View source for Punjab

'''Punjab''' or '''Panjab''' (etymologically the more accurate form) is derived from the medieval Persian language, in which it means "[land of] five rivers" (panj, "five"; ĝb, "water", cognate with Latin aqua, see OED, "Punjab"; Online Etymological Dictionary, "aqua-"). The original English pronunciation, reflecting the indigenous pronunciation, is [pʌndʒa˝b] (see OED); but there is also a common spelling pronounciation [pundʒa˝b]. Punjab in its various forms may refer to:

==Geographical regions==

* Punjab region, an area of South Asia spanning from central [[Pakistan]] to north-western [[India]]
** [[Punjab (India)]], the part of the Punjab which became part of [[India]] used to consist of present-day Punjab state; also part of [[Haryana]] state.
** [[Punjab (Pakistan)]], the part of the Punjab which became part of [[Pakistan]], now predominately called "Punjab Province" in Pakistan
* Panjab District, Afghanistan
** Panjab, Afghanistan, capital of Panjab District

In former countries, states and provinces:

* [[Sikh]] Empire (authoritative)/Punjab Empire (geographic), a former religious monarchy in the region.
* Punjab (British India), a former province of British India.
* Punjab Hill States Agency, an administrative unit of British India
* Punjab States Agency, an administrative unit of British India
* Patiala and East Punjab States Union, a former state of India
* East Punjab, the part of the Punjab which became part of [[India]]
* West Punjab, the part of the Punjab which became part of [[Pakistan]]

In other:

* Punjab lasso, a weapon made of cat gut used to strangle people, mentioned in Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera
* Punjab, a character in the Little Orphan Annie comic strip, and the musical Annie

==See also:==

* [[Punjabi]] language


{{wikipedia}}

{{place}}