Asia

Facts About Pakistan

1 surprising fact — verified and shareable

Whether you're planning a visit or just curious about the world, Pakistan is full of surprising details. The Karakoram Highway connects Pakistan and China through mountains. SmartAss Facts collects the most interesting and shareable pakistan facts — each one verified and clearly labeled TRUE or FAKE. Browse the facts below and discover what makes Pakistan stand out from the rest.

Pakistan is the world's fifth most populous country, with over 230 million people, and the second-largest Muslim-majority country after Indonesia. It is located at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, sharing borders with India, Afghanistan, Iran, and China. Pakistan contains extraordinary geographic diversity: the northern regions include some of the highest mountain concentrations on Earth, including K2 (the world's second-highest peak at 8,611 m) and four other peaks above 8,000 m — more eight-thousanders than any other country. The Indus Valley civilisation, one of the world's earliest urban civilisations, developed in what is now Pakistan approximately 5,000 years ago.

Pakistan was also the first Muslim-majority country to elect a female head of government: Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister in 1988. The country contains one of the world's longest glaciers outside the polar regions — the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram range — and the highest concentration of mountain peaks above 7,000 metres of any country on Earth.

Pakistan also has one of the world's youngest populations, with a median age of approximately 22 years, and produces the world's second-highest number of engineering graduates after China.