Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country with a population exceeding 212.2 million and has the world's second-largest Muslim population. Located along the Indus River Valley, it's been home to some of the world's oldest civilizations like the famed Mohenjo-daro. Pakistan achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947 and has seen massive growth over the decades, but has struggled throughout its existence to attain political stability and sustained social development. The entire country is filled with noteworthy sights like its modern cities, unique landmarks, rural farmland, and a mountainous northern interior - and we'll be exploring many of them in today's update.
Our trek through Pakistan begins in the country's largest city of Karachi. Also the capital of the Pakistani province of Sindh, it's seventh largest city proper in the world and over the years has become a truly global city. Today, it's Pakistan's premier industrial and financial center and is home to one of South Asia's largest and busiest deep-water seaports.
Karachi lies near the delta of one of South Asia's most important rivers - the mighty Indus River, seen here from above. The Indus is one of the longest rivers in the world, with a length of some 2,000 miles - and its total drainage area is about 450,000 square miles. About 175,000 square miles of its basin lie in the ranges and foothills of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Karakoram Range - and rest lie in the vast semiarid plains of Pakistan. The river’s annual flow is quite impressive - twice that of the Nile River and three times that of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers combined - which has been both a blessing and a curse to the region over the centuries, as this rich agricultural region has been quite prone to flooding.
The Indus Valley has a rich history and was home to some of the world's first civilizations. The Indus Valley Civilization lasted from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE the entire region thrived with large, advanced cities being built like Mohenjo-daro. This ancient citadel was known for its sophisticated sewer system, wide streets and houses, and developed some of the world's first mathematics. At its peak, it was home to nearly 50,000 people, but it's believed that flooding and overcrowding led to its downfall.
We travel further north along the Indus River and soon reach another one of Pakistan's great cities - Lahore. The country's second largest city is home to a number of impressive historical monuments and landmarks, with perhaps being the iconic Badshahi Mosque, which is a symbol of the country. Built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, it captures the beauty and grandeur of the Mughal Empire - and its size is truly impressive. With room for over 100,000 worshippers, it's the world's fifth largest mosque and is also one of the region's most popular tourist attractions.
Further north is another one of the country's most famous cities - Islamabad, capital of Pakistan since 1960. Since taking over for Karachi as the country's capital, a number of impressive monuments and landmarks have been built such as the Faisal Mosque, the national mosque of Pakistan. One of the core places of Muslim worship in Southern Asia, it was the largest mosque in the world upon completion in 1986, and is currently the fifth largest mosque in the world.
After exploring a number of Pakistan's most iconic cities from the past and present, we'll now be visiting a few of the country's most notable natural wonders - many of which are located in the country's mountainous northern tip near its border with China. The Katpana Desert can be found just north of Islamabad, and is one of Asia's most mesmerizing deserts with its vast expanse of pristine white sand that glimmers in the sunlight.
Much of the landscape across northern Pakistan is sparsely populated, with only the rural lowland valleys being dotted with small farmhouses and terraced plots of land. Autumn can be quite beautiful as flora across entire region comes to life with vibrant shades of yellow and orange.
After a few more days of backpacking, we've arrived at the outskirts of the majestic Karakorams - the country's highest mountain range. They're home to some of the world's tallest peaks, like K2 - rising 28,251 ft above sea level, it's the world's second tallest mountain. Climbing it is quite the feat, with frigid temperatures, steep ridges and crevasses everywhere you look, and avalanches being a constant threat. Only 367 people have ever made it to the top, and no one's ever made the climb during the winter.
Another one of the Karakoram's most impressive peaks is mighty Nanga Parbat. Locally known as Diamer, it's the ninth highest mountain in the world at 26,660 feet above sea level - and like K2, it's known for being especially dangerous - gaining the nickname "Killer Mountain" for its many fatalities.
For our last destination, we'll have to travel off the beaten path and into the heart of the Karakorams. Travel across much of northern Pakistan is notoriously difficult, and there's few paved roads or established paths to follow. Rivers and streams can make things even more difficult - in some places, the only way over is across wooden rope bridges that haven't been repaired in decades - so you might want to watch your step.
Our last stop is the mighty Trango Towers - a family of rock towers situated in Gilgit-Baltistan, in the north of Pakistan. The towers offer some of the largest cliffs and most challenging rock climbing in the world, and every year a number of expeditions from all corners of the globe visit Karakoram to climb the difficult granite. Here we see a view of the towers in all their glory - they're truly one of the world's most impressive mountains from above.
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-korver
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