32.11 births/10000 population and death
rate 9.51 deaths/10000 population. |
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Language: |
Urdu
is the national language in Pakistan.
English is extensively used in all
official and commercial circles. About 32
local languages are spoken here among them
Punjabi, Sindhi, Baluchi and Pushto are
very common, are also provincial languages
of Pakistan. Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%,
Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu
8%, Urdu 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui
1%, Burushaski, Shina, Balti, Khwar, Wakhi
and other 8% |
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Literacy: |
37.8%
of total population
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Ethnic
groups: |
Punjabi,
Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir
(immigrants from India at the time of
partition and their descendants), |
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Religion: |
Islam,
Muslim about 97% of total population
(Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu,
and other 3% |
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Capital: |
Islamabad,
with area of 207 sq. kilometer and
population of 0.5 millions approximately. |
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Currency: |
The
unit of currency is Rupees, which is
divided into 100 Paisas.
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Local
time: |
+5GMT |
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