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Overview
Pakistan's territory hosted the Indus Valley Civilization, Gandharan Buddhism, the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Punjab. Partition in 1947 created the modern Muslim state.
Basic Information
CapitalIslamabad
Population241 million
Area881,913 km²
CurrencyPakistani rupee (PKR)
LanguagesUrdu, English, regional languages
RegionSouth Asia
History Timeline
- c. 2600 – 1900 BCEIndus Valley (Mohenjo-daro, Harappa)
- c. 6th c. BCE – 5th c. CEGandhara Buddhist civilization
- 712Muhammad bin Qasim conquers Sindh
- 1526 – 1857Mughal rule
- 1947Partition and independence
- 1971East Pakistan becomes Bangladesh
Ancient Peoples
- Harappans
- Gandharans
- Indo-Aryans
Ancient Kingdoms
- Gandhara
- Sindh
Empires
- Mauryan
- Kushan
- Umayyad
- Mughal
- British Raj
Religions
- Sunni Islam
- Shia Islam
- Christianity
- Hinduism
Culture
Urdu poetry (Iqbal, Faiz), Sufi shrines, qawwali music.
Language
Urdu is national; Punjabi is largest spoken language.
Important Battles
- Battle of Rawalpindi1585
Mughal consolidation
- Third Battle of Panipat1761
Afghan victory over Marathas
Historical Figures
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
1876 – 1948
Founder of Pakistan
Muhammad Iqbal
1877 – 1938
Philosopher-poet
Archaeological Sites
- Mohenjo-daro
- Harappa
- Taxila
- Takht-i-Bahi
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Mohenjo-daro
- Taxila
- Fort & Shalamar Gardens Lahore
- Rohtas Fort
Dynasties
- Ghaznavid
- Mughal
Colonial Period
Part of British India 1858 – 1947.
Modern History
Islamic republic; nuclear power since 1998.