A Nuclear-Armed South Asian State of 245 Million
Pakistan is the world’s fifth-most-populous country (245 million) and one of nine nuclear-armed states. The country was created in 1947 through the Partition of British India as a homeland for the subcontinent’s Muslims. The partition was one of the largest mass migrations in history — approximately 14-18 million people displaced and 1-2 million killed in communal violence — and continues to shape Pakistani-Indian relations 77 years later.
The country has had a complex political history alternating between civilian governments and military rule. Imran Khan, the cricket-star-turned-politician, served as prime minister 2018-2022 before being ousted by parliamentary vote and subsequently imprisoned in 2023. Shehbaz Sharif has been prime minister since 2024.
Pakistan contains some of the world’s most spectacular mountain scenery — K2 (8,611 m, the world’s second-highest peak), Nanga Parbat (8,126 m), and the broader Karakoram and Himalayan ranges in the country’s north. The ancient civilisations of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa in the Indus Valley are among the oldest urban cultures in human history (c. 2600-1900 BC).
A Brief History
The territory of modern Pakistan was the heart of the Indus Valley Civilisation (c. 3300-1300 BC), one of the world’s oldest urban cultures. Subsequent rulers included Persian, Greek (under Alexander), Mauryan, Kushan, and various Muslim dynasties from the 8th century AD onward.
Mughal rule (1526-1857) brought significant Islamic-Persian-Indian cultural fusion. British colonisation followed.
The Pakistan Movement under Muhammad Ali Jinnah advocated a separate Muslim state. Partition in 1947 created Pakistan as a homeland for South Asian Muslims, originally with two wings (West Pakistan and East Pakistan). East Pakistan separated in 1971 to become Bangladesh after a brutal war.
Pakistan has alternated between civilian and military rule (military coups in 1958, 1977, 1999). The country tested nuclear weapons in 1998. Multiple wars with India over Kashmir.
Geography and Climate
Pakistan covers 881,913 km² with diverse landscapes: the Himalayan, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush ranges in the north, the Indus River plain, and deserts (the Cholistan and Thar). The country has a short coastline on the Arabian Sea.
Culture, Language and Religion
Urdu is the national language; English is also official. Major regional languages include Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Saraiki, Balochi.
Religion: approximately 96% Muslim (mostly Sunni, ~10% Shia), small Christian, Hindu, Sikh minorities.
The Economy
Pakistan has a lower-middle-income economy (~$340 billion GDP in 2024). Key sectors: textiles (one of the world’s largest cotton exporters and textile producers), agriculture (cotton, rice, wheat), services, remittances ($30+ billion annually).
Cuisine
Pakistani cuisine is rich, meat-heavy, and spice-forward:
- Biryani — spiced rice with meat (Karachi-style is particularly famous)
- Nihari — slow-cooked beef stew, traditionally a breakfast dish
- Karahi — meat curry cooked in a wok-like vessel
- Naan and roti — flatbreads
- Chai — milk tea, drunk continuously
- Falooda — sweet vermicelli dessert with rose syrup, jelly, and ice cream
Nature and UNESCO Sites
Pakistan has 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Mohenjo-daro, Taxila, Takht-i-Bahi (Buddhist monastic ruins), Lahore Fort and Shalamar Gardens, Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta, and Rohtas Fort.
Travel Guide
Entry & Best Seasons
Most Western nationalities need a visa; e-visas are available. March-May and September-November are best for general travel; northern mountains accessible June-September.
Budget
Inexpensive — daily $40-$80.
Surprising Facts
- Pakistan has the world’s second-highest mountain (K2, 8,611 m) and four other peaks above 8,000 metres.1
- The Karakoram Highway between Pakistan and China crosses the Khunjerab Pass at 4,693 metres — one of the highest paved international border crossings.1
- Mohenjo-daro and Harappa — Indus Valley Civilisation cities — were among the world’s largest urban centres around 2500 BC, with sophisticated urban planning and an undeciphered writing system.1
- Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 at age 17 — the youngest Nobel laureate ever.6
- Pakistan has nuclear weapons since its first tests in May 1998 — making it one of nine nuclear-armed states globally.6
- The Pakistani Hunza Valley is one of the alleged “Blue Zones” with unusually long-lived populations, though the demographic data is disputed.3
Sources and References
See the list of cited sources in the page frontmatter.