Pakistan is located in the western part of southern Asia on the Indian subcontinent. It is one of 14 countries that borders China - China is tied with Russia for having the most international neighbors. The British withdrew from the region in 1947, prompting almost 30 years of conflict between India and Pakistan.

In 1988, Benazir Bhutto, the daughter of a former Pakistani president, became the first female leader of a Muslim nation. Tensions between India and Pakistan rose again in the summer of 1999 over the disputed Kashmir region. Unhappy with the prime minister's handling of the Kashmir situation, General Pervez Musharraf, the head of the armed forces, deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a military coup in 1999 and became president 2001.

In 2007, he stepped down from his military position to become a civilian president. Bhutto returned to Pakistan in 2007 to run in parliamentary elections, but was assassinated in December of that year.

Olympic Tradition: Has never competed in an Olympic Winter Games. Pakistan was scheduled to send two Alpine skiers to Torino, but they failed to qualify. Has earned 10 medals at the Summer Games including eight in men's field hockey (three golds).

Vancouver Outlook: Pakistan is not expected to win a medal. Alpine skier Anmaar Habib is attempting to become not only the first female from Pakistan at the Winter Games, but the first person ever from her country to compete. Habib, who went to high school in California, was the first female skier to represent Pakistan in any international ski event in 2002. Alpine skier Muhammad Abbas will compete in the men's giant slalom but will not contend for a medal.