Pakistan

geographical name

Pa·​ki·​stan ˈpa-ki-ˌstan How to pronounce Pakistan (audio)
ˌpä-ki-ˈstän
country in southern Asia bordering the Arabian Sea; originally comprising two parts—West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)—separated by about 1000 miles (1600 kilometers) of northern India; a dominion 1947–56, an Islamic republic since 1956, and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations 1956–72; formed from parts of former British India; capital Islamabad area 307,374 square miles (796,095 square kilometers), population 207,863,000 see east pakistan, west pakistan
Pakistani
ˌpa-ki-ˈsta-nē How to pronounce Pakistan (audio)
ˌpä-ki-ˈstä-
adjective or noun

Dictionary Entries Near Pakistan

Cite this Entry

“Pakistan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pakistan. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Pakistan

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!