Geography

Area – 803 940km²

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Weather

Pakistan has three seasons; summer (March – June), winter (October – February) and the wet season (July – September).

Summer
Wet
Winter

There is a lot of difference between the north and south of Pakistan because the north is made of mountains and the south has deserts and the Indus plain. The temperature and rainfall graphs below are for Islamabad.

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People

Population

People (Ethnic Groups)

Religion

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Local Traditions

Pakistan people have a lot of respect for older Pakistan men and no-one will interrupt while they are speaking.

Families take care of each other and many generations of one family will live together; brothers, sisters, mum, dad, Granny and Grandpa.

Religion is very important in Pakistan. Most people are Muslim and there a lot of Muslim traditions, for example

• People do not eat pork
  
• People do not drink alcohol
  
• During Ramadan, a big Muslim festival, Muslims do not eat, drink or smoke between sunrise and sunset
  
• Muslims worship in a mosque, they do not wear shoes in the mosque
• Women wear a long dress and cover their hair
• Women sometimes go to school and work but usually only in the cities

If you are not Muslim you cannot vote.

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Language

The national language is Urdu but only 8% of the population speak it all the time. Most Pakistan people speak their local language. There are lots of different languages; Punjabi, Sindhi, Siraiki, Pashtu, Balochi, Hindko and Brahui.

There are two ways to say hello in Urdu

=adaab

=salaam

Business men and people in the government speak in English.

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Food

Pakistan food is a lot like Indian food. They make lots of food from rice and wheat. They cook flat-bread called Roti and patatha.

A lot of people have to be careful of what they eat because of their religion; Muslims can't eat pork and Hindus can't eat beef. People eat lamb and mutton instead.

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Politics

President – General Pervez MUSHARRAF

Prime Minister – Shaukat AZIZ

Pakistan has a government that the people elect.

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