The
North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) (
Urdu simal magribi sarhadi suba ???? ????? ????? ????) is the smallest of the
four main provinces of
Pakistan. The NWFP is home to the majority
Pashtuns (locally referred to as
Pukhtuns) as well as other smaller ethnic groups. The province borders
Afghanistan to the northwest, the
Northern Areas to the northeast,
Azad Kashmir to the east,
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to the west and south, and
Pakistani Punjab and
Islamabad Capital Territory to the southeast. The principal language is
Pashto and the provincial capital is
Peshawar. The Pakistan Peoples Party, to accommodate a demand by the
Awami National Party, proposed the province be changed to
Pakhtunkhwa.
[2]The NWFP is largely located on the Iranian plateau along the peripheral junction between the Indian subcontinent and the Eurasian plate, and this has led to seismic activity in the past (see Kashmir Quake)[3]. The famous Khyber Pass links the province to Afghanistan, while the Kohalla Bridge in Circle Bakote is a major crossing point over the Jhelum river in the east. The province has an area of (28,773 square miles) or 74,521 km² of Pakistani territory and its districts include Hazara Division, home to the town of Havelian, the western starting point of the Karakoram Highway.
The capital and largest city of the province is Peshawar. Peshawar's is divided into various sections with the Old City being notable for its chai-khanas (or tea houses) and other ancient structures. Qissa Kahani Bazaar and other parts of Peshawar can remind visitors of an Arabian Nights tale with its myriad corridors and its multicultural vendors. The Afghan character of the city was enhanced by the refugees from Afghanistan and the burgeoning population of tribesmen who have flocked to the city from rural areas in search of employment.
Other main cities include Nowshera, Mardan, Mansehra, Charsadda, Ayubia, Nathia Gali and Abbottabad. The province's main districts include Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat, Bannu, Peshawar, Abbottabad and Mansehra.
