Lahore is the capital of the province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan. It is also known as the Gardens of the Mughals or City of Gardens because of the heritage of the Mughal Empire. In popular culture, Lahore is known as the Heart of Pakistan. It is located near the Ravi River and Wagah, close to the Pakistan-India border.
Much of Lahore's architecture from the Mughal and colonial eras has been preserved. Mughal structures such as the Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens and the mausoleums of Jehangir and Nur Jehan are popular tourist spots in the city. Colonial (British) structures such as the Lahore High Court, General Post Office (GPO) and many of the older universities still retain their Mughal-Gothic style. 
Punjabi is the native language of the province and is the most widely-spoken language in Lahore and rural areas. Urdu and English, however, are becoming more popular with younger generations since they are officially supported, whereas Punjabi has no official patronage. Many people of Lahore who speak Punjabi are known as Lahori Punjabi due to their use of a mixture of Punjabi and colloquial Urdu. According to the 1998 census, Lahore's population was nearly 7 million. Mid-2006 government estimates now put the population at about 10 million. This makes Lahore the second largest city in Pakistan (after Karachi), the fifth largest city in South Asia and the 23rd largest city in the world.
Lying between 31°15′ and 31°45′ North latitude and 74°01′ and 74°39′ East longitude, Lahore is bounded on the north and west by the Sheikhupura District, on the east by Wagah, and on the south by Kasur District. The Ravi River flows on the northern side of Lahore. Lahore city covers a total land area of 404 km² and is still growing.
The weather of Lahore is extreme during the months of May, June, and July, when the temperatures soar to 40–45 °C. In August, the monsoon seasons starts, with heavy rainfall throughout the province. December, January, and February are the coldest months, when temperatures can drop to -1 °C.
The city’s highest maximum temperature was 48 °C, recorded on June 6, 1921, and again on June 9, 2007. At the time the meteorological office recorded this official temperature in the shade, it reported a heat index in direct sunlight of 55 °C. 
According to the 1998 census, Lahore's population was nearly 6.8 million. Mid-2006 government estimates put the population at somewhere around 10 million, which makes it the second largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi. It is considered to be one of the 30 largest cities of the world. Also according to the 1998 census, 86.2%, or 6,896,000 of the population are Punjabis and 10.2% or 816,000 are Muhajir. More than a million Pashtun live in Lahore, the vast majority of whom are settling. Finally, the Seraikis at 0.4% number about 32,000. Figures are unavailable for the many Afghan refugees and migrants from Iran who have permanently settled in Lahore but were not included in the census.
Many languages are spoken in Lahore, including Punjabi, Urdu, Pashto, Persian/Farsi and English. According to the 1998 census, 96% of Lahore's population is Muslim. Other religions include Christians and a small number of Bahais, Zorastrians, Hindus and Sikhs.
Lahore is known as the education capital of Pakistan, with more colleges and universities than any other city in the country. Most of the reputable universities are public, but in recent years there has also been an upsurge in the number of private universities. LUMS, the Lahore University of Management Sciences, is the most renowned business school in Pakistan. Lahore School of Economics is also a renowed business school of Pakistan and is regarded after LUMS in Lahore. The University of Lahore, in the private sector, is located in the industrial area of the city, where students have opportunities to get jobs and internships.
The University of the Punjab is the oldest institute of higher learning in the country. NCA, the National College of Arts, is the oldest and most renowned arts college of Pakistan. The oldest institution of Pakistan, Government College Lahore (now University) is also situated in Lahore. It was established in 1864.
UET, Lahore is the one of the most highly regarded engineering universities in Pakistan. COMSATS is also a well-known institute recently awarded the university charter.
Lahore's culture is unique. Known as the cultural capital or Heart of Pakistan, the city has been the seat of the Mughal Empire and the Sikh Empire as well as the capital of Punjab in Mahmud Ghaznavi's 11th century empire and in the British Empire.
Lahore is an extremely festive city. The people of Lahore celebrate many festivals and events throughout the year, blending Mughal, Western, and current trends. Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha are celebrated. Many people decorate their houses and light candles to illuminate the streets and houses; roads and businesses are lit for days during these public holidays.
Basant is a Punjabi festival marking the coming of spring. Basant celebrations in Pakistan are centered in Lahore, and people from all over the country as well as abroad come to the city for the annual festivities. Kite-flying competitions traditionally take place on city rooftops during Basant. Courts have banned the kite-flying because of casualties and power installation losses. The ban was lifted for two days in 2007, then immediately reimposed when 11 people were killed by celebratory gunfire, sharpened kite-strings, electrocution, and falls related to the competition.
