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"; āb, "water", cognate with Latin aqua, see OED, "Punjab"; Online Etymological Dictionary, "aqua-"). The original English pronunciation, reflecting the indigenous pronunciation, is [pʌndʒaːb] (see OED); but there is also a common spelling pronunciation [pundʒaːb]. 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
==External links==
* Wikipedia article on the Punjab.