Quick answerIslamabad is the capital of Pakistan, with 1,108,872 people inside the city limits in 2023. The wider metropolitan area had about 2.4 million people in 2023. It is best known for the Faisal Mosque, the Pakistan Monument and the Margalla Hills. Its official languages are Urdu and English, and its currency is the Pakistani rupee.
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan, with about 1.1 million people in the city and about 2.4 million in the Capital Territory (2023). It is a planned city built in the 1960s at the foot of the Margalla Hills, home to the Faisal Mosque and the Pakistan Monument.
Key facts
| Country | Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 1,108,872 (2023) |
| Population (metro) | 2,363,863 (2023) · Islamabad Capital Territory, 2023 census |
| Elevation | 666 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Asia/Karachi |
| Language | Urdu, English |
| Currency | Pakistani rupee (PKR, ₨) |
| Coordinates | 33.6931° N, 73.0639° E |
Overview
Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan, in the north of the country at the foot of the Margalla Hills. The city itself had 1,108,872 residents in the 2023 census, while the Islamabad Capital Territory held 2,363,863 people, and the city sits 666 metres above sea level. Together with neighbouring Rawalpindi it forms a metropolitan area of over 5.7 million people.
Islamabad was built as a planned city in the 1960s and established as the capital in 1967, replacing Karachi. The Greek architect Constantinos Doxiadis drew up its master plan, dividing the city into eight zones and leafy residential sectors. Its landmarks include the Faisal Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world, the Pakistan Monument on the Shakarparian Hills, and the Daman-e-Koh viewpoint above the city.
Today Islamabad is the seat of Pakistan's government, its parliament and its supreme court, and it hosts the diplomatic enclave where most foreign embassies stand. It has the highest Human Development Index of any district in Pakistan, and it is known for its green streets, its hills and its relatively quiet, orderly character compared with Karachi and Lahore.
What Islamabad is known for
- Faisal Mosque
- Pakistan Monument
- Margalla Hills
- Daman-e-Koh
- Rawal Lake
- Planned capital city
Landmarks
- Faisal Mosque
- Pakistan Monument
- Daman-e-Koh
- Margalla Hills National Park
- Lok Virsa Museum
- Rawal Lake
- Saidpur Village
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Islamabad?
About 1.1 million people live in Islamabad (1,108,872 in the 2023 census). The wider Islamabad Capital Territory had about 2.4 million people. That makes Islamabad the tenth-most populous city in Pakistan, and the smallest national capital in South Asia by population.
What is Islamabad famous for?
Islamabad is famous as Pakistan's planned capital, built in the 1960s at the foot of the Margalla Hills, and for the Faisal Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world. It is also known for the Pakistan Monument, Daman-e-Koh viewpoint, Rawal Lake and its green, leafy sectors.
Where is Islamabad located?
Islamabad is in northern Pakistan, at the foot of the Margalla Hills, just north of Rawalpindi, with which it forms a metropolitan area of over 5.7 million people. It is the capital of Pakistan and sits 666 metres above sea level. Its coordinates are 33.69° N, 73.06° E.
Quick quiz
Three questions from the facts on this page. No sign-up, no score is saved.
Keep exploring
- Pakistan — the country Islamabad is in
- Karachi — another city in Pakistan
- Lahore — another city in Pakistan
- Faisalabad — another city in Pakistan
- All cities in Pakistan
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.