| City of Abbottabad | |
| Nickname: "The City of Pines" | |
| Motto: To What Heights Can I Not Rise | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province | NWFP |
| Established | 1853 |
| Incorporated | 1901 |
| Government | |
| - Nazim | Sardar Haider Zaman |
| - Founded By | Sir James Abbott |
| Area | |
| - City | 18,013 km² (6,954.9 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 4,120 m (13,517 ft) |
| Population (2006) | |
| - City | 881,000 |
| - Urban | 828,140 |
| - Metro | 52,860 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Postal code span | 22010 |
| Area code(s) | 0992 |
| Website: http://www.abbottabad.gov.pk | |
Abbottabad (Urdu/Hindko: ایبٹ آباد) is the principal city of Abbottabad District in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan. It is located 150 km north of Islamabad and 205 km from Peshawar, at an altitude of 4120 feet (1250 metres) above sea level. The city is located in the Orash Valley, and is known for its pleasant weather, educational institutes of high standards and military establishments. It remains a hub for tourism in the summer.
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History
British Rule
Abbottabad was a city of British India and the headquarters of Hazara Division (then a district). It was named after its founder Major James Abbott. Major Abbott settled this district in 1853 after the annexation of the Punjab and he became its first Deputy Commissioner. Abbottabad was an important military cantonment and sanatorium, being the headquarters of a brigade in the second division of the northern army corps[1]. The garrison consisted of four battalions of native infantry (Gurkhas) and four native mountain batteries[2]. In 1901 the population of the town and cantonment was 7764[1]. In 1902 income averaged around Rs. 14,900 and the expenditure around Rs. 14,000. In 1903 the income averaged Rs. 22,300, chiefly derived from octroi, while expenditure was around Rs. 18,100. The receipts and expenditure of cantonment funds during the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged Rs. 7,300. The chief public institutions were the Albert Victor unaided Anglo-Vernacular High School, a municipal Anglo-Vernacular High School and a Government dispensary. [2]. Before leaving, Major Abbott wrote a poem titled "Abbottabad".
Partition
In June 1948, the British Red Cross opened a hospital in Abbottabad to deal with 80-100 patient daily who were being "brought in from the Kashmir fighting areas."[3]
2005 Earthquake
On the 8th of October 2005 Abbottabad was affected by the devastating Kashmir earthquake. Although most of Abbottabad survivied many old city buildings were demolished[4].
Demographics
In 1998, the population of Abbottabad District was 881,000. According to the 1998 census, over 94.26% of the population speak Hindko as their first language, Punjabi– 2.30%, Pashto– 2.22% and Urdu– 1.05%.[5] Urdu, which is the national language of Pakistan, is understood by everyone. English, on the other hand, is widely used in business and education.
Education
With its good weather and beautiful landscape, Abbottabad attracts people from all over Pakistan, some for tourism but many by its educational institutions. Abbottabad (sometimes called "The City of Schools") is home to a number of schools, colleges and training institutes. These educational institutions help to promote a high standard of education in the entire country.
Military Schools
Military Training Institutes like the PMA Kakul, (Pakistan Military Academy) the Regimental Training centres of the Pakistan Army are also located in Abbottabad.
Medical Schools
Abbottabad has four Medical Colleges namely Ayub Medical College, Women Medical College, Frontier Medical College and Abbottabad International Medical College. An Institute for higher learning for Information Technology, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology is also located here.
Boarding Schools
Other than that, many private and government school and colleges are located in Abbottabad city which are renowned for their high standard of education. Among these are Abbottabad Public School, Abbottabad Jamia Public School, Al-Imtiaz Academy, Army Burn Hall College, Pine Hills Public School and College, PIPS and two Government Colleges.
Others
The Government Postgraduate College offers higher education of Bachelors and Masters level in Literature, Natural Sciences and Exact Sciences. The college attracts students from all over the NWFP. A few Technical Institutions like Government Polytechnical Institute offer courses for skill-based technical & industrial education e.g Diploma in Associate Engineering. Quite a few Computer Institutes are also functioning in and around Abbottabad. These institutes are generally affiliated with Board of Technical Education, Peshawar.
Tourism
According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India, "the town is picturesquely situated at the southern corner of the Rash (Orash) plain, 4,120 feet above the sea"[2]. Like much of the mountainous Northern Areas of Pakistan, tourism is one of the important sources of economic activity in Abbottabad, in summer when temperatures in the plains of Pakistan rise to well above 45 degrees Celsius, large number of tourists travel north to Abbottabad to shelter from the blistering heat. The Karakoram Highway, which traces one of the paths of the ancient Silk Road, starts from Havelian 15 km south of the Abbottabad town, and passes through the city. The Karakorum Highway is an attraction for the adventure tourists. Abbottabad is the last big town, the first mild-weather tourist city in Northern Pakistan for the tourists coming from the plains in the south.
Places of Tourism
The Karakoram, Himalayas and the Hindu Kush ranges can be approached from Abbottabad as continues to be a transit city for tourists, serving as a base for visits to numerous nearby places, such as Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu and Indus Kohistan, of the Karakoram Range.
Gallery
 A picture of Abbottabad taken in 1907 |
References
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
- ^ a b Abbottabad - Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
- ^ a b c Abbottabad Town - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 5, p. 1.
- ^ Partition of India and Pakistan 1947 - British Red Cross
- ^ BBC News - Doctor's diary
- ^ People Of District Abbottabad - Language
External links
- Image Gallery of Abbottabad
- Telephone Directory of Abbottabad
- Abbottabad Cemetery
- Abbottabad Homepage
- Abbottabad Trip
See also
| Administrative Divisions of Abbottabad District |  |
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| Capital | Abbottabad
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| Tehsils | Abbottabad and Havelian
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| Union Councils | Abbottabad Central | Bagh | Bagnotar | Bakot | Baldheri | Bandi Atti Khan | Banda Pir Khan | Beerangali | Berote Kalan | Boi | Chamhad | Dalola | Dewal Manal | Dhamtour | Ghari Phulgran | Goreeni | Haveliani Urban | Jarral | Jhangi | Jhangra | Kakul | Kehal Urban | Kukmang | Kuthiala | Kuthwal | Langra | Langrial | Lora | Malikpura Urban | Mirpur | Mojohan | Nagri Bala | Nagri Totial | Nambal | Namli Maira | Nara | Nathia Gali | Nawansher Urban | Palak | Pattan Kalan | Pawa | Phalkot | Phallah | Pind Kargu Khan | Salhad | Sarbhana | Seer Gharbi | Seer Sharqi Bhattian | Sheikh-ul-Bandi | Sherwan | Tajwal | |
