Interesting Facts About Pakistan
71 Interesting Facts About Pakistan
With these 71 facts about Pakistan, let us learn about its history, culture, geography, noted people, food, inventions, mountains, mosques, family customs and hospitality, and much more. Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the 6th most populous country in the world. It has an area of 796,095 sq km. It is a country in South Asia and has 4 provinces (Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh). Islamabad is the country’s capital and Karachi is its largest city. Both Urdu and English are its official languages. Urdu is also its national language. The Pakistani rupee (PKR) is its official currency. The citizen of Pakistan is called a Pakistani (singular) or Pakistanis (plural). Its four bordering countries are India, Afghanistan, Iran, and China.
71 Interesting facts about Pakistan’s noted personalities, trade, infrastructure, irrigation, independence, fertile desert, talent and more…
1. Sialkot, located in Pakistan, is the world’s largest producer of handsewn footballs. Local factories in the region produce 40-60 million footballs a year, which is roughly 50-70% of the world’s total production. The football manufacturing industry now consists of more than 200 factories.
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2. Pakistan is the world’s first Islamic country to attain nuclear power.
3. Pakistan has the highest paved international road – The Karakoram Highway (KKH).
4. Pakistan has the largest canal-based irrigation system in the world.
5. Pakistan has the world’s largest ambulance network. Pakistan’s Edhi Foundation, which is also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, operates the network.
6. The highest batting partnership formed by two players playing in their first Test matches in the sport of Cricket is 249 runs by Khalid Ibadulla (b. 20 December 1935) and Abdul Kadir (b. 1944, d. 2002) for Pakistan against Australia in Karachi, Pakistan, in the match played 24-29 October 1964. Wasim Akram, a former Pakistani fast bowler is the first to take 400 wickets in both Tests and ODIs (second being Muttiah Muralitharan).
7. Pakistan’s estimated population was 207,774,520 in August 2017, making it the world’s sixth-most-populous country, behind Brazil and ahead of Nigeria.
8. The name Pakistan means ‘land of the pure’ in Persian and Urdu.
9. Just two people have won the Nobel Prize from Pakistan. Malala Yousafzai for Peace in 2014 and Abdus Salam for Physics in 1979.
10. Pakistan boasts the world’s highest ATM (automated teller machine). The ATM is operated by the National Bank of Pakistan and it is installed at a height of 16,007 feet above sea level, at the Pak-China border, Khunjerab Pass.
11. Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan, is its financial hub as well as home to almost 17 million people. It also has a major seaport. Karachi was the first capital city of Pakistan post-independence and remained so until the capital was shifted to Rawalpindi in 1958.
12. India and Pakistan got their independence at midnight of 14–15 August 1947. The Indian Independence Act states – “As from the fifteenth day of August, nineteen hundred and forty-seven, two independent Dominions shall be set up in India, to be known respectively as India and Pakistan.”
13. Queen Elizabeth II was the Queen Of Pakistan until 1956. And the ex-US President Barack Obama visited Pakistan in 1981.
Flag of Pakistan
14. Sugarcane juice is the national drink of Pakistan. In Pakistan, it is also known as “roh.”
15. Pakistan levies 5% advance tax on annual expenses made related to education, however, only when the total expense is above Rs 200,000 during a year.
16. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was founded on 23 October 1946 as Orient Airways. The airline was nationalized on January 10th, 1955. The airline has a world record for flying the fastest between London and Karachi. The airline achieved this feat in 1962 when they completed the flight in 6 hours, 43 minutes, 55 seconds, a record which remains unbroken to this day.
17. K-2 (Chagori) is the highest mountain peak in Pakistan and the second highest in the world.
Famous Mountain peaks of Pakistan, their total height, and world ratings.
| Famous Mountain Peaks | Height | World Rating |
| K-2 (Chagori) | 8616 m | 2nd |
| Nanga Parbat | 8125 m | 8th |
| Gasherbrum-I | 8068 m | 11th |
| Broad Peak | 8065 m | 12th |
| Gasherbrum-II | 8047 m | 14th |
| Gasherbrum-III | 7952 m | 15th |
| Gasherbrum-IV | 7925 m | 16th |
| Disteghil Sar | 7885 m | 20th |
| Kunyang Kish | 7852 m | 22nd |
| Masherbrum (NE) | 7821 m | 24th |
| Rakaposhi | 7788 m | 27th |
| Batura I | 7785 m | 28th |
| Kanjut Sar | 7760 m | 29th |
| Saltoro Kangri | 7742 m | 33rd |
| Trivor | 7720 m | 36th |
| Tirich Mir | 7708 m | 41st (Source) |
18. Pakistan also has one of the oldest civilizations in history, Mehrgarh, dating back to 6000 B.C. Mehrgarh is now seen as a precursor to the Indus Valley Civilization. It is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming and herding in South Asia.
19. They also have a rare species of ‘Blind Dolphin’ found in the water of Indus River. It is the second most endangered freshwater dolphin species in the world, the first being the ‘functionally extinct’ Yangtze River dolphin.
20. Pakistan also made history with the youngest civil judge in the world. Mohammed Ilyas passed the exam when he was 20 years and 9 months old and thus became the youngest civil judge in the world.
21. The ‘Khewra Salt Mine’ in Pakistan is the second largest and oldest salt mine in the world.
22. Pakistan has the only fertile desert in the world – the Tharparkar desert – located in Sindh province.
23. Pakistan has the eleventh-largest armed force in the world. It has 617,000 people in its army. UN peacekeeping missions are supported largely by the Pakistani army.
24. According to a survey, Pakistan has one of the world’s top national anthem tunes. The duration of Pakistan’s National Anthem is 80 seconds.
25. Pakistanis are the fourth-most intelligent people in the world, according to poll results gathered from 125 countries by the Institute of European Business Administration.
26. The world’s seventh-largest collection of scientists and engineers is from Pakistan.
27. The world’s longest glacial system outside the polar regions – the Biafo Glacier – is in Pakistan.
28. The largest earth-filled dam in the world (and fifth largest by structural volume) is the ‘Tarbela Dam’ on the Indus river in Pakistan. The dam was built in 1968 and 1976. The dam is 143.26 meters high and 2,743.2 meters long.
29. Out of the total land area in Pakistan, 25% is under agricultural cultivation. Pakistan irrigates three times more land area than Russia.
Pakistan on the map
30. The once world’s largest man-made forest is in Pakistan – the Changa Manga forest (12,423 acres in area). It is named after two brother dacoits, the Changa Manga forest was originally planted in 1866 by British foresters.
31. Pakistan is also blessed with Jahangir Khan, a former World No. 1 professional squash player. Between 1981 and 1986, he won 555 matches consecutively (the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sports as recorded by Guinness World Records).
32. Islamabad, Pakistan is ranked the second most beautiful capital in the world.
33. For the passenger trains in Pakistan, the railway uses, 5 ft 6 in wide gauge, the size of a broad track gauge which is also commonly used in India, west of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Chile. Elsewhere it is known as “Indian gauge”. It is the widest gauge in regular passenger use anywhere in the world.
34. Pakistan has some of the best-trained air force pilots in the world.
35. The Shah Faisal Mosque in Pakistan can accommodate 100,000 worshipers at a time. It was the largest mosque in the world from 1986 until 1993.
36. MM Alam, late Air Commodore from Pakistan, is known to have shot five planes in less than a minute during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
37. Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, has a population of 2,006,572 (2017). Islamabad officially became the capital of Pakistan on 14 August 1967, exactly 20 years after the country’s independence.
38. Pakistan is so far the only nation in the world to get established on the basis of ‘Religion’.
71 Interesting Facts About Pakistan
Last updated on March 15th, 2020
39. Pakistan is the only Muslim country after Turkey to open Combat Jobs for women.
40. Shandur Pass located in Chitral District and Ghizer (Gherz) District, Balawaristan, North Pakistan is home to the world’s highest Polo ground at 3,700 meters. Since 1936, traditional polo festival is being held on Shandur Top.
41. Pakistan is also home to the world’s second-largest Muslim population, behind Indonesia. Note that India is home to the world’s third-largest Muslim population.
42. An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck the Kashmir region in Pakistan on 8 October 2005. The earthquake caused displacement of approximately 3 million people.
43. The majority of Pakistan’s population is Muslim, amounting to 96.4%, while the rest includes Hindus and Christians.
44. Pakistan generated a whopping $1 billion in freelancing in the year 2017. Freelancing is the way of providing technical expertise via the internet. Pakistan ranks on the 4th spot behind India, Bangladesh, and the United States.
45. The borders of Pakistan were drawn two days after on 17th August 1947, after the separation of India and Pakistan.
46. Gwadar port is the largest deep sea port in the world, located on the southwestern Arabian Sea along the coastline of Balochistan, Pakistan. The port has an area of 64,000 square meters and has a depth of more than 14 meters.
47. In 1965, Pakistan had a second war with India over Kashmir. The seventeen-day war caused thousands of casualties on both sides, and also witnessed the largest tank battle since World War II.
48. Pakistan and India both claimed victory in the war of 1965, which ended after a ceasefire declaration by the intervention of the Soviet Union and the United States.
49. Benazir Bhutto became the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan, and of any Muslim nation.
50. Pakistan is also home to a lake which is one of a kind – Ansoo Lake (Tear Lake). The shape of the lake resembles that of a tear. The lake also looks like a human eye with an eyebrow, which becomes prominent during the summer days when the ice melts. The lake has a central island which resembles the iris.
51. Pakistan is also home to the largest single dome mosque in the world – Masjid e Tooba. The mosque is located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, and is locally known as the Gol Masjid. The dome of the mosque is 212 ft in diameter and is 51.48 ft high. It is balanced on a low surrounding wall with no central pillars. It was built in 1969. Learn more.
52. Located at the northern end of the Kaghan Valley, Lake Saiful Muluk, is one of the highest lakes in Pakistan, at an elevation of 3,224 m (10,578 feet) above sea level.
53. In the last five years, Pakistan’s literacy rate has grown by 250%, the largest increase in any country to date.
54. Mohenjo-Daro is an archaeological site in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. It was one of the largest and most advanced cities in the world during its time (built around 2500 BCE).
There are 6 cultural properties from Pakistan inscribed on the World Heritage List.
- Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro (1980)
- Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol (1980)
- Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (1981)
- Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta (1981)
- Rohtas Fort (1997)
- Taxila (1980)
55. On August 31st, 2007, General Parvez Musharraf amended the constitution of Pakistan to allow himself a third term as president.
56. Makli Hill located in Thatta, Pakistan is home to over half a million tombs and graves. It is one of the largest necropolis (a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments) in the world. The tombs were built over a period of 400 years between the 14th and 18th centuries.
57. Gaddani, Pakistan is also home to the world’s third-largest ship breaking yard.
58. The Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan is one of the world’s largest mosques. It was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1671 and its construction completed in 1673. However, the mosque was largely used for military purposes during the Sikh era and the British rule for many years until the independence of Pakistan when it was restored to its original condition.
59. Darra Adam Khel is a city situated in Khyber Regency, south of the city of Peshawar. Almost three-quarters of the population of the city, generally regarded as the largest illegal gun market in the world, is involved in the gun business. Replicas of nearly every gun available on the market are produced in the region. The business came into existence in 1897 and is run by the local Afridi tribe.
60. Sohail Abbas, a Pakistani field hockey defender, is the highest goal scorer in the history of field hockey, with his current goal tally at 348.
61. Pakistan is also famous for truck art (decorating trucks with complex floral patterns and poetic calligraphy). Trucks are painted with a splash of colors and the artists’ creativity is very appealing.
62. When Pakistan became independent, it received between 10 and 12 million refugees from different parts of India. Many of these people had lost everything they had and used a different language for communicating with the locals. Pakistanis smilingly welcomed these people to their nation and helped them to lead a prosperous life.
63. Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo III was shot in Pakistan.
64. On May 2, 2011 – Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. special forces during a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan. He was the leader of Al Qaeda.
65. In 2013, Lonely Planet–the largest travel guide book publisher in the world–titled Pakistan, ‘The Next Big Thing’.
66. Shalwar kameez is the traditional Pakistani dress, which is worn by 80% or 90% of Pakistanis.
67. Pakistani intelligence is considered the best intelligence corps in the world, even better than the CIA.
68. Pakistan is also known for its missile technology, which is one of the best in the world.
69. Pakistan is world’s fourth largest milk producing country while India tops the list.
70. Pakistan is also one of the top producers and exporters of surgical instruments in the world. According to a source, almost 99% of these instruments are produced in Sialkot.
71. Pakistan is the fourth largest cotton producing country in the world (2017).
Some quick stats and facts
- On November 29, 2007, Musharraf took the oath as President for the third time.
- The Pakistani rupee is the official currency of Pakistan.
- The markhor is the national animal of Pakistan. Its national bird is the chukar partridge.
- March 23rd is Pakistan’s Republic Day or “Pakistan Day.”
- In 1973, Pakistan adopted a constitution for the parliamentary system of government.
- Islamic law became the law of the land in Pakistan after legislation was passed in 1991.
- Port Muhammad Bin Qasim is the major port in Karachi, Pakistan.
- Allama Muhammad Iqbal is the National Poet of Pakistan.
- Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876-1948) is the Father of the Nation of Pakistan.
- Mango is the national fruit of Pakistan, and its national flower is Jasmine.
- Moenjo Daro, Harappa, Taxila, Kot Diji, Mehr Garh, Takht Bhai, Juniper Shaft cave, the Murghagull Gharra cave and Mughall saa cave are major archaeological sites in Pakistan.
- Pakistan’s major crops include cotton, wheat, rice and sugarcane.
- Textiles, cement, fertilizer, steel, sugar, electric goods and shipbuilding are the major industries in Pakistan.
- There are 151 airports in Pakistan (2013).
- A total length of 11,881 km is covered by railways in Pakistan. Out of this length, 11,492 km is the broad gauge, while 389 km is the narrow gauge.
- There is 263,942 km of roadway infrastructure in Pakistan, out of which 708 km is the expressway.
- There are 51 universities and 155,000 primary schools in Pakistan.
- A person at the age of 18 is qualified to vote in Pakistan.
- The Supreme Court is the highest court in Pakistan.
- The United States, Hong Kong S.A.R., Germany, United Kingdom, Japan and the United Arab Emirates are major export trade partners of Pakistan.
- Pakistan imports: machinery, electrical goods, petroleum products, transportation equipment, metals and metal products, fertilizer and foodstuffs.
- Afghanistan, China, India, and Iran share a border with Pakistan.
- Pakistan’s national language is Urdu, while its official language is English.
71 Interesting Facts About Pakistan
Last updated on March 15th, 2020
Pakistan is a country with a very big and diverse population. There are several ethnic groups in the Pakistani society. Here are the main ones:
– North: Wakhi, Shinaki, Dards, Burusho, and Baltis;
– South: Muhajirs and Makrani;
– East: Kashmiris, Punjabis, Sindhis, and Potwaris;
– West: Pashtuns, Hazaras, and Baloch.In such a diverse country, honor, pride, and shame are all common values which influence people’s behavior. In order to avoid social ostracism, the Pakistani protect their reputation — both their personal reputation as well as the reputation of family members.
20 facts about Pakistani family customs, traditions, and hospitality
1. The Pakistani have a sense of extended family, which goes beyond the nuclear family and includes immediate and distant relatives, friends, fellow tribe members, and even neighbors. Loyalty to family is above any and all other relationships — even business.
2. So, hiring relatives is a common practice which has a positive spin in Pakistani culture, due to this high sense of loyalty.
3. Forming new relationships is very important in Pakistan, and asking friends and colleagues to make business introductions is a normal thing to do.
4. One important observation to be made here is that it is very inappropriate when someone asks questions to a Pakistani about any of their female relatives, especially their wives.
5. Casual dating is disapproved and many marriages are arranged by the family elders even today.
6. When there is no arrangement, parent approval is still necessary — in Pakistan, marriage is seen as a responsibility of the parents, especially due to the need of protecting the family’s honor.
7. Women stay in the home and men go to work. When a woman works, they are usually involved in fields such as nursing or teaching.
8. Women have the same rights as men, including voting and being educated, a woman has been a prime minister in the past, there are many female judges as well.
9. The reason for the women stay at home is that Pakistani families are larger — 6 children is considered normal — and the woman is responsible for raising the children, along with the extended family as well.
10. Living closely to extended family also emphasizes the transmission of Pakistani customs and traditions across generations, as well as the respect for their elders and the traditional Pakistani gender roles too.
11. When entering a Pakistani home, usually you will need to remove your shoes. The best way to make sure is to look at your host’s feet and follow suit.
12. Greet the elders first; the greetings exchange is usually made between members of the same sex. Men will shake hands and, when closer in relationship, might as well hug each other. Women will hug and kiss.
13. You will notice that Pakistani do not use first names, unless among close friends.
14. Titles denote respect: use them.
15. Also, bring a small gift to the hostess — good chocolates are the best option for men, while women may also gift flowers (non-white, which are only for weddings).
16. Give your gift with both hands; do not give alcohol; your host will not open your gift when receiving it.
17. You will probably be served tea, since it is considered a sign of hospitality.
18. Taboo subjects are sex, dating, homosexuality, alcohol, and questioning Islamic beliefs.
19. Eating utensils are used only by Westernized families, so you have to eat with your right hand.
20. Although guests are served first, you should only start eating after the oldest person starts.
Pakistani cuisine, given the variety of ethnicities and geography, is very diverse. However, you can be assured of two things:
1. Red meat is halal and slaughtered according to the Islam; and
2. Pork is forbidden and virtually impossible to find. Here is what the average Pakistani home-made meals look like:
– Breakfast: tea, bread, eggs, honey, nuts, and fruits.
– Lunch: meat-based curry and rice
– Dinner: this is the big family meal with meat kebab, spicy lentils with gravy, naan flat bread, among others.10 other food-related facts
1. Curry and spices are used very often in Pakistani cuisine, which leads us to #2;
2. As a consequence, plain white rice is the most common side dish.
3. Lentils are also very common.
4. Meats — beef, lamb, chicken, and fish — are often marinated in yogurt.
5. Southern Pakistani food is much spicier.
6. Northern Pakistani cuisine is centered around plain barbecued meat.
7. As a rule of thumb, seafood is usually curried.
8. Food is often fried in ghee, a type of butter.
9. The Pakistani also eat many pickles, preserved foods, and chutneys.
10. Pakistani drink green tea throughout the day.
As for Pakistani dresses, you will find that Pakistani are very formal, and also respectful of the Islamic code. Women clothes are also conservative, covering the skin and very loose. Pakistani men are required to cover their bodies between the navel and the knee, so make sure your clothing covers these areas too.
Pakistan – country at a glance
Official name Islami Jamhooriya-e-Pakistan (Islamic Republic of Pakistan) Independence 14 August 1947 (from British India) Capital City Islamabad (33°40′N 73°10′E) Largest City Karachi (24°51′36″N 67°00′36″E) Total area 796,095 sq km Population 238,181,034 (July 2021 est.) Suffrage 18 years of age; universal; note - there are joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims Demonym Pakistani Literacy rate 59.1% President Arif Alvi Prime Minister Imran Khan Official language English and Urdu Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876-1948) National Poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) National language Urdu National anthem "Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem)
Approved in August, 1954
Verses Composed by: Abdul Asar Hafeez Jullundhri
Tune Composed by: Ahmed G. Chagla
Duration: 80 secondsNational symbol star and crescent, jasmine National colors green, white National holiday Pakistan Day, 23 March National Flower Jasmine National Tree Deodar (Cedrus Deodara) National Bird Chakor (Red-legged partridge) National Animal Markhor Borders Afghanistan - 2,670 km, China - 438 km, India - 3,190 km, Iran - 959 km Currency Pakistani rupee (₨) (PKR) Religion 95% Muslims, 5% others. Life expectancy at birth total population: 69.37 years Climate mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north Terrain divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain in the center and east, and the Balochistan Plateau in the south and west Mean elevation 900 m Highest point K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m Lowest point Arabian Sea 0 m Natural resources arable land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone Major Rivers The Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej Major Dams Mangla Dam, Tarbela Dam, Warsak Dam Agricultural land 35.2% Major crops Cotton, Wheat, Rice and Sugarcane Birth rate 26.95 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) Death rate 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) Sex ratio total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2020 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP) $4,690 (2019 est.) Industries textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp Exports $31.517 billion (2019 est.)
textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sporting goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugsImports $42.27 billion (2019 est.)
petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, teaInternet country code .pk Time Zone PKT (UTC+5) Calling Code +92 Drives on the Left Website http://www.pakistan.gov.pk
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