Islamabad

Islamabad (Urdu: ?????? ????, population 810,000) is the capital city of Pakistan, located in the north-east of the country. It is located within the Islamabad Capital Territory, though the area has historically been a part of the Punjab region. Islamabad is located at {{coor dm|33|40|N|73|10|E|type:country}}.

History

From independence until 1958 Pakistan's capital was Karachi in Sindh in the far south. Worries about the concentration of investment and development in that city are said to have led to the idea of building a new capital in a different location. During the administration of Pakistani President Ayub Khan, a site immediately north of Rawalpindi was chosen. Rawalpindi was designated as the temporary capital. Work on the new capital started during the 1960s. The planning and construction was largely headed by the Greek urban planner Constantinos A. Doxiadis. His plan revolved around the building of the city in sectors, each containing four sub-sectors separated by green belts and parks. There was a strong emphasis on greenery and open space. When Islamabad was finally built growth was slow - the government did not fully relocate to the city from Rawalpindi until the 1980s. During this time the capital's population was small, at around 250,000. This changed dramatically during the 1990s with the population increasing, instigating the building of new sectors.

Related Topics:
1958 - Karachi - Sindh - Pakistani President - Ayub Khan - Rawalpindi - 1960s - Constantinos A. Doxiadis - Green belt

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In ancient times, the nearby city of Taxila was the area capital. See History of Pakistan

Related Topics:
Taxila - History of Pakistan

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