15 Facts About Pakistan

Pakistan is located in the heart of Asia and has made a name for itself in several fields including science and sports while it's diverse landscape from the north to the south makes it a must-visit country for tourists.

Here are 15 fascinating facts about Pakistan that will make every Pakistani proud.

1. Nuclear Power

Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan made Pakistan the first Islamic state in the world to attain nuclear power. Amid a bitter rivalry with India, Pakistan became a nuclear power after testing its first bombs in 1998. The tests were performed at Ras Koh Hills in the Chagai District of Balochistan Province.

2. Irrigation System

Pakistan has the largest canal-based irrigation system in the world. Pakistan's irrigation system, built by the British in the 1800s, is a complex network that brings water from the rivers to the canals and, in turn, through distributaries. Pakistan has the world's largest contiguous irrigation system, according to the United Nations.

3. Salt Mine

Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan is the second largest and the oldest salt mine in the world. The mine is famous for its production of pink Khewra salt, often marketed as Himalayan salt, and is a major tourist attraction.

4. Highest Mountains

The second highest mountain in the world is K2 also called Mount Godwin Austen. K2 lies in the northwestern Karakoram Range. It is located in the Baltistan region of Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan.

5. Microsoft Expert

The world youngest microsoft certified professional Arfa Karim is from Pakistan who has received Pride Of Performance. At the age of 10, she was invited to visit the Microsoft Head Office in USA on an invitation to meet the Microsoft CEO, Bill Gates.

6. Man-Made Forest

The world's largest man-made forest is in Pakistan named Changa Manga. It is about 70 kms from Lahore where attractions include an artificial lake, and a miniature railway which winds its way through its forest. Changa Manga has 12,510 acres of plantations.

7. Squash Player

Jahangir Khan, former world's No. 1 professional squash player between 1981-1986 belongs to Pakistan. He won 555 matches. He won the World Open title six times, and the British Open title ten times. Jahangir Khan is widely regarded as the greatest squash player of all time.

8. Capital City

Islamabad is ranked the second-most beautiful capital in the world which is also Pakistan's ninth-largest city. It is famous for several landmarks with the most notable one being the Faisal Masjid, the largest masjid in South Asia and the fifth-largest in the world.

9. World Record During War

Muhammad Mahmood Alam, a late air commodore from Pakistan is known to have downed five Indian fighter planes in less than a minute establishing the world record during the Indo-Pakistani war (1965). He was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat, the nation's third-highest military award for his actions.

10. Seaport

Gwadar Port is the largest seaport in the world, located in the southwestern Arabian Sea along the coastline of Balochistan, Pakistan. Pakistan has agreed on a collaboration with China to turn Gwadar into a full-scale commercial port.

11. Female Prime Minister

Benazir Bhutto became was the first female prime minister of Pakistan or any Muslim state. She was the youngest female Prime Minister ever elected for a state with a Muslim majority.

12. Landmarks

The Badshahi Masjid is a Mughal-era congregational mosque in Lahore located west of the Lahore Fort along the outskirts of the Walled City of Lahore. It is one of the largest mosques in the world and is generally considered to be one of Lahore's iconic landmarks.

13. Hockey Player

Sohail Abbas is a former professional field hockey player from Pakistan. He is the second-highest goal scorer in the historyq of field hockey with 348 international goals.

14. Missile Technology

Pakistan is also famous for its missile technology which is one of the best in the world.

15. Religion-Based State

Pakistan is still the only country in the world that is founded on religion.