75 Mind-blowing facts about Pakistan with sources

We have compiled a list of top 75 Mind-blowing facts about Pakistan with sources. Here is the compiled list of unique facts about Pakistan:

1. Pakistan is the world’s sixth-most populous country (source: World Bank).
2. Pakistan is the only country to have been created in the name of Islam (source: “Pakistan: A Hard Country” by Anatol Lieven).
3. Pakistan boasts the world’s highest ATM (Automated Teller Machine) at Khunjerab Pass, over 15,000 feet above sea level (source: National Bank of Pakistan).
4. K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, is located in Pakistan (source: “K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain” by Ed Viesturs).
5. Pakistan’s national sport is field hockey, but cricket is the most popular sport (source: Pakistan Sports Board).
6. Pakistan has the largest population of Irrawaddy dolphins in the world (source: World Wildlife Fund).
7. The world’s largest deep sea port, Gwadar port, is in Pakistan (source: Gwadar Port Authority).
8. The world’s largest contiguous irrigation system is in Pakistan (source: FAO Water Report 29, 2003).
9. Pakistan is one of the world’s largest producers of hand-sewn footballs (source: FIFA World Cup 2014).
10. The world’s first university, Taxila University, was established in what is now Pakistan in 700 BCE (source: UNESCO).
11. Pakistan became the first Islamic country to attain nuclear power on May 28, 1998 (source: “The 1998 Nuclear Tests” by The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University).
12. Pakistan’s literacy rate is around 59% (source: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2019).
13. Lahore, the second-largest city in Pakistan, is known as the ‘City of Gardens’ due to its extensive greenery (source: “Lahore: The City of Gardens” by Yasmin Cheema).
14. The Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad can accommodate 100,000 worshipers at a time, making it one of the largest mosques in the world (source: “Mosques Around the World” by Scala Arts Publishers Inc.).
15. Pakistan is one of the world’s largest producers of chickpeas and milk (source: FAO).
16. The Changa Manga forest in Pakistan is one of the largest man-made forests in the world (source: “The Plantation Forestry in Pakistan: An Analysis” by M. Zubair Anwar).
17. Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, is the country’s economic hub (source: “Karachi: Ordered Disorder and the Struggle for the City” by Laurent Gayer).
18. The world’s largest man-made forest, Changa Manga, is in Pakistan (source: “Changa Manga Forest: A Review” by the Forestry Department of Punjab, Pakistan).
19. Pakistan’s national language is Urdu, but English is also officially recognized (source: Constitution of Pakistan).
20. The national anthem of Pakistan is written in Persian (source: Government of Pakistan).
21. The world’s largest volunteer ambulance organization operates in Pakistan (source: Guinness World Records).
22. The world’s highest polo ground is in Shandur, Pakistan (source: Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation).
23. Pakistan’s Swat Valley is often called the “Switzerland of the East” (source: “Imperial Gullies: Soil Erosion and Conservation in Lesotho” by Kate B. Showers).
24. Pakistan’s national animal is the Markhor, a type of wild goat (source: Government of Pakistan).
25. The world’s largest salt mine, the Khewra Salt Mine, is located in Pakistan (source: Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation).
26. Pakistan’s Thar Desert is the most populated desert in the world (source: “Thar Desert and Its Natural Resources” by Pakistan Strategic Forum).
27. The Badshahi Mosque in Lahore is one of the world’s largest mosques (source: “The Badshahi Mosque: Architecture and Symbol” by Anjum Rehmani).
28. The Karakoram Highway, the world’s highest international road, is in Pakistan (source: “Karakoram Highway: The Road to China” by John King).
29. Pakistan has 6 cultural and natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites (source: UNESCO).
30. The Deosai Plains in Pakistan are among the world’s highest plateaus (source: “Deosai: Land of the Giant” by Salman Rashid).
31. The Kalash Valley in Pakistan is home to the unique Kalash tribe, which is said to be descended from Alexander the Great’s soldiers (source: “Empire’s End: A History of the Far East through Roman Eyes” by David Stone Potter).
32. The national fruit of Pakistan is the mango (source: Government of Pakistan).
33. Pakistan’s Hunza Valley is famous for the longevity of its people, with many living over 100 years (source: “Hunza: Secrets of the World’s Healthiest and Oldest Living People” by Ronald Steriti).
34. The Hingol National Park in Pakistan is home to the rare Balochistan bear (source: “Baluchistan Black Bear – Hingol National Park”).
35. Pakistan’s Khewra Salt Mine is the oldest in the world, dating back to 320 BC (source: “The Himalayan Salt Mine in Khewra” by Yasir Naveed).
36. The national tree of Pakistan is the Quaid-e-Azam Pine (Pinus roxburghii), named after the country’s founder (source: Government of Pakistan).
37. The world’s first PC virus, called ‘Brain’, was created by two Pakistani brothers in 1986 (source: “A Short History of Computer Viruses” by Amoroso E.G).
38. The Lahore Museum houses the Fasting Buddha, a rare and valuable statue from the Gandhara civilization (source: Lahore Museum).
39. The Islamabad Zoo housed Pakistan’s only elephant, Kaavan, who was later relocated to Cambodia following an international campaign (source: Four Paws International).
40. Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam University was ranked among the top 500 universities in the world in 2021 (source: QS World University Rankings).
41. Pakistan’s national dress is the Shalwar Kameez, a traditional outfit with a tunic (kameez) and trousers (shalwar) (source: Government of Pakistan).
42. The historic city of Peshawar was once the center of the ancient Greco-Buddhist Gandhara kingdom (source: “The Story of the Malakand Field Force” by Winston Churchill).
43. The Wagah border ceremony, a daily military practice by the security forces of India and Pakistan, is a popular tourist attraction (source: India-Pakistan Relations: A Historical Analysis).
44. Pakistan’s Chitral Valley is home to the Kalash people, who are known for their unique culture and festivals (source: “The Kafirs of the Hindu Kush” by Sir George Scott Robertson).
45. The Tharparkar desert in Pakistan is the only fertile desert in the world (source: “Desert Ecosystems of Pakistan” by M. Qasim Jan).
46. The tomb of Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor, is a popular historic site located in Lahore (source: “Emperor Jahangir: Life and Works” by Muhammad Baqir).
47. The Katas Raj Temples in Chakwal, Punjab, are a collection of several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways (source: Punjab Tourism).
48. Pakistan’s Constitution was the first in the Islamic world to recognize the status of minorities (source: Constitution of Pakistan).
49. Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat is the ninth highest mountain in the world (source: “The Naked Mountain” by Reinhold Messner).
50. The Mughal-era Shalimar Gardens in Lahore are a UNESCO World Heritage site (source: UNESCO).
51. The ancient city of Mohenjo-daro is one of the world’s earliest major cities, dating back to the 26th century BCE (source: UNESCO).
52. The Hingol National Park in Balochistan is the largest national park in Pakistan (source: Wildlife of Pakistan).
53. Pakistan is the world’s fourth largest cotton producer (source: World Bank).
54. Pakistan’s Younis Khan holds the record for the most runs by a Pakistani in Test cricket (source: ESPN Cricinfo).
55. Pakistan’s Multan is often called the ‘City of Saints’ due to the large number of shrines and Sufi saints from the city (source: “Multan: The City of Saints” by Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro).
56. Pakistan’s national bird is the Chukar Partridge, known for its distinctive black and white stripes (source: Government of Pakistan).
57. The city of Thatta was the capital of three successive dynasties and holds the 16th-century necropolis of Makli, one of the largest funerary sites in the world (source: UNESCO).
58. Taxila, a city in Pakistan, was an important Vedic/Hindu and Buddhist centre of learning from the 6th century BCE to the 5th century CE (source: UNESCO).
59. Pakistan is home to the ancient Buddhist Gandhara civilization (source: “The Buddhist Art of Gandhara” by David Jongeward).
60. Pakistan has more glaciers than almost any other country outside the polar regions (source: “Glaciers of the Karakoram Himalaya” by Kenneth Hewitt).
61. Pakistan’s military is one of the largest in the world, ranked 6th in terms of active personnel (source: Global Firepower Index, as of 2021).
62. The Arfa Software Technology Park in Lahore is the largest Information and Communications Technology Park in Pakistan (source: “Digital Pakistan: Vision and Strategies” by the Government of Pakistan).
63. The world’s seventh largest mosque, the Bahria Grand Mosque, is located in Lahore, Pakistan (source: Bahria Town).
64. Pakistan’s Soan Valley is an important and fertile archaeological site, believed to be the habitat of the Soan Culture which is the progenitor of the Indus Valley Civilization (source: “The Soanian: a Last Glacial industry in the Old World” by Rendell & Dennell).
65. Pakistan is a major producer of rice, and basmati rice is a popular variety grown in the country (source: Food and Agriculture Organization).
66. The world’s largest ambulance network in the world is run by the Edhi Foundation in Pakistan (source: “Abdul Sattar Edhi: Pakistan’s humble hero” by Tehmina Qureshi).
67. Pakistan’s Khewra Salt Mine has a unique, ornate mosque made entirely from salt rock (source: “The Himalayan Salt Mine in Khewra” by Yasir Naveed).
68. Pakistan has the highest paved road in the world, the Karakoram Highway, at an elevation of over 15,000 feet (source: “The Karakoram Highway” by John King).
69. The Faiz Mahal in Khairpur is an architectural gem from the Talpur dynasty of the 18th century (source: “The Talpur Era: History and Architecture” by Yasmeen Lari).
70. Pakistan’s Haleji Lake is Asia’s largest bird sanctuary (source: Pakistan Wildlife Foundation).
71. Pakistan’s Makran Coastal Highway is famous for its surreal landscapes and is a popular spot for travellers (source: Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation).
72. The name ‘Pakistan’ translates to ‘Land of the Pure’ in Urdu and Persian (source: “The Making of Pakistan: A Study in Nationalism” by K.K Aziz).
73. The Peshawari Chappal, a traditional footwear in Pakistan, is known for its double-soled design and comfortable wear (source: “Culture and Customs of Pakistan” by Iftikhar Haider Malik).
74. The Sindhi Ajrak, a traditional block-printed shawl, is a popular cultural symbol of Sindh, Pakistan (source: “Ajrak: Cloth from the Soil of Sindh” by Noorjehan Bilgrami).
75. The Indus Valley Civilization, one of the oldest in the world, was located in what is now Pakistan (source: “Ancient Cities of the Indus Valley Civilization” by Jonathan Mark Kenoyer).