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 and India and Pakistan have 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 recent discussions and confidence-building measures may be a start toward lessened tensions.

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: 27.87%
Permanent crops: 0.87%
Other: 71.26% (2001)

Irrigated land: 180,000 km² (1998 est.)

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

Population: 159,196,336 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 1.98% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: 35% (2001 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 and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries) Burushaski and other 8%

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 40.2% (male 32,919,441; female 31,058,929)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 45,381,469; female 43,377,613)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 3,123,594; female 3,335,290) (2004 est.)

Median age
Total: 19.4 years
Male: 19.2 years
Female: 19.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.98% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 31.22 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 8.67 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.77 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male/female
Total population: 1.05 male/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 74.43 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 74.84 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 74 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 62.61 years
Male: 61.69 years
Female: 63.58 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.29 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 78,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 4,500 (2001 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 45.7%
Male: 59.8%
Female: 30.6% (2003 est.)

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

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Islamabad

Administrative divisions
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: Republic Day 23 March (1956)

Constitution: 10 April 1973 suspended 5 July 1977 restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999 restored 31 December 2002

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

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

Executive branch
Note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; on 12 May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself as president and was sworn in, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's presidency was extended by five more years; on 1 January 2004, MUSHARRAF won a vote of confidence in the Senate, National Assembly, and four provincial assemblies
Chief of state: President General Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June 2001)
Head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August 2004)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister
Elections: the president is elected by Parliament for a five-year term; note - in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's presidency was extended by five more years (next to be held NA 2007); the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (next to be held NA 2007)
Election results: AZIZ elected by the National Assembly on 27 August 2004 with 191 of the votes

Legislative branch
Elections: Senate - last held 24 and 27 February 2003 (next to be held by February 2007); National Assembly - last held 10 October 2002 (next to be held by October 2006)
Election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML/Q 40, PPPP 11, MMA 21, MQM/A 6, PML/N 4, NA 3, PML/F 1, PkMAP 2, ANP 2, PPP/S 2, JWP 1, BNP-Awami 1, BNP-Mengal 1, BNM/H 1, independents 4; National Assembly results - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63, PML/N 19, MQM/A 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1, PAT 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, MQM/H 1, PkMAP 1, independents 3

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 ICFTU ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU MIGA MINURSO MONUC NAM OAS (observer) OIC ONUB OPCW PCA SAARC SACEP UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNMIK UNMIL UNMISET UNOCI UNOMIG UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jehangir KARAMAT
In the us chancery: 3,517 International Court, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 243-3,277
In the us fax: [1] (202) 686-1534
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and Boston (Honarary)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER
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) 2,080-0000
From the us fax: [92] (51) 2,276,427
From the us consulates: Karachi, 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

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 late 2001 have generated solid macroeconomic recovery the last two years. The government has made substantial inroads in macroeconomic reform since 2000 although progress on more politically sensitive reforms has slowed. For example in the third and final year of its $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility Islamabad has continued to require waivers for energy sector reforms. While long-term prospects remain uncertain given Pakistan's low level of development medium-term prospects for job creation and poverty reduction are the best in nearly a decade. Islamabad has raised development spending from about 2% of GDP in the 1990s to 4% in 2003 a necessary step towards reversing the broad underdevelopment of its social sector. GDP growth is heavily dependent on rain-fed crops and last year's end to a four-year drought should support moderate agricultural growth for the next few years. Foreign exchange reserves continued to reach new levels in 2003 supported by robust export growth and steady worker remittances.

Real gdp growth rate: 5.5% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2003 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 23.3%
Industry: 23.5%
Services: 53.2% (2003 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: 7.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force
Note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2003)
By occupation agriculture: 44%
By occupation industry: 17%
By occupation services: 39% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7.7% plus substantial underemployment (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line: 35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 4.1%
Highest 10: 27.6% (FY96/97)

Distribution of family income gini index: 41 (FY98/99)

Budget
Revenues: $12.08 billion
Expenditures: $15.41 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Public debt: 72.7% of GDP (2003)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.9% (2003 est.)

Current account balance: $3.358 billion (2003)

Exports: $11.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: textiles (garments bed linen cotton cloth and yarn) rice leather goods sports goods chemicals manufactures carpets and rugs
Partners: US 23.1% UAE 9.4% UK 7.1% Germany 5.1% Hong Kong 4.6% (2003)

Imports: $12.51 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: petroleum petroleum products machinery plastics transportation equipment edible oils paper and paperboard iron and steel tea
Partners: UAE 11.2% Saudi Arabia 10.9% China 7.3% Japan 6.6% Kuwait 6.4% US 6% Malaysia 4.6% Germany 4.4% Singapore 4% (2003)

Debt external: $33.54 billion (2003 est.)

Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 57.752 (2003) 59.7238 (2002) 61.9272 (2001) 53.6482 (2000) 49.1183 (1999)

Electricity
Production: 66.96 billion kWh (2001)
Consumption: 62.27 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Natural gas
Production: 23.4 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 23.4 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ NA (2001 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 695.6 billion m³ (1 January 2002)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 3,982,800 (2003)
Mobile cellular: 2,624,800 (2003)

Telephone system
General assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in part because major businesses have established their own private systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the national telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily available to the majority of the rural population
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 (1999)

Internet
Country code: .pk
Hosts: 15,124 (2003)
Users: 1.5 million (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $2.7 billion (FY02/03)
Percent of gdp: 3.9% (FY02/03)

Airports: 129 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 92
With paved runways over 3047 m: 14
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 22
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 32
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 18
With paved runways under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 39
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 8
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 15 (2003 est.)

Pipelines: gas 9,945 km; oil 1821 km (2004)

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 (2003)

Merchant marine
Total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 329,486 GRT/512,506 DWT
By type: cargo 11, container 2, petroleum tanker 4
Registered in other countries: 16 (2004 est.)

Disputes international: Kashmir remains the world's largest and most highly 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) but recent discussions and confidence-building measures among the parties are beginning to defuse tensions; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to China in 1965 boundary agreement; disputes with Pakistan over Indus River water sharing and the terminus of the Sir Creek Estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch which prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Pakistani maps continue to show Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; despite largely successful UN efforts at voluntary repatriation 2-3 million Afghan refugees continue to reside in Pakistan many at their own choosing; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal areas to control the border with Afghanistan to stem organized terrorist and other illegal cross-border activities; regular meetings with Afghan and coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary encroachments

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 1,064,230 (Afghanistan)
Idps: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South Waziristan) (2004)

Illicit drugs: opium poppy in Federally Administered Tribal Areas North-West Frontier Province and Balochistan Province has rebounded since it was nearly eliminated in 2001; 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