Abbottabad
| Abbottabad ایبٹ آباد | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Abbottabad | |
 | |
| | |
| Coordinates: 34°9′21″N 73°13′10″E / 34.15583°N 73.21944°ECoordinates: 34°9′21″N 73°13′10″E / 34.15583°N 73.21944°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| District | Abbottabad |
| Government | |
| - Nazim | Haider Zaman |
| - Naib Nazim | Liaqat Ali Khan |
| Elevation | 1,260 m (4,134 ft) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Calling code | 0992 |
| Number of Union Councils | 6 |
| Abbottabad District Government | |
Abbottabad (
/ˈæbətəˌbæd/; Urdu: ایبٹ آباد ; pronounced ) is a city located in the Hazara region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Pakistan. The city is situated in the Orash Valley, 50 kilometres (31 mi) northeast of the capital Islamabad and 150 kilometres (93 mi) east of Peshawar at an altitude of 1,260 metres (4,134 ft) and is the capital of the Abbottabad District. The city is well-known throughout Pakistan for its pleasant weather, high-standard educational institutions and military establishments.
History
The town of Abbottabad, under the British Raj, was the headquarters of the Hazara District during British rule of India. It was named after Major James Abbott who founded the town and district in January 1853 after the annexation of Punjab. He remained the first Deputy Commissioner of the Hazara district from 1849 until April 1853. Major Abbott is noted for having written a poem titled "Abbottabad", before he went back to Britain, in which he wrote of his fondness for the town and his sadness at having to leave it. In the early 20th century, Abbottabad became an important military cantonment and sanatorium, serving as the headquarters of a brigade in the Second Division of the Northern Army Corps. The garrison consisted of four battalions of native infantry (Gurkhas and Frontier Force) and four native mountain batteries.
In 1901, the population of the town and cantonment was 7,764 and the income averaged around Rs. 14,900. This increased to Rs. 22,300 in 1903, chiefly derived from octroi. During this time chief public institutions were built such as the Albert Victor unaided Anglo-Vernacular High School, the Municipal Anglo-Vernacular High School and the Government dispensary. In 1911, the population had risen to 11,506 and the town also contained four battalions of Gurkhas.
In June 1948, the British Red Cross opened a hospital in Abbottabad to deal with thousands of patients who were being brought in from the Kashmir fighting areas. On October 8, 2005 Abbottabad was devastated by the Kashmir earthquake. Although most of Abbottabad survived, many old buildings were destroyed or damaged.
On May 2, 2011, Abbottabad gained worldwide attention when U.S. President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed in the city.
Geography
The city is bounded at all four sides by the Sarban hills, from which residents and tourists can see breathtaking views of the region and city. The location of the city and the hills allows Abbottabad to experience pleasant weather in the summer and cold winters. Neighbouring districts are Mansehra to the north, Muzaffarabad to the east, Haripur to the west and Rawalpindi to the south. Tarbela Dam is situated west of Abbottabad.
Topography
Abbottabad is situated in the Orash Valley lying between 34°09′N latitude and 73°13′E longitude at an altitude of 4,120 feet (1,260 m).
Climate
Abbottabad has a humid subtropical moderate climate, with mild to warm temperatures during the spring and autumn months, humid temperatures during June and July and cool to mild temperatures during the winter. The temperature can rise as high as 30 °C during the mid-summer months and drop below 0 °C during the winter months. Snowfall can occur in January, though it is sparse, while most rainfall occurs during the monsoon season stretching from May to August and frequently causes flooding.
Demographics
Languages
According to the 1998 Census of the 881,000 who resided in the Abbottabad District, Hindko was spoken by 94.26% of the population, followed by Potohari at 2.30%, Pashto at 2.22% and Urdu at 1.05%. Although the first language of most people in the district is Hindko, Urdu is understood and spoken fluently by majority of the residents and commonly used in markets, offices and formal functions. English is widely used in business and education.
Ethnicity
The majority of the residents identify themselves as either Abbasis, Karlals, Jadoons, Shilmanis, Tareens, Sayeds, Awans, Tanolis, Karlugh Turks, Sheikhs, Rajas, Qazis, Sadozai, Kashmiris, Mughals, Rajputs, Qureshis, Kakazais, Akazais, Utmanzais and Gujjars.
Government
Abbottabad is the headquarters of Hazara Division and Abbottabad District. The District Nazim, Commissioner, Inspector General and Forest Conservator all reside in Abbottabad. The city is divided into localities, towns, colonies and neighbourhoods.
Tourism
Abbottabad has been attracting tourists to the city since the colonial era, as it is a major transit point to all major tourist regions of Pakistan such as Nathiagali and Naran. According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India, "the town is picturesquely situated at the southern corner of the Rash (Orash) plain, 4,120 feet (1,260 m) above the sea". Like much of the mountainous Northern Areas, tourism is one of the important sources of income in Abbottabad. In the summer when temperatures rise to around 45 degrees Celsius in Punjab and NWFP, a large number of tourists travel north to Abbottabad.
The Karakoram Highway, which traces one of the paths of the ancient Silk Road, starts from Hasan Abdal on the N5 and heads north passing through the city eventually reaching Khunjerab Pass. The Karakorum Highway is a major attraction itself for its views. The Karakoram, Himalayas and the Hindu Kush ranges can be approached from Abbottabad and it continues to be a transit city for tourists, serving as a base for visiting numerous nearby places, such as Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu and Indus Kohistan, of the Karakoram Range.
Sports
The Abbottabad Falcons cricket club is the only professional sports team in Abbottabad. It is the smallest city playing in the Twenty-20 Cup. Sports facilities in the city include:
Education
Abbottabad is known for its high standard educational institutions and is commonly referred to "The City of Schools". It hosts one of the nation's youngest populations and has attracted students from across the country.
The city is also home to Pakistan Military Academy, a four-year coeducational federal service military academy that provides training to the officers of Pakistan Army. The academy has three training battalions, and 12 companies. Another 2,000 guests each year, from over 34 countries, receive some training at PMA.
Transportation
Roads
Transport
Abbottabad's main public transport consists of modified pickup vans Suzukis, which can accommodate anywhere from 1 to 14 people at one time. Taxis are also available as well as wagons which connect Abbottabad to the surrounding cities and towns (ex. Nathiagali, Sherwan, Dhamtour, Haripur, Mansehra) in the region. Abbottabad is also served by Daewoo Express and Niazi Express. Pakistan Railways does not serve Abbottabad however a PR Reservation Office is located in Fawara Chowk in the city centre. The nearest railway station is located in Havelian, which is the last and most northern station on the Pakistan Railway network. The station is approximately thirty minutes drive south from Abbottabad city centre.
See also
References
External links
Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbottabad
