Pakistan

Pakistan was born as an explicitly Muslim state, and the wrestling between its secular and Islamic natures has never been so pronounced as it has in recent years. The country's other troubling traditions are the military's role as the arbiter of power — there have been four coups in its 60 years of independence — rampant corruption and waves of economic and political unrest. Upon its creation, Pakistan consisted of two separate wings flanking northern India; in 1971, the country's eastern portion broke away to become Bangladesh.

In recent years the areas of disagreement between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, a divided state claimed by both countries, appear to have narrowed, but it remains the main point of friction between them. Kashmir was at the heart of two of three wars they have fought since 1947. Both sides reject independence for Kashmir and the long dispute continues to fester. Pakistan became a nuclear power in 1998, in response to nuclear tests conducted by India.