Pakistan
A populous South Asian nation from the Indus plains to the Karakoram
Pakistan is among the most populous countries in the world, a nation forged in 1947 as a homeland for South Asia's Muslims and spanning from the great Indus River plains to some of the highest mountains on the planet. It straddles the meeting point of the Middle East, Central Asia, and the subcontinent, a strategic position that has shaped its turbulent history. Cradle of the ancient Indus Valley civilization and home to vibrant cities like Lahore and Karachi, it is a young, fast-growing, and complex country, a nuclear power navigating between regional rivalry and internal strain.
The Indus River is the country's lifeline, flowing from the northern mountains through Punjab and Sindh to the Arabian Sea and watering one of the world's largest irrigation systems. The north holds a spectacular collision of ranges, the Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Himalaya, crowned by K2, at 8,611 meters the second-highest mountain on Earth, on the Chinese border. To the west and southwest spread the arid plateaus and deserts of Balochistan, and the Thar Desert lies in the southeast. The climate ranges from alpine in the north to hot desert in the south, governed by the monsoon and prone to flooding.
Heir to the Indus Valley civilization and later a center of Gandharan Buddhism and Mughal power, the region became part of British India before partition in 1947 created Pakistan, an event accompanied by mass migration and violence. East Pakistan broke away to become Bangladesh in 1971. The country has alternated between civilian and military rule, fought repeated wars with India over Kashmir, and become a declared nuclear-weapons state. Its economy rests on agriculture, textiles, and remittances, while a youthful population, rich Punjabi and Sindhi cultures, and the legacy of Mughal Lahore define its character.