Islamabad
اسلام آباد (Urdu) | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Nicknames: Isloo, The Green City | |
 Satellite Picture of Islamabad | |
  Islamabad  Islamabad  Islamabad | |
| Coordinates: 33°41′35″N 73°03′50″E / 33.69306°N 73.06389°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Administrative unit | Islamabad Capital Territory |
| Constructed | 1960 |
| Established | 14 August 1967[1] |
| Administrative Areas | 01
|
| Government | |
| • Type | Metropolitan Corporation |
| • Body | Capital Development Authority |
| • Mayor | None (vacant)[lower-alpha 2] |
| • Constituency | NA-46 Islamabad-I NA-47 Islamabad-II NA-48 Islamabad-III |
| • Deputy Commissioner | Irfan Nawaz Memon (BPS-19 PAS)[3] |
| Area | |
| • City | 220.15 km2 (85.00 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 906.50 km2 (350.00 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 666 m (2,185 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 1,584 m (5,197 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 417 m (1,368 ft) |
| Population | |
| • City | 1,108,872[lower-alpha 1] |
| • Rank | 10th in Pakistan |
| • Density | 5,037/km2 (13,050/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 2,363,863 |
| • Metro density | 2,608/km2 (6,750/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+05:00 (PKT) |
| Postcode | 44000 |
| Area code | 051 |
| Website | ictadministration |
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Islamabad serves as the capital city of Pakistan, ranking as the country's tenth-most populous urban centre with a population exceeding 11 lakh residents. The city enjoys federal administration as part of the Islamabad Capital Territory, and its metropolitan population surpasses 23 lakh inhabitants. Islamabad was conceived as a planned city during the 1960s and formally established in 1967 along the Margalla Hills, thereby succeeding Karachi as Pakistan's national capital.[A 1] The city is situated north of Rawalpindi, which represents northern Punjab's largest city, and together they constitute a metropolitan area with over 57 lakh residents.
The urban planning of Islamabad was masterminded by Greek architect Constantinos Apostolou Doxiadis, who developed a comprehensive master plan dividing the city into eight distinct zones. These zones encompass administrative areas, diplomatic enclaves, residential sectors, educational and industrial districts, commercial centres, as well as rural and green spaces. The Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation oversees the administration of these areas with support from the Capital Development Authority. Islamabad distinguishes itself through its extensive parks and forests, notably the Margalla Hills National Park and Shakarparian, and is home to several prominent landmarks including the country's flagship Faisal Mosque, Pakistan Monument, and Democracy Square.[6][7][8]
Recognised by the Globalisation and World Cities Research Network with a Gamma+ classification,[9] Islamabad experiences one of Pakistan's highest costs of living. The city's demographic composition is predominantly comprised of middle-class and upper-middle-class citizens.[10][11] Islamabad hosts more than twenty universities, among them Bahria University, Quaid-e-Azam University, PIEAS, COMSATS University, and NUST. The city is claimed by Pakistan as one of safest urban centres, supported by an extensive RFID-enabled surveillance infrastructure featuring nearly 2,000 operational CCTV cameras.[12][13][14][15]
Toponymy[edit | edit source]
Islamabad derives its name from two components: "Islam" and "abad," literally translating to "City of Islam." The Arabic word "Islam" means "submission [to God]," reflecting Pakistan's state religion, while the Persian suffix "-abad" denotes "cultivated place," indicating an inhabited settlement or city.[16] During the early modern period, this nomenclature was employed during the Mughal era, particularly by Emperor Aurangzeb, who designated numerous towns across India with similarly themed names.[17][A 2] According to historical accounts documented in Muhammad Ismail Zabeeh's history book, the name was formally proposed by Qazi Abdur Rehman Amritsari, a teacher and poet.[19][20]
Demographics[edit | edit source]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 77,000 | — |
| 1981 | 204,000 | +164.9% |
| 1998 | 529,180 | +159.4% |
| 2017 | 1,009,003 | +90.7% |
| 2023 | 1,108,872 | +9.9% |
| Source: [21][22][23][5] | ||
Language[edit | edit source]
According to 2023 Pakistani census, there are 1,154,540 Punjabi, 415,838 Pashto, 358,922 Urdu, 140,780 Hindko, 51,920 Kashmiri, 46,270 Saraiki, 21,362 Sindhi, 10,315 Balti, 7,099 Shina, 5,016 Koshistani, 4,503 Balochi, 1,095 Mewati, 668 Brahvi, 182 Kalasha and 64,734 others, of total 2,283,244 speakers in Islamabad Capital Territory.
Literacy[edit | edit source]
As of 2010, the majority of the population lies in the age group of 15–64 years, around 59.38%. Only 2.73% of the population is above 65 years of age; 37.90% is below the age of 15.[25] Islamabad has the highest literacy rate in Pakistan, at 88%.[26] 9.8% of the population has done intermediate education (equivalent to grades 11 and 12). 10.26% have a bachelor or equivalent degree while 5.2% have a master or equivalent degree.[27] The labour force of Islamabad is 185,213[28] and the unemployment rate is 15.70%.[29]
Religion[edit | edit source]
In the Islamabad Capital Territory, Islam is the largest religion in the city, with 95.55% of the population following it. Christianity is the second largest religion, with 4.26% of the population following it. The Christians are concentrated mainly in the urban areas. Hinduism is followed by 0.04% of the population according to the 2023 census.[30][31]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ McGarr, Paul (2013). The Cold War in South Asia: Britain, the United States and the Indian subcontinent, 1945-1965. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107008151. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
- ↑ "Hamaza Shafqat appointed Administrator MCI for 6 months". The Nation (newspaper). 28 October 2021. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ↑ "New DC Islamabad takes charge". Dawn. 19 April 2022.
- ↑ "CDA Facts & Figures". Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Area, Population By Sex, Sex Ratio, Population Density, Urban Population, Household Size and Annual Growth Rate, Census–2023, Islamabad" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau Statistics. 5 August 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 March 2025. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ↑ Leslie Noyes Mass (15 September 2011). Back to Pakistan: A Fifty-Year Journey. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 170. ISBN 978-1442213197.
- ↑ Ravi Kalia (21 April 2011). Pakistan: From the Rhetoric of Democracy to the Rise of Militancy. Pakistan: Routledge. p. 83. ISBN 978-0415670401.
- ↑ "National Monument: Structure reflects history of Pakistan – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 29 August 2013. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ↑ "The World According to GaWC 2020". GaWC - Research Network. Globalization and World Cities. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
- ↑ Hetland, Atle (23 March 2014). "Islamabad – a city only for the rich?". Dawn. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ↑ "G-12, a sector housing rich, poor alike". The Nation. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ↑ "Safe City Project gets operational: Islooites promised safety – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 6 June 2016. Archived from the original on 7 June 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ↑ "Crime rate in Islamabad drops, claim police". The Nation. 28 March 2015. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ↑ "Islamabad". Encyclopædia Britannica. 23 May 2023. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- ↑ "History and Heritage". ICT Administration. Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ↑ Room, Adrian (13 December 2005). Placenames of the World. McFarland & Company. p. 177. ISBN 978-0786422487.
- ↑ Heath, John E. (2017). Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Place Names (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-255646-2.
...the Pakistanis chose 'City of Islam' from the Arabic islām 'submission to God' and ābād. The city became the capital in 1967 and the area around it is known as the Federal Capital Area. Aurangzeb (1618–1707), Mughal emperor (1658–1707), gave this name to several towns in India.
- ↑ Bazmee Ansari, A.S. (1997). "Islāmābād". In van Donzel, E.; Lewis, B.; Pellat, Ch. & Bosworth, C. E. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Volume IV: Iran–Kha (2nd ed.). Leiden: E. J. Brill. p. 177. doi:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_3638. OCLC 758278456.
- ↑ Capital Talk (6 February 2020). "Islamabad Ka Naam Kisney Rakha Tha, Qaum Be-Khabr Kyun?" [Who Named Islamabad, Why Is the Nation Unaware?] (Video) (in اردو). Geo News. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2020 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "اسلام آباد: پاکستان کے وفاقی دارالحکومت کا نام کس نے اور کیسے تجویز کیا؟" [Islamabad: Who suggested the name of the federal capital of Pakistan and how?]. BBC Urdu. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ↑ Elahi, Asad (2006). "2: Population". Pakistan Statistical Pocket Book 2006. Statistics Division. Islamabad, Pakistan: Government of Pakistan. p. 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ↑ "SALIENT FEATURES OF FINAL RESULTS CENSUS-2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ↑ DISTRICT WISE CENSUS RESULTS CENSUS 2017 (PDF) (Report). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. 2017. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ↑ "TABLE 11 – POPULATION BY MOTHER TONGUE, SEX AND RURAL/ URBAN" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ↑ Population Census Organization, Govt. of Pakistan. "POPULATION BY SELECTIVE AGE GROUPS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2010.
- ↑ "Literacy Rate" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
- ↑ Population Census Organization, Govt. of Pakistan. "Population by Level of Education". Archived from the original on 20 July 2009.
- ↑ Population Census Organization, Govt. of Pakistan. "LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATES" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2010.
- ↑ Population Census Organization, Govt. of Pakistan. "UN-EMPLOYMENT RATES" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2010.
- ↑ "Population by Sex, Religion and Rural/Urban, Census - 2023" (PDF). pbs.gov.pk. Pakistan Bureau Statistics.
- ↑ Population Census Organization, Govt. of Pakistan. "POPULATION BY RELIGION" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2006.
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ This figure indicates the urban population of the Islamabad Tehsil.
- ↑ Administrator system was implemented for 6 months before next local bodies election and Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad was given additional charge as administrator in absence of mayor on 28 October 2021.[2]
- ↑ Rawalpindi, adjacent to Islamabad, served as the de-facto national capital from 1959 to 1967 while Islamabad was under construction.
- ↑ "Islāmābād, the name given by the emperor Awrangzīb [q.v.] to several towns in India, for reasons not precisely known... Of these Čittāgong ..., at the head of the Bay of Bengal, is still known occasionally in religious circles as Islāmābād, the official name remaining the original Čittāgong. Mathurā, on the river Yamunā,... was given the name Islāmābād... Amantnāg in the Kashmir valley... also received the name Islāmābād and is still known to the Muslims of the area by this name...The fort of Čākana, near Poona, ...was named Islāmābād after it had been taken by Awrangzīb’s general..."[18]