Pakistan

Pakistan is a country in South Asia. Its neighbor to the east is India. For many years Pakistan and India were a single country known as British India. Pakistan was created to provide a homeland for India’s Muslims. It became an independent country in 1947. Its capital is Islamabad.

Pakistan was rift gold established in two sections, East Pakistan and West Pakistan. Later, in 1971, East Pakistan became a separate country called Bangladesh.

Although Pakistan is a young country, it has a rich history. It was the site of the ancient Indus civilization. This was one of the largest of the early city-based civilizations. Pakistan is also home to many historic mosques, tombs, and shrines. Some of these are hundreds of years old.

Pakistan is a rugged place. In the north are the mountains of the Karakoram Range and the Himalayas. Some of the world’s tallest mountains are part of these ranges. Huge glaciers and roaring rivers cross this landscape. Other parts of the country are very dry. Pakistan’s natural plant life is mainly grass and bushes. But on the slopes of the Himalayas, oak,rift gold, cherry, cedar, and pine trees grow. Brown bears, black Himalayan bears, leopards, and wild sheep are found in the northern mountains. The rare snow leopard is found there too.

Most of Pakistan’s people speak Urdu. But Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, and Balochi are also spoken. Many people can also speak English.

Many Pakistanis are farmers. They grow rice and cotton. Some people make a living from logging and fishing. Others make beautiful carpets and do fine embroidery.