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 Abbottabad is a city located in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan and is the third-largest city in the province after Peshawar and Mardan. The city is situated in the Orash Valley, 150 km north of Islamabad and 200 km east of Peshawar at an altitude of 4,120 feet (1,260 m). The city is well-known throughout Pakistan for its pleasant weather, high standard educational institutions and military establishments. It remains a major hub for tourism of the Northern Areas in the summer.
In 1818 Ranjit Singh invaded and annexed Hazara however in 1820 his generals were defeated by the Muslims. In 1821, during another attempt at conquest by the Sikhs, Amar Singh was killed at Harroh. Sardar Hari Singh, the governor of Kashmir, then went to Hazara to battle against the Muslim tribes, but it took him three years to subdue the warlike mountaineers of the outer hills. It was not until 1836 that the Gakhars of Khanpur were finally defeated. Painda Khan Tanoli was the tribal chief of the Tanoli tribe at the time of the invasion of Hazara by the Sikhs. Painda Khan is famed for his staunch rebellion against Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Governors of Hazara. He was the son of Mir Nawab Khan, who defeated the Durranis and freed his kingdom from their influence. From about 1813, he spent a life long rebellion against the Sikhs. Painda Khan's relentless rebellion against the Sikh empire, cost him a major portion of his Kingdom, leaving only his twin capitals Amb and Darband. However, this deterred him less and appeared to increase his resistance against the Sikh government. The District Gazetteer of the North-West Frontier Province (p138) confirms, "Painda Khan, played a considerable part in the history of his time and vigorously opposed the Sikhs." General Abbott commented that '"During the first period of Painda Khan's carrer, he was far too vigorous and powerfull to be molested by any neighbouring tribe, and when he began to fail before the armies and purse of the Sikh Government, he was interested in keeping upon the best terms with his northern neighbours of the Black Mountains.'" He is further described as a Chief renowned on the Border, a wild and energetic man who was never subjugated by the Sikhs. His son Jehandad Khan also followed his footsteps. "Of all the tribal chiefs of Hazara, the most powerful said to be Jehandad Khan of the Tanoli, whose land straddled both banks of the Indus and whose fellow-tribesmen were brave and hardy and accounted for the best swordsmen in Hazara". There was a long history of conflict between Jehandad Khan's family and the Sikhs, and the name of his father Painda Khan, was said to be "magic to the ears of the people of Hazara" because of the struggles he fought on behalf of his "poor circumscribed and rugged principality" against the Sikhs. When Sikh power was on the fall in 1845, Jehandad Khan blockaded the garrisons of no less than 22 Sikh posts in Upper Tanawal and when they surrendered at discretion, he spared their lives, as the servants of a fallen Empire. However in 1845 the local populace, taking advantage of the problems in Lahore (the capital of the Sikh Empire), rose up in rebellion. They drove the governor of Hazara, Diwan Mulraj, to Hasan Abdal in 1846. However, with the conclusion of the first Sikh War, Hazara along with Kashmir was given to Raja Gulab Singh. But in 1847 the Raja gave back Hazara to the Lahore Darbar in exchange for land near Jammu, and Hazara passed into British control.
 Abbottabad in British India was the headquarters of Hazara Division, and named after Major James Abbott who settled this district in 1848 after the annexation of the Punjab. He soon after became the first Deputy Commissioner of the district between 1849 until 1853. Major Abbott is noted for having written a poem titled "Abbottabad", prior to his departure back to Britain, in which he wrote of his fondness for the town and his sadness at having to leave it. Abbottabad became and is still an important military cantonment and sanatorium, being the headquarters of a brigade in the Second Division of the Northern Army Corps. The garrison consisted of four battalions of native infantry (Gurkhas) and four native mountain batteries. In 1901 the population of the town and cantonment was 7764 and the income averaged around Rs. 14,900. This increased to Rs. 22,300 in 1903, chiefly derived from octroi. During this time chief public institutions were built such as the Albert Victor unaided Anglo-Vernacular High School, the Municipal Anglo-Vernacular High School and the Government dispensary. In 1911 the population had risen to 11,506 and the town also contained four battalions of Gurkhas. In June 1948, the British Red Cross opened a hospital in Abbottabad to deal with thousands of patients who were being brought in from the Kashmir fighting areas. On the October 8th, 2005 Abbottabad was devastated by the Kashmir earthquake. Although most of Abbottabad survived, many old buildings were destroyed or damaged.
The city is bounded at all 4 sides by the Sarban hills, from which residents and tourists can see breathtaking views of the region and city. The location of the city and the hills allows Abbottabad to experience pleasant weather in the summer, and cold winters. Neighbouring districts are Mansehra to the north, Muzaffarabad to the east, Haripur to the west and Rawalpindi to the south. Tarbela Dam is situated just west of Abbottabad.
Abbottabad is situated in the Orash Valley lying between 34°09′N latitude and 73°13′E longitude at an altitude of 1250m.
Abbottabad's climate is cold during winters and mild during summers with humid temperatures during June and July. During the winter, the temperature may drop to below 0°C and snowfall is common, especially in January. Most rainfall occurs during the monsoon season in summer, stretching from May to August, and can sometimes cause flooding.
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