Education

Main article: Education in Pakistan

Est. 1864 Government College University, Lahore is one of Pakistan's most prestigious universities.

University of the Punjab was the fourth university to be established by the British Raj in the South Asia.

Islamia College University was founded in October of 1913.

The constitution of Pakistan requires the state to provide free primary and secondary education.^[234] At the time of independence Pakistan had only one university, the University of the Punjab.^[235] As of September 2011 it has 136 universities, of which 74 are public universities and 62 are private universities.^[236] It is estimated that there are 3193 technical and vocational institutions in Pakistan,^[237] and there are also madrassahs that provide free Islamic education and offer free board and lodging to students, who come mainly from the poorer strata of society.^[238] After criticism over terrorists' use of madrassahs for recruitment, efforts have been made to regulate them.^[239]
Education in Pakistan is divided into six main levels: pre-primary (preparatory classes); primary (grades one through five); middle (grades six through eight); high (grades nine and ten, leading to the Secondary School Certificate); intermediate (grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher Secondary (School) Certificate); and university programmes leading to graduate and postgraduate degrees.^[237] Pakistani private schools also operate a parallel secondary education system based on the curriculum set and administered by the Cambridge International Examinations. Some students choose to take the O level and A level exams conducted by the British Council.^[240]
The government is in a development stage^[timeframe?], in which it is extending English medium education to all schools across the country.^[241] Meanwhile, by 2013 all educational institutions in Sindh will have to provide Chinese language courses, reflecting China's growing role as a superpower and Pakistan's close ties with China.^[242] The literacy rate of the population above ten years of age in the country is 58.5%. Male literacy is 70.2% while female literacy rate is 46.3%.^[178] Literacy rates vary by region and particularly by sex; for instance, female literacy in tribal areas is 3%.^[243] The government launched a nationwide initiative in 1998 with the aim of eradicating illiteracy and providing a basic education to all children.^[244] Through various educational reforms, by 2015 the ministry of education expects to attain 100% enrolment levels among children of primary school age and a literacy rate of 86% among people aged over 10.^[245]

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Pakistan and Pakistani people

See also: Ethnic groups in Pakistan and Religion in Pakistan

Population density

The Kalash people of northern Pakistan are unique in their customs and religion.

With 180.1 million residents reported in 2012, Pakistan is the sixth most populated country in the world, behind Brazil and ahead of Bangladesh. Its 2.03% population growth rate is the highest among the SAARC countries and gives an annual increase of 3.6 million. The population is projected to reach 210.13 million by 2020 and to double by 2045. In 1947, Pakistan had a population of 32.5 million.^[181][246] From 1990 to 2009 it increased by 57.2%.^[247] By 2030 it is expected to surpass Indonesia as the largest Muslim-majority country in the world.^[248][249] Pakistan is a 'young' nation, with a median age of about 22 and 104 million people under 30 in 2010. Pakistan's fertility rate stands at 3.07, higher than its neighbours India(2.57) and Iran(1.73). Around 35% of the people are under 15^[181]
The majority of southern Pakistan's population lives along the Indus River. Karachi is its most populous city.^[250] In the northern half of the country, most of the population lives in an arc formed by the cities of Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat, Jhelum, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Nowshera, Mardan and Peshawar. During 1990–2008, city dwellers made up 36% of Pakistan's population, making it the most urbanised nation in South Asia.^[74][181] Furthermore, 50% of Pakistanis live in towns of 5,000 people or more.^[251]
Expenditure on health was 2.6% of GDP in 2009.^[252] Life expectancy at birth was 65.4 years for females and 63.6 years for males in 2010. The private sector accounts for about 80% of outpatient visits. Approximately 19% of the population and 30% of children under five are malnourished.^[168] Mortality of the under-fives was 87 per 1,000 live births in 2009.^[252] About 20% of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.^[253]
More than sixty languages are spoken in Pakistan, including a number of provincial languages. Urdu, the lingua franca and a symbol of Muslim identity and national unity, is the national language and is understood by over 75% of Pakistanis.^[139][254] English is the official language of Pakistan, used in official business, government, and legal contracts;^[74] the local dialect is known as Pakistani English. Punjabi is the most common native language in Punjab and has many native speakers. Saraiki is mainly spoken in South Punjab. Pashto is the provincial language of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindhi is the provincial language of Sindh, and Balochi is dominant in Balochistan.^[4][35][255]
Pakistan's census does not include immigrant groups such as the 1.7 million registered refugees from neighbouring Afghanistan, who are found mainly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA areas, with small numbers in Karachi and Quetta.^[256][257] As of 1995, there were more than 1.6 million Bengalis, 650,000 Afghans, 200,000 Burmese, 2,320 Iranians and Filipinos and hundreds of Nepalese, Sri Lankans and Indians living in Karachi.^[258][259] Pakistan hosts more refugees than any other country in the world.^[260]
The population comprises several ethnic groups. As of 2009, the Punjabi population dominates with 78.7 million (44.15%), followed by 27.2 million (15.42%) Pashtuns, 24.8 million (14.1%) Sindhis, 14.8 million (10.53%) Seraikis, 13.3 million (7.57%) Muhajirs and 6.3 million (3.57%) Balochs. The remaining 11.1 million (4.66%) belong to various ethnic minorities.^[261] There is also a large worldwide Pakistani diaspora, numbering over seven million.