Pakistan

Even before the Iranian revolution and the Afghan and Iran-Iraq wars throttled Asian overland travel, Pakistan tended to be seen as simply the last hurdle before reaching India. Few Westerners know much about Pakistan beyond media impressions of guns and drugs, communal violence and martial law, but it contains some of Asia's most mind-blowing landscapes, extraordinary trekking, a multitude of cultures and a long tradition of hospitality. It's the site of some of the earliest human settlements, home to an ancient civilisation rivalling those of Egypt and Mesopotamia, and the crucible of two of the world's major religions, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Full country name: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Area: 803,940 sq km (310,300 sq mi)
Population: 144.6 million
Capital city: Islamabad (pop. approx. 350,000)
People: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtu, Baloch, Muhajir
Language: Urdu (official), Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtu, English
Religion: 97% Muslim, 3% Christian and Hindu
Government: Federal Republic
President & Chief Executive: Gen. Pervez Musharraf

GDP: US$282 billion
GDP per head: US$2000
Annual growth: 5%
Inflation: 5.2%
Major industries: Textiles, sugar, vegetable oils, agricultural products, cement, fertilisers, steel, chemicals, sporting goods, carpets
Major trading partners: US, Japan, Germany, UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE.