Names of Pakistan
etymological history of names of Pakistan / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Names of Pakistan include the many modern and historical names given to the land of Pakistan. Much of Pakistan's history is closely connected to the Indus River, the national river of the country, and most names given to Pakistan come from it.[1] The land of Pakistan, the Indus Valley, has had various names throughout its ancient history.[2][3] As a cradle of civilizations, Pakistan has a rich history in how its names came about. Pākistān is the common name used today for the country, it is an acronym for the many different regions of British Raj (Punjab, Afghania, Kashmir, Sindh, Baluchistan) and the Princely states that joined together to make the federation of Pakistan.[4][5] Officially, the country is called the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Urdu: Islāmī Jumhūriyah Pākistān) since 1973.[6][7]
Ancient Pakistan, being at the crossroads of civilizations, was split into many kingdoms and empires ruled by local or foreign dynasties, and different areas of the region had different names. The oldest recorded name of Pakistan is Meluhha (𒈨𒈛𒄩𒆠), the Sumerian name for the Indus Country.[8] The oldest recorded native name of the country is "Sapta-Sindhu," meaning the land of seven rivers. This name is mentioned in the Rigveda, an ancient religious book composed in the Punjab region of Pakistan.[9] Chinese called this region as “Shendu (身毒)”, “Tiandu (天篤)” and “Tianzhu (天竺)," specifically referring to the Indus Valley.[10]