Image of Islamabad

Islamabad

Location

The capital city of Pakistan, which is hosting the high-level talks for the Iran ceasefire.


First Mentioned

4/26/2026, 3:51:50 AM

Last Updated

4/26/2026, 3:55:50 AM

Research Retrieved

4/26/2026, 3:55:49 AM

Summary

Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan, located on the Pothohar Plateau at the foot of the Margalla Hills. Established in 1967 as a replacement for Karachi, it was meticulously planned in the 1960s by Greek architect Constantinos Apostolou Doxiadis. The city is organized into eight distinct zones, including administrative, diplomatic, and residential sectors, and is managed by the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation and the Capital Development Authority. With a population of over 1.1 million and a metropolitan area exceeding 2.3 million, it is a major educational hub with over twenty universities and is recognized as one of Pakistan's safest cities due to an extensive CCTV surveillance system. Recently, the city has served as a site for high-level international diplomacy, hosting U.S. Vice President JD Vance and consultant Jared Kushner for talks.

Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • Area

    906.5 square kilometres

  • Status

    Capital City

  • Country

    Pakistan

  • Architect

    Constantinos Apostolou Doxiadis

  • Elevation

    540 metres (1,770 ft)

  • Coordinates

    33.698888888, 73.036944444

  • Established

    1967-08-14

  • Literacy Rate

    87%

  • Population (City)

    1,100,000 residents

  • Global City Rating

    Gamma+

  • Population (Metropolitan)

    2,300,000 residents

Timeline
  • A commission chooses the site for the new capital after Karachi was found unsuitable. (Source: Britannica)

    1959-01-01

  • Inception of the city and development of the master plan begins. (Source: Wikidata)

    1960-01-01

  • The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is established to build the capital. (Source: Wikipedia)

    1960-06-14

  • Construction of the city begins, blending traditional Islamic architecture with modern patterns. (Source: Britannica)

    1961-01-01

  • The University of Islamabad (now Quaid-i-Azam University) is established. (Source: Britannica)

    1965-01-01

  • Islamabad is officially established as the national capital, replacing Karachi. (Source: Wikipedia)

    1967-08-14

  • The Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA) is established. (Source: Wikipedia)

    1980-01-01

  • The Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (MCI) is established as the municipal authority. (Source: Wikipedia)

    2015-01-01

  • Vice President JD Vance and consultant Jared Kushner visit Islamabad for diplomatic talks. (Source: Document fccfeb90-332d-499c-b8d7-0026207a2740)

    2024-01-01

Islamabad

Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's tenth-most populous city with a population of over 1.1 million; and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital Territory — with a metropolitan population of over 2.3 million. Built as a planned city in the 1960s and established in 1967 along the Margalla Hills, Islamabad replaced Karachi as Pakistan's national capital. It is located north of the city of Rawalpindi, the largest in northern Punjab, with which it forms a metropolitan area of over 5.7 million inhabitants. The Greek architect Constantinos Apostolou Doxiadis developed Islamabad's master plan, in which he divided it into eight zones; the city comprises administrative, diplomatic enclave, residential areas, educational and industrial sectors, commercial areas, as well as rural and green areas administered by the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation with support from the Capital Development Authority. Islamabad is known for its parks and forests, including the Margalla Hills National Park and the Shakarparian. It is home to several landmarks, including the country's flagship Faisal Mosque. Other prominent landmarks include the Pakistan Monument and Democracy Square. Rated as Gamma+ by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, Islamabad has one of the highest costs of living in Pakistan. The city's populace is dominated by both middle- and upper-middle-class citizens. Islamabad is home to more than twenty universities, including Bahria University, Quaid-e-Azam University, PIEAS, COMSATS University, and NUST. It is also rated as one of the safest cities in Pakistan and has an expansive RFID-enabled surveillance system with almost 2,000 active CCTV cameras.

Web Search Results
  • Islamabad - Wikipedia

    Islamabad( is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's tenth-most populous city with a population of over 1.1 million; and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital Territory — with a metropolitan population of over 2.3 million. Built as a planned city in the 1960s and established in 1967 along the Margalla Hills, Islamabad replaced Karachi as Pakistan's national capital.( It is located north of the city of Rawalpindi, the largest in northern Punjab, with which it forms a metropolitan area of over 5.7 million inhabitants. [...] Islamabad lies about 540 metres (1,770 ft) above sea level at the northern edge of the Pothohar Plateau and at the foot of the Margalla Hills in Islamabad Capital Territory.( The modern capital and the ancient Gakhar city of Rawalpindi form a conurbation and are commonly referred to as the Twin Cities.( [...] The Greek architect Constantinos Apostolou Doxiadis developed Islamabad's master plan, in which he divided it into eight zones; the city comprises administrative, diplomatic enclave, residential areas, educational and industrial sectors, commercial areas, as well as rural and green areas administered by the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation with support from the Capital Development Authority "Capital Development Authority (Islamabad)"). Islamabad is known for its parks and forests, including the Margalla Hills National Park and the Shakarparian. It is home to several landmarks, including the country's flagship Faisal Mosque. Other prominent landmarks include the Pakistan Monument and Democracy Square "D-Chowk (Islamabad)").(

  • Islamabad - The Beautiful - OPEN Islamabad

    Join Now # Islamabad – The Beautiful Home About Islamabad – The Beautiful Islamabad – the capital city of Pakistan, is one of the most beautiful cities in the South Asian region. Wide, tree-lined streets adorn the various sectors and zones of the city, making it accessible and spectacular. A meticulously planned city by renowned town planners Doxiadis Associates, Islamabad is the fastest growing city in terms of population, economy and urban development. The city combines a rich history, the confluence of many a civilization and temperate climate. The region has historically been a part of the crossroads of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Margalla pass being a gateway to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The city was built during the 1960s to replace Karachi as Pakistan’s capital. [...] ## Quick Facts 906 Sq. KM Area 2M Diverse Population 87% Literacy Rate 34 Universities 400+ Tech. Companies > ### "Islamabad is one of the most beautiful capitals of the world." ## Landmarks #### Faisal Mosque #### Pakistan Monument #### Daman-e-Koh #### Lok Virsa #### Centaurus Mall #### Fatima Jinnah Park #### Margalla Hills #### Star and Crescent Monument Shakarparian #### Monal Restaurant Join Now X X X

  • Islamabad Capital Territory - Wikipedia

    The Islamabad Capital Territory( is a federal territory of Pakistan, centred around Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. It is located on the northern edge of the Pothohar Plateau, at the foot of the Margalla Hills, in the northwestern Punjab region.( The Territory shares borders with the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the west and the province of Punjab in the remaining directions. It covers an area of 906.5 square kilometres (350.0 mi 2) and, according to 2023 census, has a population of over 2.3 million.( [...] The Capital Development Authority "Capital Development Authority (Islamabad)") (CDA), established on 14 June 1960, was responsible for building the capital and continues to have some government roles. The Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA) was established in 1980, and is led by a Chief Commissioner, who holds powers similar to a provincial government. The Islamabad High Court, established in 2007 (dissolved in 2008, re-established in 2010) is the senior court of the territory and is equivalent to the four provincial high courts. The Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (MCI), established in 2015, is the municipal authority and is equivalent to a district government, as the upper tier of the local government in the territory. The CDA has been gradually transferring many of its [...] | Federal territory | | Islamabad Capital Territory | | Image 4 Islamabad Expressway Image 5 Margalla Hills Image 6 Sector H-12 Image 7 Sector G-13 Image 8 Blue Area Image 9 Cityscape of Islamabad | | Image 10: Flag of Islamabad Capital Territory Flag | | Image 11: Location within Pakistan.svg "Location within Pakistan") Location within Pakistan | | Image 12: Islamabad Capital Territory is located in Islamabad Capital Territory Image 13: Islamabad Capital Territory Islamabad Capital Territory | | Coordinates: 33°44′15″N 73°08′51″E / 33.73750°N 73.14750°E / 33.73750; 73.14750 | | Country | Image 14: flagPakistan | | Established | 14 August 1967; 58 years ago(1967-08-14)( | | Capital | Islamabad | | Government | | •Type | Federated parliamentary republic |

  • Islamabad | Pakistan, City, Population, Map, & Meaning | Britannica

    The city’s site was chosen by a commission in 1959 after Karachi was found unsuitable as the capital. Construction began in 1961 with an effort to blend traditional Islamic architecture with modern patterns and requirements. Such world-renowned names in town planning and architecture as Konstantínos Doxiádes, Edward Durell Stone, and Gio Ponti have been associated with the city’s development. It is a compact city (area 25 square miles [65 square km]), lying at elevations ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 feet (450 to 600 metres). The second phase of construction ended with completion of the Secretariat, Pakistan House, President’s House, National Assembly Building, Grand National Mosque, and housing for government staff. The University of Islamabad was established in 1965 and the People’s Open [...] Islamabad, Pakistan: Secretariat buildings ## News • Islamabad, city, capital of Pakistan, on the Potwar Plateau, 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Rawalpindi, the former interim capital. Islamabad, Pakistan [...] The urban area is divided into eight zones: administrative, diplomatic, residential, institutional, industrial, and commercial areas, a greenbelt, and a national park. It includes an Olympic village and gardens and dairy, poultry, and vegetable farms, as well as such institutions as the Atomic Research Institute and the National Health Centre. The name Islamabad (“City of Islam,” or “City of Peace”) was chosen to reflect the country’s ideology. Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day. Britannica Quiz Guess the City by Its River Quiz

  • Islamabad – Travel guide at Wikivoyage

    Today, Islamabad is considered by some as one of the most extensively and successfully planned cities in South Asia. The city is home to many migrants from other regions of Pakistan and has a modern culture that is not so dissimilar to other internationalised cities. ### Climate [edit] | Islamabad | [...] Even now, Islamabad remains a city where people come from all over the country to enjoy its peaceful, noise-free atmosphere with a lot of greenery and nice surrounding scenery. It also serves as a base camp for people from the south and coastal areas like Karachi, visiting relatively lush valleys such as Swat and Kaghan together with northern areas like Gilgit, Hunza, Skardu and Chitral in the Himalayas mountains. ### Zones and sectors [edit] Islamabad zones map. In reality, sectors F-5 and G-5 are limited to a much smaller area than indicated here. Zigzag road to lush green Margalla Hills view of Blue Area, the commercial hub of the city. ICT covers an area of 1,165.5 km2 (450 mi2), and 906 km2 (349.8 mi2) of that is Islamabad proper, which is divided into five zones: [...] Although the majority of the population in Islamabad traditionally have been employees of the Federal Government, the wealth of the Musharraf years fuelled a boom in Islamabad and it has become an important financial and business centre. In the last decade there have been vast changes in the city's traditional reputation. From it being a typical 9-to-5 city, Islamabad has become more lively with many new restaurants and hotels springing up to service this new wealth. A lot of international food chains have opened, and generally a great improvement in night life with increasing shopping areas opening till late. However, during winter season streets are considerably quiet after dark.

Location Data

اسلام آباد, زون 1, وفاقی دارالحکومت اسلام آباد, 44000, پاکستان

city

Coordinates: 33.6938118, 73.0651511

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