Administrative units of Pakistan facts for kids
Pakistan is a large country in Asia. It is divided into different parts to help manage everything. These parts include five provinces and two special territories. Pakistan also looks after a part of Kashmir, which is split into two areas. The other part of Kashmir is managed by India.
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Pakistan's Main Regions
Pakistan is organized into several main regions. These are called provinces and territories. Think of them like big states or areas within the country.
Here's a list of these main regions:
| Number | Region Name | Capital City | Type of Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Balochistan | Quetta | Province |
| 2 | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Peshawar | Province |
| 3 | Punjab | Lahore | Province |
| 4 | Sindh | Karachi | Province |
| 5 | Islamabad Capital Territory | Islamabad | Territory |
| 6 | Federally Administered Tribal Areas | Islamabad | Territory |
| 7 | Azad Jammu and Kashmir | Muzaffarabad | Pakistan-administered Kashmir |
| 8 | Gilgit-Baltistan | Gilgit | Province |
How Local Areas are Governed
Each province in Pakistan is further divided into smaller areas. This helps local people manage their own communities.
Districts (Zillas)
Provinces are split into areas called zillas. The word zillas comes from Urdu (ضلع) and means district. Pakistan has 105 of these districts.
Tehsils and Talukas
Each district is then divided into even smaller parts called tehsils (تحصیل). A tehsil is a lot like a county in other countries. In the Sindh province, they use a different word, taluka (Urdu: تعلقه), instead of tehsil. Tehsils can include many villages, towns, and cities.
Union Councils
The smallest part of local government in Pakistan is called a union council. These councils often include a few villages grouped together.
There are more than 5,000 local government areas in Pakistan. Since 2001, these areas have been led by local councils. People vote for these councils, and each one is headed by a Nazim. A Nazim is like a mayor or a "supervisor" in Urdu. It's important to know that at least 33% of the seats in these councils are set aside for women. There's no limit to how many women can be part of these councils!
A Brief History of Pakistan's Divisions
Pakistan's administrative system has changed over time.
Early Divisions
In the 1960s, Pakistan was simpler. It was divided into just two big "units": East Pakistan and West Pakistan.
Changes Over Time
Before East Pakistan became the independent country of Bangladesh, West Pakistan went back to having four provinces. These provinces had "divisions," which were then broken down into districts, tehsils, and smaller villages or cities.
In August 2000, a big change happened. The "division" level was removed by Pervez Musharraf's government. A new system of local government councils was created. The first elections for these councils were held in 2001.
Decisions Made Locally
Since then, Pakistan has made many changes to its local government. The government wanted to allow "devolution". This means that decisions about local areas are made by the people who live there, not by people in far-off cities. This helps make sure that local needs are met effectively.
See also
In Spanish: Organización territorial de Pakistán para niños
