Islamabad (/ɪzˈlɑːməˌbɑːd/; Urdu: اسلام آباد, Islāmābād, Urdu pronunciation: [ɪsˌlɑːmɑˈbɑːd̪]) is the capital city of Pakistan located within the federal Islamabad Capital Territory. It has a population of 2 million and together with its neighbouring twin city of Rawalpindi, the greater Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area is the third largest in Pakistan with a population exceeding 4.5 million.[3][4] The city is the political seat of Pakistan and is administered by Capital Development Authority (CDA).
Islamabad is located in the Pothohar Plateau in the northeastern part of the country, between Rawalpindi District and the Margalla Hills National Park to the north. The region has historically been a part of the crossroads of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the Margalla Pass acting as the gateway between the two regions.[5] Islamabad was built during the 1960s to replace Karachi as Pakistan's capital. The city's master-plan divides the city into eight basic zones, including administrative, diplomatic enclave, residential areas, educational sectors, industrial sectors, commercial areas, and rural and green areas.[6] The city is home to Pakistan's National Monument.[7]
The city is home to the Faisal Mosque, the largest mosque in South Asia[8] and the fourth largest mosque in the world.[9][10] Islamabad is ranked very high on the Human Development Index, equivalent to that of Belgium.[11] The city is home to sixteen recognised universities, including the Quaid-i-Azam University and the National University of Science and Technology.[12] While it's home to AIOU which is one of the world's largest universities by enrollment.[13] The city has an elaborate surveillance system with 1,900 CCTV cameras contributing towards one of the lowest crime rates in the country.[14][15]
