TOURISM OF VALLEYS IN PAKISTAN

Northern Areas of Pakistan, spread over 72,496 sq. km are as fascinating as its southern region. Amidst towering snow-clad peaks with heights varying from 1,000 m to 8,000 meters, the regions of Gilgit, Hunza, Baltistan and Shangri-La. The cultural patterns of these regions are as interesting as its geography. The people with typical costumes, folk dances, music and sports like polo and buzkashi, provide the traveller an unforgettable experience.
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 803,940 sq kmland: 778,720 sq kmwater: 25,220 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
total: 6,774 km
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km

Coastline: 1,046 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources: land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 27%permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 6%forests and woodland: 5%other: 61% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 171,100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Environment—current issues: water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Environment—international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography—note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People

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Population: 135,135,195 (July 1998 est.)
note: population figures based on 1981 national census results—1998 census results are pending

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 29,083,284; female 27,425,172)15-64 years: 54% (male 37,432,059; female 35,731,170)65 years and over: 4% (male 2,716,739; female 2,746,771) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.2% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 34.38 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 10.69 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 93.48 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.07 yearsmale: 58.23 yearsfemale: 59.96 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.91 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Pakistani(s)adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India and their descendants)

Religions: Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%

Languages: Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

THERE IS AN VIDEO OF DIFFERENT BEUTIFUL POINTS OF PAKISTAN

Gilgit is the most beautiful city of pakistan.The city had been a central point of trade and political activity as early as 1st century AD. Since then it has always been a very strategic point for the neighboring countries. Surrounded by the massive mountains of Karakorums Gilgit is largest town of northern area of Pakistan. Beyond here there is no such a big town or city in any direction within a distance of about 450 Kilometers in any direction. Gilgit is the administrative and commercial capital of Northern areas.
There is a map of gilgit