Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a country located in South Asia and the Greater Middle East. It has a 1046 kilometre coastline along the Arabian Sea in the south, and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and the People's Republic of China in the far northeast

Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world and is the second most populous Muslim country. Its territory was a part of pre-partition British India , and has a long history of settlement and civilization including the Indus Valley Civilization. Most of it was conquered in the 1st millennium BCE by Persians and Greeks. Later arrivals include the Arabs, Afghans, Turks, and Mongols. The territory was incorporated into the British Raj in the nineteenth century. Since its independence, the country has experienced both periods of significant military and economic growth, and periods of instability, with the secession of East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh ). Pakistan is a declared nuclear weapons state

Pakistan extends along either side of the historic Indus River , following its course from the mountain valleys of the Himalayas down to the Arabian Sea . Bordering on India , China , Afghanistan and Iran , it is strategically located astride the ancient trade routes between Asia and Europe . Pakistan 's 796,095 square kilometers of territory include a wide variety of landscapes, from arid deserts to lush, green valleys to stark mountain peaks.

Geographically, Pakistan can be divided into three regions: the lowlands along the Indus in the south and east, the arid plateau of Baluchistan in the southwest, and the mountains of the north. The provinces of Punjab and Sindh, in the east and south, are well irrigated by the Indus and its tributaries. The land is fertile and produces most of Pakistan 's food. This area, which includes the cities of Karachi , Islamabad (the capital), Lahore and Rawalpindi , is the most densely-populated in the country.

The southwestern province of Baluchistan covers almost half Pakistan 's territory. The land consists of a stony plateau, sparsely populated and very dry. Outside of the provincial capital of Quetta , travel in Baluchistan is extremely restricted.

Pakistan 's climate varies according to elevation. April through September are the most pleasant months in the mountains, although they bring oppressive heat to the low-lying plains of the Indus Valley, where midday temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius December through February are the coolest months, as lowland temperatures drop to between 10-25 degrees C and the air in the mountains falls below freezing. Monsoons reach the southern areas of the country in late summer, although precipitation is minimal in Baluchistan and in the north and limited in most of the interior.

The official language is Urdu, and English is used extensively in business.

Most travelers to Pakistan head for the north, where the weather is pleasant, the views spectacular and trekking opportunities ample.