The territory making today’s Pakistan is Asia’s most remarkable landscape rich in history and diverse in geography blended with charming cultures and traditions mirrored by its people. It is a blessed state with more prospects to trace roots of modern-day humans no other country in the world can present.
The landscape constituting today’s Pakistan has for centuries been a cradle of world’s ancient civilizations. The region has also been a birthplace of diverse cultures, dynasties, and religions. Pakistan is also home to remarkable natural and manmade landmarks which distinctly elevate Pakistan as a hot tourist destination. The 9000 years old Mehrgarh civilization, 5000 years old Indus Valley Civilization, 3000 years old Gandhara Civilization, the glorious 16th-century Mughal period, the impactful Sikh era, and the 200 years British rule are vivid examples.
Geographically the country is bordered by the 1046 km coastline of the Arabian Sea in the south, India to the east, China to the northeast, Afghanistan to the northwest, and Iran to the southwest. The country has four provinces – Sindh, Baluchistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – and three territories – Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan the capital city of Islamabad located in the heart of the state.
Pakistan is strategically placed on the crossroads of Asia. Officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the world’s 6th most populous country in South Asia and the world’s 33rd-largest country encompassing 881,913 square kilometres (340,509 square miles) housing more than 220 million people. From the mighty glaciated mountain ranges in the north (Gilgit-Baltistan) to the coastal areas of the south the diverse landscape of Pakistan is rich in alluvial fertile planes, desolate deserts, dense forests, plateaus, jungles, flora and fauna, rivers, and lakes.
Pakistan is abundant in tourist attractions which include the highest mountains and the longest glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Swat and Chitral – outside the polar region making up the westernmost edge of the great Himalayas – a unique playground for the adventure lovers. The junction point of the world’s three mighty mountain ranges – the Karakoram, the Hindukush, and the Himalaya – is located near Gilgit on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) which itself is a major trade artery and a famous tourist attraction connecting Pakistan and China. Most of the highway was built on the ancient Silk Route embellished by more than 100,000 petroglyphs and rock carvings besides some of the Buddha figures testifying the Buddhist rule in the region. The region is prominent for its natural beauty including the towering mountains surrounded by valleys with terraced fields, ancient forts featuring architectural dexterity, hundreds of years old rich history of the natives and for its distinct four seasons displaying nature at its peak.
The central and southern territory of the country is abundant in history and culture possessing unique landmarks. Its archaeological heritage; a wealth of significant architectural landmarks dating from the Islamic era, Moghul Empire, Sikh rule, and from the British era – located in Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Karachi & Peshawar – are prime tourist attractions. Besides, Pakistan has some of the world’s pristine golden beaches stretching along the coastal line, lakes, and mangroves providing the best haven for migratory birds. The Makran Coastal Highway from Karachi to Gwadar and Jiwani is a unique highway in the world crowned with exclusive tourist attractions. Pakistan hosts six of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and several dozens of sites still lined up to be declared World Heritage.