Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan and its largest city is Quetta. This Province is divided into six divisions which are further subdivided into 32 districts. The word Balochistan means the land of the Baloch in their regional language. Even though it is underdeveloped, there are huge deposits of natural resources which sustain the economy. The following are the ten interesting facts about this place.
#10. Balochistan cover an area of 347190 Sq KM making it the largest province of Pakistan. This place comprises of 44% of the total land mass of the country. It is surrounded by Afghanistan in the North, Iran in the south west, Punjab and Sindh along with Khaibar to the north east. Towards the south of Balochistan lies the Arabian sea.
#9. The capital city of Balochistan in Quetta and it is located in the north east portion, near Bolan Pass on the Sulaiman Mountain ranges. This is the famous route that had been used by the British and the other civilizations many years ago to invade Afghanistan. The traders of other countries in the historic era entered the country by crossing the Bolan Pass and the Kandahar region.
#8. Balochistan is a place that has abundant mineral deposits. It is a storehouse of both renewable as well as non-renewable resources. It is famous for the number of natural resources found here and it provides raw materials to quite a large number of industries in Pakistan. Moreover, it is the second largest supplier of natural gas in Pakistan.
#7. This place has a rich history that dates back to the 11th century. That time the place was captured by Mahmud of Ghaznavi. Moreover, some parts of the great Indus Valley Civilization are said to be located here. Mehrgarh, the earliest settlement of the Indus valley which dates back to 7000 BC was situated in present day Balochistan.
#6. The capital of Balochistan, Quetta is known as the fruit garden of Pakistan. This is because of the fact that there are a large number of fruit orchards present here and they produce some of the finest varieties of fruits that are popular all over the country. Another popular product is this place is the dry fruits. A huge variety of nuts and dry fruits are available here that have become an inseparable part of the diet of the people living here. Moreover, these dry fruits are popular throughout the world.
#5. The main source of income of the people of Balochistan depends on the production of natural gas and excavation of coal and other minerals. Due to the presence of the coastline and other water bodies Fishery has also become quite an important source of livelihood. There are other private and public organisations that provide employment opportunities like the manufacturing industries and trading industries. Some of the people depend on animal husbandry.
#4. The only major high altitude city of Pakistan is Quetta. The majestic Hanna Lake is located ten kilometres from the city and it is surrounded by the hills on all sides. This lake is noted for its scenic beauty. The turquoise blue lake with the background of white mountains offer an exquisite view and presents an atmosphere of serenity and peacefulness.
#3. The place has upper highlands and lower highlands and the plains. The climatic conditions of these places vary. The winters are coldest in the upper highlands and the temperature may drop below freezing point. Whereas in the plains the winters are mild and the temperature does not fall below freezing point. The summers in the upper highlands and the lower highlands are hot but bearable. However, in the plains the summers are hot and dry with the temperature rising up to 50 degrees. The highest temperature was recorded at Sibi in the year 2010 which rose up to 53 degree Celsius. The desert climate is very hot and arid with occasional occurrence of windstorms.
#2. Some of the finest cuisines of Pakistan have emerged from this place. Kadi kabab, Balochi Kabab, Balochi Sajji are some of the popular dishes of Balochistan. The food varies based on region. Lamb Skewed Sajji along with Kaak which is a type of hard bread, is a popular dish here. Another Balochi dish is dumpukht and it is prepared with meat and its fat. They often cook a whole lamb or goat over the fire after feeding the lamb raw rice. It is said that the rice gets cooked by the fats of the lamb and this is called the Khaddi Kabab. Fish also forms an important part of the diet of those living along the coast line.
#1. A famous sport of the people of Baluchistan is called Bazuki which is also the national sport of Afghanistan and it is played by the Pashtuns. In game there are two teams and all the players are on horseback trying to snatch a goat carcass from the opponent team.
It can be said that this place is noted for its unique culture and heritage along with the arid desert conditions.
Santosh Kumar is a Professional SEO and Blogger, With the help of this blog he is trying to share top 10 lists, facts, entertainment news from India and all around the world.