Swat District
District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Swat (Pakistan)?
Summarize this article for a 10 years old
Swat District (Urdu: ضلع سوات, Pashto: سوات ولسوالۍ, pronounced [ˈswaːt̪]) is a district in the Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. With a population of 2,309,570 per the 2017 national census, Swat is the 15th-largest district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Swat District
سوات | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Nickname: Switzerland of the East[1] | |
.svg) Swat District, highlighted red, shown within the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | |
| Coordinates: 35°12′N 72°29′E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province |  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| Division | Malakand |
| Capital | Saidu Sharif |
| Largest city | Mingora |
| Number of Tehsils | 7 |
| Government | |
| • Type | District Administration |
| • Deputy Commissioner | N/A |
| • District Police Officer | N/A |
| • District Health Officer | N/A |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5,337 km2 (2,061 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 2,308,624 |
| • Density | 430/km2 (1,100/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 695,821 |
| • Rural | 1,612,803 |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PKT) |
| Area code | Area code 0946 |
| Languages (2017)[3] |
|
| Website | swat |
Swat District is centered on the Valley of Swat, usually referred to simply as Swat, which is a natural geographic region surrounding the Swat River. The valley was a major centre of early Buddhism under the ancient kingdom of Gandhara, and was a major centre of Gandharan Buddhism, with pockets of Buddhism persisting in the valley until the 17th century, after which the area became largely Muslim.[4][5][6] Until 1969, Swat was part of the self-governing princely state of Swat, that was inherited by Pakistan following its independence from British rule. The region was seized by the Tehrik-i-Taliban in late-2007 until Pakistani control was re-established in mid-2009.[7][8]
The average elevation of Swat is 980 m (3,220 ft),[5] resulting in a considerably cooler and wetter climate compared to the rest of Pakistan. With lush forests, verdant alpine meadows, and snow-capped mountains, Swat is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.[9][10]