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 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 West and East sections) 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. India-Pakistan relations have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks but both countries are taking small steps to put relations back on track. In February 2008 Pakistan held parliamentary elections and in September 2008 after the resignation of former President MUSHARRAF elected Asif Ali ZARDARI to the presidency. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control domestic insurgents many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan.

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N 70 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 796,095 km²
Rank: 36
Land: 770,875 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)

Total renewable water resources: 233.8 km³ (2003)

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: 184,404,791 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 6
Growth rate: 1.589% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 77
Below poverty line: 24% (FY05/06 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Pakistani
Adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups: Punjabi 44.68% Pashtun (Pathan) 15.42% Sindhi 14.1% Sariaki 8.38% Muhajirs 7.57% Balochi 3.57% other 6.28%

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 95% (Sunni 75% Shia 20%) other (includes Christian and Hindu) 5%

Age structure
0-14 years: 36.7%
15-64 years: 59.1% (male 53,658,173/female 49,500,786)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 3,495,350/female 3,793,734) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 21.2 years
Male: 21.2 years
Female: 21.2 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.589% (2010 est.)
Rank: 77

Birth rate: 25.3 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 62

Death rate: 7.06 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 130

Net migration rate: -2.36 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 178

Urbanization
Urban population: 36% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from raw sewage industrial wastes and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; most 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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 65.32 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 26
Male: 68.59 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 61.89 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.63 years
Rank: 165
Male: 63.84 years
Female: 67.5 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 53

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 129
People living with hivaids: 96,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 47
Deaths: 5,100 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 44

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and E and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
Animal contact disease: rabies
Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 153

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
Total: 7 years
Male: 8 years
Female: 6 years (2008)

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: 4 provinces 1 territory* and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan Federally Administered Tribal Areas* Islamabad Capital Territory** Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North-West Frontier Province) Punjab Sindh
Note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan

Independence: 14 August 1947 (from British India)

National holiday: Republic Day 23 March (1956)

Constitution: 12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977 restored 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999 restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007; restored on 15 December 2007; amended 19 April 2010

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
Chief of state: President Asif Ali ZARDARI
Head of government: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25 March 2008)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the prime minister
Elections: the president elected by secret ballot through an Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate National Assembly and the provincial assemblies for a five-year term; election last held on 6 September 2008 (next to be held not later than 2013); note - any person who is a Muslim and not less than 45 years of age and is qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly can contest the presidential election; the prime minister selected by the National Assembly; election last held on 24 March 2008
Election results: Asif Ali ZARDARI elected president; ZARDARI 481 votes SIDDIQUE 153 votes SYED 44 votes; Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI elected prime minister; GILANI 264 votes Pervaiz ELAHI 42 votes; several abstentions

Legislative branch: bicameral parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives in the National Assembly to serve six-year terms; one half are elected every three years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members elected by popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims; members serve five-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 3 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2012); National Assembly - last held on 18 February 2008 with by-elections on 26 June 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPPP 27 PML-Q 21 MMA 9 PML-N 7 ANP 6 MQM 6 JUI-F 4 BNP-A 2 JWP 1 NPP 1 PKMAP 1 PML-F 1 PPP 1 independents 13; National Assembly - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party as of October 2010 - PPPP 127 PML-N 90 PML 51 MQM 25 ANP 13 JUI-F 8 PML-F 5 BNP-A 1 NPP 1 PPP-S 1 independents 18 unfilled seats - 2

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

Political parties and leaders: Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Hayee Group or BNP-H [Dr. Hayee BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Syed Munawar HASAN]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat Ahle Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Fazl-ur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazl-ur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Sami-ul HAQ or JUI-S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat Ulema-i Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]; Muttahida Majlis-e Amal or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement or MQM [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National Alliance or NA [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI] (merged with PML); National Peoples Party or NPP; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI chairman; Asif Ali ZARDARI co-chairman]; Pakistan Peoples Party-SHERPAO or PPP-S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]
Note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

International organization participation: ADB ARF ASEAN (dialogue partner) C CICA CP D-8 ECO FAO G-11 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 MONUSCO NAM OAS (observer) OIC OPCW PCA SAARC SACEP SCO (observer) UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMIL UNMIS UNMIT UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Husain HAQQANI
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 consulate general: Boston (Honorary Consulate General) Chicago Houston Los Angeles New York
In the us consulate: Chicago Houston
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron MUNTER
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 consulate general: Karachi
From the us consulate: 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 anthem
Name: 'Qaumi Tarana'
Lyricsmusic: Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA
Note: adopted 1954; the anthem is also known as 'Pak sarzamin shad bad' (Blessed Be the Sacred Land)

Economy overview: Pakistan an impoverished and underdeveloped country has suffered from decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment. Between 2001-07 however poverty levels decreased by 10% as Islamabad steadily raised development spending. Between 2004-07 GDP growth in the 5-8% range was spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors - despite severe electricity shortfalls - but growth slowed in 2008-09 and unemployment rose. Inflation remains the top concern among the public climbing from 7.7% in 2007 to more than 13% in 2010. In addition the Pakistani rupee has depreciated since 2007 as a result of political and economic instability. The government agreed to an International Monetary Fund Standby Arrangement in November 2008 in response to a balance of payments crisis but during 2009-10 its current account strengthened and foreign exchange reserves stabilized - largely because of lower oil prices and record remittances from workers abroad. Record floods in July-August 2010 lowered agricultural output and contributed to a jump in inflation and reconstruction costs will strain the limited resources of the government. Textiles account for most of Pakistan's export earnings but Pakistan's failure to expand a viable export base for other manufactures has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Other long term challenges include expanding investment in education healthcare and electricity production and reducing dependence on foreign donors.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 28
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 135

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 181
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 21.8%
Industry: 23.6%
Services: 54.6% (2010 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: 4.9% (2010 est.)
Rank: 67

Labor force: 55.77 million
Rank: 10
Note: extensive export of labor mostly to the Middle East and use of child labor (2010 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 43%
By occupation industry: 20.3%
By occupation services: 36.6% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14% (2009 est.)
Rank: 150
Note: substantial underemployment exists

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.9%
Highest 10: 26.5% (2005)

Distribution of family income gini index: 41 (FY98/99)
Rank: 109

Public debt: 49.3% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 52

Inflation rate consumer prices: 13.6% (2009 est.)
Rank: 216

Central bank discount rate: 15% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 20

Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA%

Stock of narrow money: $47.23 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 43

Stock of broad money: $65.13 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 57

Stock of domestic credit: $63.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 56

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 58

Current account balance: -$3.583 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 164

Exports: $18.33 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 68
Commodities: textiles (garments bed linen cotton cloth yarn) rice leather goods sports goods chemicals manufactures carpets and rugs
Partners: US 15.87% UAE 12.35% Afghanistan 8.48% UK 4.7% China 4.44% (2009)

Imports: $28.53 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 56
Commodities: petroleum petroleum products machinery plastics transportation equipment edible oils paper and paperboard iron and steel tea
Partners: China 15.35% Saudi Arabia 10.54% UAE 9.8% US 4.81% Kuwait 4.73% Malaysia 4.43% India 4.02% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $13.77 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 46

Debt external: $53.62 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 52

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $28.09 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 61

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $1.017 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 73

Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 85.27 (2010) 81.7129 (2009) 70.64 (2008) 60.6295 (2007) 60.35 (2006)

Electricity
Production: 90.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 33
Consumption: 72.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 37
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 37.5 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 23
Consumption: 37.5 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 21
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 146
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 106
Proven reserves: 840.2 billion m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 29

Telephones
Main lines in use: 4.058 million (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 38
Mobile cellular: 103 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 9

Telephone system
General assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments in fixed-line and mobile-cellular networks; system consists of microwave radio relay coaxial cable fiber-optic cable cellular and satellite networks;
Domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed exceeding 100 million in 2009 up from only about 300,000 in 2000; approximately 90 percent of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage and more than half of all Pakistanis have access to a cell phone; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; fixed line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting fixed-line service to rural areas
International: country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia the Middle East and Europe; 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 (2009)

Broadcast media: media is government regulated; 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) operates a network consisting of 6 channels; private TV broadcasters are permitted and some foreign satellite channels are carried by cable TV operators; the state-owned radio network operates more than 40 stations; privately-owned radio stations mostly limit programming to music and talk shows (2007)

Internet
Country code: .pk
Hosts: 330,466 (2010)
Hosts rank: 57
Users: 20.431 million (2009)
Users rank: 20

Military expenditures: 3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Rank: 46

Military service age and obligation: 17-23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2009)

Airports: 148 (2010)
Rank: 38
With paved runways total: 101
With paved runways over 3047 m: 15
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 20
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 39
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 18
With paved runways under 914 m: 9 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 47
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 11
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 25 (2010)

Heliports: 20 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 10,402 km; oil 2011 km; refined products 787 km (2009)

Railways
Total: 7,791 km
Rank: 28
Broad gauge: 7,479 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 312 km 1.000-m gauge (2007)

Roadways
Total: 259,197 km
Rank: 20
Paved: 172,827 km (includes 711 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 86,370 km (2007)

Merchant marine
Total: 10
Rank: 114
By type: bulk carrier 1 cargo 4 petroleum tanker 5
Registered in other countries: 14 (Comoros 3 Georgia 1 Marshall Islands 1 Panama 5 Saint Kitts and Nevis 3 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Karachi Port Muhammad Bin Qasim

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: 1,043,984 (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) (2007)

Illicit drugs: significant transit area for Afghan drugs including heroin opium morphine and hashish bound for Iran Western markets the Gulf States Africa and Asia; financial crimes related to drug trafficking terrorism corruption and smuggling remain problems; opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 2,300 hectares in 2007 with 600 of those hectares eradicated; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that utilizes forced eradication fines and arrests