Pakistan

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Islamic Republic of Pakistan اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان Islāmī Jamhūriya-i-Pākistān
Official flag Official Coat of Arms
National information
National motto:	Iman, Ittehad, Nazm (Urdu: Faith, Unity, Discipline)
National anthem:	Pak sarzamin shad bad (Blessed Be The Sacred Land)
About the people
Official languages:	Urdu and English
Population: (# of people)	Total: {{{populationtotal}}} (ranked #6) Density: 186 per km²
Geography / Places
Here is the country on a map of the world.
Capital city:	Islamabad
Largest city:	Karachi
Area	Total: 880,254 (ranked #34) Water: 27,288 km² (3.1%)
Politics / Government
Established:	14th August 1947
Leaders:	President Pervez Musharraf Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz
Economy / Money
Currency: (Name of money)	Rupee (Rs.)
International information
Time zone:	+5:00 (Pakistan Standard Time)
Telephone dialing code:	92
Internet domain:	.pk

Pakistan is a country in South Asia, next to India^[2], Iran, Afghanistan, and China. It has a long coastline along the Arabian Sea in the south. Pakistan has the sixth largest population in the world and is the second largest Muslim country after Indonesia. Pakistan became independent in 1947 from British India but has a long history including the Indus Valley Civilisation. Until 1971, Pakistan also included an area east of India which is now called Bangladesh. It lost that area after a war with Indian Army and the Bengalis of Bangladesh. Pakistan has the seventh largest armed forces in the world and has nuclear weapons.

The name Pākistān (IPA:/pɑːkɪsðɑːn/) means Land of the Pure in Urdu and Persian. The name was created by Chaudhry Rahmat Ali^[3] in 1933 as an acronym of the Muslim areas of western India — P for Punjab, A for Afghania (the Afghan areas), K for Kashmir, S for Sindh and tan for Baluchistan. An i was added later to make it easier to pronunciation.

Pakistan has four provinces: Punjab, Sindh, Afghania and Balochistan. Punjab has the most people but Balochistan is the largest province by area.

[edit] References

1. ↑ World Gazetteer population estimate for 2006
2. ↑ Both India and Pakistan say that the Kashmir region is their own. Both countries and China separately control parts of the region. India and Pakistan's parts are divided by a Line of Control. The Pakistan–China border is not internationally recognised.
3. ↑ Text of the Now or Never pamphlet, issued on January 28, 1933

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