Country Research Project: Pakistan - Case Study Example

Pakistan School (image: http www.tourism.gov.pk/destinations.html Pakistan Location of Pakistan, Demography and Divisions The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is an Asian country which has a geographical area of 803,943 square kilometers. The country achieved independence in the year 1947 from the rule of the British as the Indian subcontinent was a colony of the British Empire. The independence resulted due to a revolt by the Muslims of India for the creation of a separate homeland. Ninety seven percent of the people living in the country follow the religion of Islam whereas the other three percent are mainly the followers of Christianity and Hinduism. The capital city of Pakistan is Islamabad and the other important cities of the country are Lahore, Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad. The country is divided into different provinces which include Sind, Punjab, Baluchistan and Kyber-Pakhtunwa. Federally Administered Tribal Areas are another division that lies in the country apart from the provinces. According to the census conducted in the country in the year 2008, 172.80 million people reside in the country. Urdu is the national language of the country whereas the language which is used in the offices is English. Pakistan is a nuclear country. The neighboring countries of Pakistan include Iran which lies towards its West border, India which lies on the eastern side, Afghanistan which lies on the north-western aspect and China towards the north of the country. Pakistan is bounded by the Arabian Sea on the southern side (Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs 2010; Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation 2011). Geography and Climatic Pattern of Pakistan Pakistan is a country with a very diverse geographical setting. The northern side of the country has a wide range of mountains and valleys which tend to turn into plateaus and low lying fertile areas in the province of Punjab. The province of Baluchistan has infertile dry land which is surrounded on the southern side by exotic and beautiful beaches. The province of Sind provides a different picture with the presence of deserts as well as fertile land. The Indus River flows through the country and it leads to provide for the agricultural activities on the fertile land in Sind and Punjab. The climatic conditions in the country are associated with their geographical location and the country does not have a uniform climatic pattern. The northern aspect enjoys a cold climate with 70 inches of rainfall annually along with snowfall. Towards the plateaus the amount of rainfall decreases to 30 inches and the temperature is slightly higher in comparison to the mountains. The province of Punjab shows an average temperature of 32 degrees Celsius in summer and an average temperature of 13 degrees Celsius in winter. The temperature in Sind lies in the range of 24 degrees Celsius and there is not much variation in the temperature whereas in Baluchistan it is approximately 27 degrees Celsius in summers and 4 degrees Celsius in winter (Nobleman 2003; Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation 2011). Sites of Interest and Native Animals and Plants in Pakistan The country has many interesting tourist locations and the northern areas are mainly the sites of interests for people visiting from other countries. Archaeological locations in the country are also famous and known for their historic roots. Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, Taxila, Kot Diji, Mehar Garh, and Takht Bahi are amongst the different archaeological locations which signify the historic civilizations. Interesting cultural traditions of valleys like Kalash in Chitral are also areas of interests for people visiting Pakistan. The northern areas in Pakistan provide not only for beautiful sceneries but are also ideal sites for mountain climbing and trekking. The mountains in Pakistan are counted amongst the highest in the world. This includes K-2 which lies in the Karakoram Range and has a height of 8611 meters. It is marked as the second highest peak in the world. The Himalayan Range of Pakistan is also very famous and Nanga Parbat is the most prominent mountain in this range. The country has beautiful valleys which include Gilgit, Hunza and Skardu. The northern areas of Pakistan have a rich culture and their folk dances along with their traditional dresses tend to serve as attractions for foreigners. The country is also home to different animal and plant species which serve to be of interest for wildlife research groups. The northern areas are home to brown bears and snow leopards whereas crocodiles, pythons and the Indus dolphins are found at different points in the Indus River. Gray wolves and deer are found in the province of Baluchistan whereas snakes and lizards are found in the deserts. The land surrounding the Indus River has trees and grass along with the course of the river. Trees of pine, poplar and willow grow in the mountainous regions (Nobleman 2003; Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation 2011). National and Legal Bodies of Pakistan and Production in the Country The elections in Pakistan take place after every four years to elect members for the Provincial and National Assembly of the country. The members of the National Assembly then vote for the election of the Prime Minister. The President is elected by all the constituent assemblies of the country including the National and the Provincial Assemblies. The legal issues of the country are handled by the judicial system which is headed by the Supreme Court of the country. Pakistan is an agricultural country with 42 percent of the people employed in the agricultural sector. Wheat, cotton and rice are the major agricultural products. Twenty percent of the labor is engaged in industrial services. The textile, pharmaceutical as well as the food processing industries are the major industries of the country (Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs 2010). Customs in Pakistan and Analysis Pakistan is a Muslim country and the Muslim festivals are celebrated in the Islamic Republic. The two major festivals that form an important part of the tradition of the country are the festivals of Eid. It is celebrated according to the Muslim calendar. The first Eid is celebrated after the ninth month of Muslim calendar after a month of fasting. The second Eid is Eid-ul Azha in which the people sacrifice an animal and signify the remembrance of their religious figures. The Christians and the Hindus celebrate their own festivals. The temple of the creator of Sikhism, Guru Nanak is located in the province of Punjab and Sikhs from all across the globes visit this temple (Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation 2011). The country has a very different living style from the United States of America. Agriculture is not widely practiced in the United States as it is in Pakistan. The United States symbolizes the traditions of the western world whereas Pakistan represents the side of the east. The United States is a more liberal country in comparison to Pakistan is more technologically and developmentally advanced. References Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. (2010, October 6) Background Note: Pakistan. Retrieved from U.S. Department of State. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3453.htm TopTop of FormNobleman, M. T. (2003). Pakistan. Mankato, Minn: Bridgestone Books.Bottom of Form Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation. (2011)Pakistan. Retrieved from Pakistan Tourism Development Coroporation. http://www.tourism.gov.pk/explore_pakistan.html Read More