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From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia Rawalpindi (help·info)
(Urdu: راولپنڈی) Rāwalpindī) is a city in the Majha region of Punjab near
Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi
is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad.
Locally known as Pindi, the area was home to the pre-historic Soanian
culture indigenous to this region. Numerous shopping bazaars, parks and a
cosmopolitan population attract shoppers from all over Pakistan and abroad.
In the 1950s, Rawalpindi was smaller than Hyderabad and Multan, but the
building of Islamabad in the 1960s boosted the city's economy, resulting in
a tenfold increase in population, from 180,000 to over 2.1 million.
Rawalpindi is also the military headquarters of the Pakistan Armed Forces
and also served as the nation's capital whilst Islamabad was being
constructed in the 1960s. The city is home to several industries and
factories. Islamabad International Airport, formerly known as "Chaklala"
airport, now known as "Benazir Bhutto International Airport" is actually in
Rawalpindi; it serves the city along with the capital. Rawalpindi is located
in the Punjab province, 275 km (171 miles) to the north-west of Lahore. It
is the administrative seat of the Rawalpindi District. The total area of the
city is approximately 154 square kilometres (59 sq mi). It is a bustling
town strategically located between the Punjab and Azad Kashmir. Many
tourists use the city as a stop before traveling towards the northern areas.
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