Ten Things About Pakistan You Probably Don't Know.

This post is the part of #MeraPakWatan Blogging Competition written by Gul Zehra Zaidi for '14 Acts for Pakistan' :)

Pakistan is going through difficult times. The future looks bleak. Hope seems to be a luxury we cannot afford” - Statements such as these are common these days.

However, I tend to disagree. I don’t believe there’s anything as bad about Pakistan that can’t be fixed by what’s good about it. Pakistan is a beautiful country that has proven to be the epitome of resilience in the most difficult of times.

Here’s to celebrate everything that makes Pakistan a country, so beautiful and so strong. Here’s to the breathtaking beauty and unimaginable strength.

Here’s to things you probably didn’t know about Pakistan.

1. World's 9th Super Power.

Pakistan is the world’s ninth super power, coming after only nations like, Britain, Germany, Japan, China, etc. It is a nuclear power and is one of the strongest world armies. It ranks 27th largest economies of the world. It has 2nd best performing Stock Exchange.

2.World's 6th largest Standing Force.

Pakistani armed forces are internationally ranked sixth largest in the world by 2010, with man power of 617,000. Pakistan provides the largest number of troops to serve the UN Peacekeeping missions.
Pakistan has one of the best trained air force pilots in the world. During the war of 1965 Squadron Leader Mehmud Alam holds the world record of downing 5 Indian planes in less than a minute.

3. 4th Smartest People in the World.

According to the poll organized by the Institute of European Business Administration in 125 countries, Pakistanis have been ranked the fourth most intelligent people across the globe. Pakistan has seventh largest collection of scientists and engineers.

World’s youngest certified Microsoft Experts Arfa Kareem and Babar Iqbal are from Pakistan. Haroon Tariq, Ali moeen Nawazish and Moosa Firoz are globally recognized achievers.

4.  Top National Anthem Tune of the World.

Inspiring and motivational and beautiful poetry,makes Pakistan’s National Anthem number one ranked tune in the world. Hafeez Jullundhri’s words, were composed by, musician Ahmad G. Chagla. Pakistan also holds the record of most people singing the anthem, simultaneously.

5. Miraculous Breathtaking Beauty.

Aansu Lake- A Teardrop shaped like a teardrop, This lake is at 16,490 Feet height in Kaghan Valley.

Rooftop of the World- Trango Towers – Tallest Vertical Mountain in the world. Gilgit- Baltistan, alongwith 4 out of ten highest peaks of the planet, make Pakistan the Rooftop of the World.

Biafo Glacier- The world's longest glacial system outside the polar regions.

World's largest and most scenic Railway Gradient- View of a tunnel and bridge over a river on the railway track from "Rohri to Quetta".It's the longest Railway gradient of world, and most scenic Railway ride of Asia

6. The Second Largest Salt Mines:

Khewra mines are Pakistan’s oldest and world’s second largest salt mines. Their history goes back to 320 BC.

7. World's Largest Ambulance Network.

Edhi Foundation is Pakistan’s Largest Non-Profit Social welfare program. It runs World’s largest Ambulance network in Pakistan.

8. Exceptional Infrastructure.

About 25% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by the largest irrigation system in the world. Pakistan irrigates three times more acres than Russia.

Tarbela Dam on the Indus River in Pakistan is the largest earth filled dam in the world and second largest by structural volume.

9. World’s Largest Man-made Forest.

Changa Manga is one of the largest man-planned and man-grown forests in the world. It covers the area of approximately 12,000 acres.

10. Asia’s Largest Bird Sanctuary and the Place where time stops.

Hunza Valley, where time stops and fairies tread-  The valley mostly remains covered under the sacred gown of snow in winter, when undrapes, the sensuous hilly contour and the luxurious vegetation become a magnet to all and sundry.

Haleji Lake - Asia's greatest water fowl reserve. During winter, a hundred thousand birds fly down to Haleji from the cold of Siberia making it the largest bird sanctuary of the Continent.