Background: 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. A third war between these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing.

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total area total: 803,940 km²
Land: 778,720 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total 6,774 km, Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km

Coastline: 1,046 km

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

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

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

Land use
Arable land: 23%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 6%
Forest and woodland: 4%
Other: 67% (1993)

Irrigated land: 170,000 km² (1992)

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

Population: 131,541,920 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 1.28% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Pakistani(s)
Adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India and their descendents)

Languages: Urdu (official), English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Punjabi 64%, Sindhi 12%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu 7%, Balochi and other 9%

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 44% (female 28,033,354; male 29,777,818)
15-64 years: 52% (female 33,456,410; male 35,109,482)
65 years and over: 4% (female 2,556,846; male 2,608,010) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.28% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 41.8 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 12.07 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -16.93 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

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
Current issues natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Infant mortality rate: 99.5 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 57.86 years
Male: 57.18 years
Female: 58.56 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.35 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 35%
Male: 47%
Female: 21%

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

Government type: republic

Capital: Islamabad

Administrative divisions: 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier, Punjab, Sindh
Note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Independence: 14 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday: Pakistan Day, 23 March (1956) (proclamation of the republic)

Constitution: 10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985

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

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal; separate electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for non-Muslims

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Sardar Farooq LEGHARI; election last held 13 November 1993 (next to be held no later than 14 October 1998); results - LEGHARI was elected by Parliament and the four provincial assemblies
Head of government: Prime Minister Benazir BHUTTO
Cabinet: Cabinet

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Majlis-e-Shoora)
Senate: elections last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA March 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (87 total) PPP 22, PML/N 17; Tribal Area Representatives (nonparty) 8, ANP 6, PML/J 5, JWP 5, MQM/A 5, JUI/F 2, PKMAP 2, JI 2, NPP 2, BNM/H 1, BNM/M 1, JUP/NI 1, JUP/NO 1, JAH 1, JUI/S 1, PML/F 1, PNP 1, independents 2, vacant 1
National Assembly: elections last held 6 October 1993 (next to be held by October 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (217 total) PPP 92, PML/N 75, PML/J 6, IJM-Islamic Democratic Front 4, ANP 3, PKMAP 4, PIF 3, JWP 2, MDM 2, BNM/H 1, BNM/M 1, NDA 1, NPP 1, PKQP 1, Religious minorities 10 reserved seats, independents 9, results pending 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Federal Islamic (Shari'at) Court

International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNOMIL, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Maleeha LODHI
In the us chancery: 2,315 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 939-6,200
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 387-0484
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador John C. MONJO
From the us embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, PSC 1212, Box 2000, Unit 6,220, Islamabad; APO AE 9,812-2000
From the us telephone: [92] (51) 826,161 through 826,179
From the us FAX: [92] (51) 214,222
From the us consulates general: Karachi, Lahore
From the us consulates: 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

Economy overview: The Pakistani economy has made progress in several key areas since Benazir BHUTTO became Prime Minister in October 1993. She has been under pressure from international donors and the IMF - which gave Pakistan a $1.3 billion structural adjustment credit in February 1994 - to continue the economic reforms and austerity measures begun by her predecessor, caretaker Prime Minister Moeen QURESHI (July-October 1993). Foreign exchange reserves climbed to more than $3 billion in 1994, and the budget deficit was substantially reduced. Real GDP growth was 4% in FY93/94, up from 2.3% in FY92/93. Foreign direct and portfolio investment also have increased. Privatization of large public sector utilities began in 1994 with the sale of 12% of the Pakistan Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) and the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA; the sale of state-owned banks and other large units are planned for 1995. Still, the government must cope with long-standing economic vulnerabilities - high levels of debt service and defense spending, a small tax base, a huge population, and dependence on cotton-based exports - which hamper its ability to create a stable economic environment. In addition, Pakistan's infrastructure is inadequate and deteriorating, low levels of literacy constrain industrial growth, and increasing sectarian, ethnic, and tribal violence disrupt production.

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,930 (1994 est.)

Agriculture products: 24% of GDP; world's largest contiguous irrigation system; major crops - cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; livestock products - milk, beef, mutton, eggs

Industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (FY93/94; accounts for 18% of GDP

Labor force: 36 million
By occupation agriculture: 46%
By occupation mining and manufacturing: 18%
By occupation services: 17%
By occupation other: 19%
Note: extensive export of labor

Unemployment rate: 10% (FY90/91 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $10.5 billion
Expenditures: $11.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (FY93/94)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Exports: $6.7 billion (1993)
Commodoties: cotton, textiles, clothing, rice, leather, carpets
Partners: US, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, UK, UAE, France

Imports: $9.5 billion (1993)
Commodoties: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, transportation equipment, vegetable oils, animal fats, chemicals
Partners: Japan, US, Germany, UK, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, South Korea

Debt external: $24 billion (1993 est.)

Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees (PRs) per US$1 - 30.860 (January 1995), 30.570 (1994), 28.107 (1993), 25.083 (1992), 23.801 (1991), 21.707 (1990)

Electricity
Capacity: 10,800,000 kW (1994)
Capacity production: 52.4 billion kWh
Capacity consumption per capita: 389 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: NA telephones; about 7 telephones/1000 persons; the domestic telephone system is poor, adequate only for government and business use; the system for international traffic is better
Local: NA
Intercity: microwave radio relay
International: 3 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) earth stations; microwave radio relay

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $3.2 billion, 5.6% of GDP (FY94/95)

Airports: 119
With paved runways over 3047 m: 12
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 21
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 33
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 14
With paved runways under 914 m: 24
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 7
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8

Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 885 km; natural gas 4,044 km (1987)

Merchant marine
Total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 352,189 GRT/532,782 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 25, oil tanker 1, passenger-cargo 3

Disputes international: status of Kashmir with India; border question with Afghanistan (Durand Line; water-sharing problems (Wular Barrage) over the Indus with upstream riparian India

Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of opium and hashish for the international drug trade; remains world's third largest opium producer (160 metric tons in 1994; major center for processing Afghan heroin and key transit area for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western market