Map of Pakistan | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The Indus Valley civilization one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C. remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians Greeks Scythians Arabs (who brought Islam) Afghans and Turks. The Mughal (Mongol) Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002.


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Location: Southern Asia bordering the Arabian Sea between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N 70 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 803,940 km²
Land: 778,720 km²
Water: 25,220 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries
Total: 6,774 km
Border countries: (4) Afghanistan 2,430 km; , China 523 km; , India 2,912 km; , Iran 909 km

Coastline: 1046 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate: mostly hot dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources: land extensive natural gas reserves limited petroleum poor quality coal iron ore copper salt limestone

Land use
Arable land: 24.44%
Permanent crops: 0.84%
Other: 74.72% (2005)

Irrigated land: 182,300 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Geography
Note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent


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Population: 164,741,924 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: 1.828% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: 24% (FY05/06 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Pakistani
Adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups: Punjabi Sindhi Pashtun (Pathan) Baloch Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants)

Languages: Punjabi 48% Sindhi 12% Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10% Pashtu 8% Urdu (official) 8% Balochi 3% Hindko 2% Brahui 1% English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries) Burushaski and other 8%

Religions: Muslim 97% (Sunni 77% Shi'a 20%) other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 36.9% (male 31,264,576/female 29,507,174)
15-64 years: 58.8% (male 49,592,033/female 47,327,161)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 3,342,650/female 3,708,330) (2007 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 20.9 years
Male: 20.7 years
Female: 21 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.828% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 27.52 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.24 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from raw sewage industrial wastes and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male/female
15-64 years: 1.048 male/female
65 years and over: 0.901 male/female
Total population: 1.045 male/female (2007 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 68.84 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 68.94 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 68.73 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 63.75 years
Male: 62.73 years
Female: 64.83 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.71 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 74,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 4,900 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and cutaneous leishmaniasis are high risks depending on location
Animal contact disease: rabies
Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 49.9%
Male: 63%
Female: 36% (2005 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Conventional short form: Pakistan
Local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan
Local short form: Pakistan
Former: West Pakistan

Government type: federal republic

Capital
Name: Islamabad
Geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E
Time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions
Note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas

Dependent areas

Independence: 14 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday: Republic Day 23 March (1956)

Constitution: 12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977 restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999 restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007

Legal system: based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June 2001)
Note: following an October 1999 military coup, General Pervez MUSHARRAF suspended Pakistan's constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; in May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court validated the 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three years following the coup; in June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself president, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; an April 2002 referendum extended MUSHARRAF's presidency by five years
Head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August 2004)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
Elections: the president is elected by secret ballot (1,170 votes total) through an Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies for a five-year term; the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly
Election results: MUSHARRAF reelected on 6 October 2007 (next election to be held in October 2012); MUSHARRAF 671 votes; Wajihuddin AHMED 8 votes; 6 votes invalid; AZIZ elected Prime Minister by the National Assembly on 27 August 2004

Legislative branch
Elections: Senate - last held in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009); National Assembly - last held 10 October 2002 (next to be held in January 2008)
Election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML 39, MMA 18, PPPP 9, MQM 6, PML/N 4, PkMAP 3, PPP/S 3, ANP 2, BNP/A 1, BNP/M 1, JWP 1, PML/F 1, independents 12; National Assembly results - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63, PML/N 19, MQM 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP/A 1, JWP 1, PAT 1, PkMAP 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, independents 4

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court

Political parties and leaders
Note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

International organization participation: ARF AsDB C (reinstated 2004) CP ECO FAO G-24 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MINURSO MINUSTAH MONUC NAM OAS (observer) OIC ONUB OPCW PCA SAARC SACEP SCO (observer) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNMIL UNMIS UNOCI UNOMIG UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmud Ali DURRANI
In the us chancery: 3,517 International Court, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 243-6,500
In the us fax: [1] (202) 686-1544
In the us consulates general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON
From the us embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62,200, APO AE 9,812-2,200
From the us telephone: [92] (51) 208-0000
From the us fax: [92] (51) 2,276,427
From the us consulates general: Karachi
From the us consulates: Lahore, Peshawar

Flag description: green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent star and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Pakistan an impoverished and underdeveloped country has suffered from decades of internal political disputes low levels of foreign investment and a costly ongoing confrontation with neighboring India. However IMF-approved government policies bolstered by generous foreign assistance and renewed access to global markets since 2001 have generated solid macroeconomic recovery the last five years. The government has made substantial macroeconomic reforms since 2000 most notably privatizing the banking sector. Poverty levels have decreased by 10% since 2001 and Islamabad has steadily raised development spending in recent years including a 52% real increase in the budget allocation for development in FY07 a necessary step toward reversing the broad underdevelopment of its social sector. The fiscal deficit - the result of chronically low tax collection and increased spending including reconstruction costs from the October 2005 earthquake - appears manageable for now. GDP growth spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors remained in the 6-8% range in 2004-06. Inflation remains the biggest threat to the economy jumping to more than 9% in 2005 before easing to 7.9% in 2006. The central bank is pursuing tighter monetary policy - raising interest rates in 2006 - while trying to preserve growth. Foreign exchange reserves are bolstered by steady worker remittances but a growing current account deficit - driven by a widening trade gap as import growth outstrips export expansion - could draw down reserves and dampen GDP growth in the medium term.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $437.5 billion (2006 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 6.6% (2006 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $2,600 (2006 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 19.4%
Industry: 27.2%
Services: 53.4% (2006 est.)

Agriculture products: cotton wheat rice sugarcane fruits vegetables; milk beef mutton eggs

Industries: textiles and apparel food processing pharmaceuticals construction materials paper products fertilizer shrimp

Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2006 est.)

Labor force
Note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2006 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 42%
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation services: 38% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6.5% plus substantial underemployment (2006 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 24% (FY05/06 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 4%
Highest 10: 26.3% (2002)

Distribution of family income gini index: 30.6 (2002)

Budget
Revenues: $15.93 billion
Expenditures: $25.31 billion (2006 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 55.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7.9% (2006 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares: $45.52 billion (2006)

Current account balance: $-6.795 billion (2006 est.)

Exports: $17 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: textiles (garments bed linen cotton cloth yarn) rice leather goods sports goods chemicals manufactures carpets and rugs
Partners: US 21% UAE 9% Afghanistan 7.7% China 5.3% UK 5.1% (2006)

Imports: $26.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: petroleum petroleum products machinery plastics transportation equipment edible oils paper and paperboard iron and steel tea
Partners: China 13.8% Saudi Arabia 10.5% UAE 9.7% US 6.5% Japan 5.7% Kuwait 4.7% Germany 4.1% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $12.82 billion (2006 est.)

Debt external: $36.24 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $14.67 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $885 million (2006 est.)

Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 60.35 (2006) 59.515 (2005) 58.258 (2004) 57.752 (2003) 59.724 (2002)


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Electricity
Production: 89.82 billion kWh (2005)
Consumption: 67.06 billion kWh (2005)
Exports: 0 kWh (2005)
Imports: 0 kWh (2005)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 29.54 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption: 29.54 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2005 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2005)
Proven reserves: 764.6 billion m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 5.24 million (2006)
Mobile cellular: 63.16 million (2007)

Telephone system
General assessment: the telecom infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line and mobile networks; mobile cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, approaching 50 million in late 2006, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting main line service to rural areas.
Domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks
International: country code - 92; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2006)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .pk
Hosts: 164,067 (2007)
Users: 12 million (2006)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 3.2% (2006; 3% 2007 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2006)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 146 (2007)
With paved runways total: 92
With paved runways over 3047 m: 16
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 19
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 29
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 18
With paved runways under 914 m: 10 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 54
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 16
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 13
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 24 (2007)

Heliports: 18 (2007)

Pipelines: gas 10,257 km; oil 2001 km (2006)

Railways
Total: 8,163 km
Broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

Roadways
Total: 258,340 km
Paved: 167,146 km (includes 711 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 91,194 km (2004)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 14 ships (1000 GRT or over) 325,254 GRT/536,876 DWT
By type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, petroleum tanker 3
Registered in other countries: 12 (Comoros 2, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 1, Malta 2, Panama 5, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007)

Ports and terminals: Karachi Port Muhammad Bin Qasim


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Disputes international: various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin) India (Jammu and Kashmir) and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; by 2005 Pakistan with UN assistance repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees leaving slightly more than a million many of whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions of their porous border; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal areas to monitor and control the border with Afghanistan and to stem terrorist or other illegal activities

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 1,084,208 (Afghanistan)
Idps: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South Waziristan), 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake; most of those displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006) (2006)

Illicit drugs: opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 800 hectares in 2005 yielding a potential production of 4 metric tons of pure heroin; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that force eradication - fines and arrests will take place if the ban on poppy cultivation is not observed; key transit point for Afghan drugs including heroin opium morphine and hashish bound for Western markets the Gulf States and Africa; financial crimes related to drug trafficking terrorism corruption and smuggling remain problems