Facts and Figures Area 796,095 sq km Population 145 million Capital Islamabad Languages Urdu (official), Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu, Baluchi, Brahvi, English Currency Rupees (US$1=63.85) GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION Location: Pakistan lies in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. It is bounded in the north and the northwest by Afghanistan, on the northeast by Jammu and Kashmir, on the east and southeast by India, on the south by the Arabian Sea, and on the west by Iran. It extends from latitude 24°N to latitude 37°N and from long. 61°34'E to long.75°22'E.

Physical Features: Pakistan has great extremes of elevation, reaching the highest point at the Himalayan peak of K2 (also known as Mount Godwin Austen) in the north and the lowest point at the Arabian Sea coast in the south. The Indus River flows the length of Pakistan from north to south. The Indus and its tributaries form a wide river valley with fertile plains in Punjab and Sind (Sindh) provinces. Pakistan is mountainous in the north and west. Much of Pakistan is a dry, sun-scorched region. To the west of the Indus are the rugged dry mountains of the Sulaiman Range, which merge with the treeless Kirthar Range in the south. Farther west are the arid regions of the Baluchistan Plateau and the Kharan Basin. A series of mostly barren low mountains and hills predominate in the western border areas. The Thar Desert straddles the border with India in the southeast. The country also possesses a variety of wetlands, with the glacial lakes of the Himalayas, the mudflats of the Indus Valley plains, and the extensive coastal mangroves of the Indus River delta. The wetland areas cover an estimated area of 7.8 million hectares (19.3 million acres).

Climate: The climate of Pakistan varies widely from place to place. In the mountain regions of the north and west, temperatures fall below freezing levels during the winter; in the Indus plain area, temperatures range between 90° F and 120°F in summer. Throughout most of Pakistan rainfall is scarce (15 to 25 inches annually). Flora and fauna: Vegetation in Pakistan varies according to the altitude. Arctic flora grows on the higher slopes. Dense forests of spruce, evergreen oak, chir, or cheer pine and a cedar known as the deodar are found at lower altitudes. Animal life abounds in the country, including deer, boar, bear, crocodile, and waterfowl. In the freshwater and saltwater areas, fish of many varieties are found. HISTORY The history of Pakistan dates back to the Indus valley civilization, on of the world's first four civilizations. Found at about 4500 years ago, it survived only for 800 years. Pakistan shares the history of India up to the bifurcation of India in 1947. Its eastern wing separated to form Bangladesh in 1971.

PEOPLE:-

ETHNICITY
The ethnological background of the population is extremely varied, largely because the country lies in an area that was invaded repeatedly during its long history. The people came from such ethnic stocks as the Dravidian, Indo-Aryan, Greek, Scythian, Hun, Arab, Mongol, Persian, and afghan.

ARTS & CRAFTS
Pakistan has a rich and diverse cultural heritage. Pakistanis celebrate their culture through folk music, dance, and festivals. They have a strong appreciation for poetic expression and storytelling. The history of the country comes to life in the splendid architectural detail of centuries-old mosques and forts. After it became part of the expansive Mughal Empire in 1526, the region that is now Pakistan entered a golden age of literature, architecture, and music.

FESTIVALS
Eid ul Azha: (February 02,03,04) Religious festival commemorating the great sacrifice offered by Prophet Abraham. Celebrated on 10 Zilhaj, 12th month of Islamic Calendar. Collective prayers after sunset, sacrifice of goats, sheep, cows, camels and distribution of meat among relatives, friends and poor.

Basant Festival: (9th February) The Basant festival heralds the end of winter and arrival of spring. It is celebrated in the entire sub-continent, with flying kites - perhaps because spring generally brings a clear sky and just the right amount of wind. Lahore becomes the hub of activities with sky full of kites of different styles, sizes and colors. TheGovernment of Punjab has fixed 9th February, 2004 for the festival.

National Horse & Cattle Show Lahore: (16 March for 05 days) Cattle races, cattle dances, tent-pegging, tattoo show, folk music, dances, bands, cultural floats and folk games.

Pakistan Day: (23 March) Commemorating the anniversary of Pakistan Resolution passed on March 23,1940, Military parades are held at the provincial capitals and at Islamabad.

Shandur Polo Festival: (7-9 July) A regular traditional polo tournament is held every year on the highest polo ground of the world. The Shandur Pass (Chitral district), with allied activities including folk music, folk dances and other competitions.

POLITY
Under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's leadership, Pakistan adopted a new constitution in 1973. The Constitution established Islamic socialism as the nation's guiding principle and retained the structure of a federal republic. It provided for a parliamentary form of government, with a President serving as head of state. A Prime Minister is chief executive and leader of the majority party.

ECONOMY
Pakistan, suffers from internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with India. Pakistan's economic prospects, although still marred by poor human development indicators, continued to improve in 2002 following unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance beginning in 2001. Foreign exchange reserves have grown to record levels, supported largely by fast growth in recorded worker remittances. Trade levels rebounded after a sharp decline in late 2001. The government has made significant inroads in macroeconomic reform since 2000, but progress is beginning to slow. Although it is in the second year of its $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, Islamabad continues to require waivers for politically difficult reforms. Long-term prospects remain uncertain as development spending remains low, regional tensions remain high, and political tensions weaken Pakistan's commitment to lender-recommended economic reforms. GDP growth will continue to hinge on crop performance; dependence on foreign oil leaves the import bill vulnerable to fluctuating oil prices; and efforts to open and modernize the economy remain uneven.

PAKISTAN AS A TOURIST DESTINATION
Pakistan is a special interest destination. Its main attractions include adventure tourism in the Northern Areas, cultural and archaeological tourism in Taxila, Moenjodaro, Harrappa, and early Muslim and Mughal heritage in Multan, Lahore, Thatta, Peshawar, Swat. Besides this, birds watching Jeep safaris, desert safaris, trekking and mountaineering are readily available tourist specialized products.