Pakistan, the second most populous Islamic country in the world,  has been a United States ally in the War on Terror since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  Originally part of India, Pakistan was formed in 1947 to provide Muslim Indians with a separate state.  It has been in the news recently since the killing of Osama bin Laden  by U.S. troops  occurred there in the town of Abbottabad.

Want to learn more about Pakistan?  Check out the following free resources:

The Library of Congress has a Country Study on Pakistan.

The U.S. Department of State provides a Background Note on Pakistan.

The CIA World Fact Book provides an overview of Pakistan.

BBC News has a very detailed Country Profile of Pakistan, including links to the latest news stories involving the country.