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 and a limited conflict - in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 respectively - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India assisted an indigenous movement reacting to the 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 mid-1998. India-Pakistan relations improved in the mid-2000s but have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and have been further strained by attacks in India by militants suspected of being based in Pakistan. Nawaz SHARIF took office as prime minister in 2013, marking the first time in Pakistani history that a democratically elected government completed a full term and transitioned to a successive democratically elected government. In July 2017, the Supreme Court disqualified SHARIF from public office, and Shahid Khaqan ABBASI replaced him as prime minister in August 2017. Retired Justice General Nasir UL-MULK took over as caretaker prime minister in June 2018, to serve until a new government is formed following general elections, scheduled for 25 July. Pakistan has been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict with militant groups that target government institutions and civilians, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks.

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 796,095 km²
Land: 770,875 km²
Water: 25,220 km²
Rank: 37
Comparative: slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries
Total: 7,257 km
Border countries: (4) Afghanistan 2,670 km; , China 438 km; , India 3,190 km; , Iran 959 km

Coastline: 1046 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 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: divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain in the center and east, and the Balochistan Plateau in the south and west

Elevation
Mean elevation: 900 m
Elevation extremes: 0 m
Note: lowest point: Arabian Sea

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 35.2% (2011 est.)
Forest: 2.1% (2011 est.)
Other: 62.7% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 202,000 km² (2012)

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
Distribution: the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated: note: provisional results of Pakistan's 2017 national census estimate the country's total population to be 207,774,000
Note: (July 2017 est.) (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 6
Growth rate: 1.41% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 79
Below poverty line: 29.5% (FY2013 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Pakistani(s)
Adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups: Punjabi 44.7%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.4%, Sindhi 14.1%, Sariaki 8.4%, Muhajirs 7.6%, Balochi 3.6%, other 6.3%

Languages: Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, 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 (official) 96.4% (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.6% (2010 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 30.76% (male 32,828,078 /female 31,118,626)
15-24 years: 20.94% (male 22,446,320 /female 21,076,265)
25-54 years: 38.04% (male 41,021,803 /female 38,039,766)
55-64 years: 5.7% (male 5,979,712 /female 5,871,574)
65 years and over: 4.56% (male 4,399,926 /female 5,080,448) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 65.3 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 57.9 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 13.5 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 24.1 years
Male: 24.1 years
Female: 24.2 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 166

Population growth rate: 1.41% (2018 est.)
Rank: 79

Birth rate: 21.6 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 73

Death rate: 6.3 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 153

Net migration rate: -1.3 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 145

Population distribution: the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated

Urbanization
Urban population: 36.7% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 2.53% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 15.4 million Karachi, 11.738 million Lahore, 3.311 million Faisalabad, 2.156 million Rawalpindi, 2.11 million Gujranwala, 1.061 million ISLAMABAD (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural freshwater resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution and noise pollution in urban areas
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(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 1.08 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth:

Infant mortality rate
Total: 50.4 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 53.5 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 47.1 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 28

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 68.4 years (2018 est.)
Male: 66.4 years (2018 est.)
Female: 70.5 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 167

Total fertility rate: 2.55 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 76

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 35.4% (2012/13)

Drinking water source
Urban: 6.1% of population
Rural: 10.1% of population
Total: 8.6% of population (2015 est.)

Physicians density: 0.98 physicians/1000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density: 0.6 beds/1000 population (2014)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 16.9% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 48.9% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 36.5% of population (2015 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2017 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 116
People living with hivaids: 150,000 (2017 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 33
Deaths: 6,200 (2017 est.)
Deaths rank: 25

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high (2016)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever (2016)
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2016)
Animal contact diseases: rabies (2016)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 8.6% (2016)
Rank: 150

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 31.6% (2012)
Rank: 7

Education expenditures: 2.8% of GDP (2017)
Rank: 156

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
Total population: 57.9% (2015 est.)
Male: 69.5% (2015 est.)
Female: 45.8% (2015 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 8 years (2015)
Male: 9 years (2015)
Female: 7 years (2015)

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
Etymology: the word pak means pure in Persian or Pashto, while the Persian suffix -stan means place of or country, so the word Pakistan literally means Land of the Pure

Government type: federal parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Islamabad
Geographic coordinates: 33 41 N, 73 03 E
Time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

Independence: 14 August 1947 (from British India)

National holiday: Pakistan Day (also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day or Republic Day), 23 March (1940); note - commemorates both the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the All-India Muslim League during its 22-24 March 1940 session, which called for the creation of independent Muslim states, and the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan on 23 March 1956 during the transition to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Constitution
History: several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times) (2018)
Amendments: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership of both houses; amended many times, last in 2018 (2018)

Legal system: common law system with Islamic law influence

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Pakistan
Dual citizenship recognized: yes, but limited to select countries
Residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 7 years and including the 12 months preceding application

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Arif ALVI (since 9 September 2018)
Head of government: Prime Minister Imran KHAN (since 18 August 2018)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the prime minister
Electionsappointments: president indirectly elected by the Electoral College consisting of members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); election last held on 9 September 2013 (next to be held on 4 September 2018); prime minister elected by the National Assembly
Election results: Arif ALVI elected president; Electoral College vote - Arif ALVI (PTI) 353, Fazl-ur-RAHMAN(MMA) 185, Aitzaz AHSAN (PPPP) 124; Imran KHAN elected prime minister: National Assembly vote - Imran KHAN (PTI) 176, Shebaz SHARIF (PML-N) 96

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results:: note: since political reforms in 2011, legislation from the Consultative Council is submitted to the Council of State for review by the Royal Court) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 70 members - 60 women and 10 non-Muslims - directly elected by proportional representation vote; all members serve 5-year terms)

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Pakistan (consists of the chief justice and 16 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: justices nominated by an 8-member parliamentary committee upon the recommendation of the Judicial Commission, a 9-member body of judges and other judicial professionals, and appointed by the president; justices can serve until age 65
Subordinate courts: High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues, such as taxation, banking, and customs

Political parties and leaders:

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 (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ali Jehangir SIDDIQUI (since 22 June 2018)
In the us chancery: 3,517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 243-6,500
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534
In the us consulate:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador David M. HALE (since 3 December 2015)
From the us embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
From the us mailing address: 8,100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20,521-8,100
From the us telephone: [92] 51-201-4,000
From the us FAX: [92] 51-227-6,427
From the us consulate:

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: star and crescent, jasmine; national colors: green, white

National anthem
Name: Qaumi Tarana (National Anthem)
Lyricsmusic: Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA: note: adopted 1954; also known as 'Pak sarzamin shad bad' (Blessed Be the Sacred Land)

Economy overview: Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to underdevelopment in Pakistan. Pakistan has a large English-speaking population, with English-language skills less prevalent outside urban centers. Despite some progress in recent years in both security and energy, a challenging security environment, electricity shortages, and a burdensome investment climate have traditionally deterred investors. Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles and apparel account for more than half of Pakistan's export earnings; Pakistan's failure to diversify its exports has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Pakistan’s GDP growth has gradually increased since 2012, and was 5.3% in 2017. Official unemployment was 6% in 2017, but this fails to capture the true picture, because much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high. Human development continues to lag behind most of the region.In 2013, Pakistan embarked on a $6.3 billion IMF Extended Fund Facility, which focused on reducing energy shortages, stabilizing public finances, increasing revenue collection, and improving its balance of payments position. The program concluded in September 2016. Although Pakistan missed several structural reform criteria, it restored macroeconomic stability, improved its credit rating, and boosted growth. The Pakistani rupee has remained relatively stable against the US dollar since 2015, though it declined about 10% between November 2017 and March 2018. Balance of payments concerns have reemerged, however, as a result of a significant increase in imports and weak export and remittance growth.Pakistan must continue to address several longstanding issues, including expanding investment in education, healthcare, and sanitation; adapting to the effects of climate change and natural disasters; improving the country’s business environment; and widening the country’s tax base. Given demographic challenges, Pakistan’s leadership will be pressed to implement economic reforms, promote further development of the energy sector, and attract foreign investment to support sufficient economic growth necessary to employ its growing and rapidly urbanizing population, much of which is under the age of 25.In an effort to boost development, Pakistan and China are implementing the 'China-Pakistan Economic Corridor' (CPEC) with $60 billion in investments targeted towards energy and other infrastructure projects. Pakistan believes CPEC investments will enable growth rates of over 6% of GDP by laying the groundwork for increased exports. CPEC-related obligations, however, have raised IMF concern about Pakistan’s capital outflows and external financing needs over the medium term.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 25

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 41

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 171

Gross national saving:
Rank: 151

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 82% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 11.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 14.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.6% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 8.2% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -17.6% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 24.4% (2016 est.)
Industry: 19.1% (2016 est.)
Services: 56.5% (2017 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 5.4% (2017 est.)
Rank: 53

Labor force:
Rank: 9
By occupation agriculture: 42.3%
By occupation industry: 22.6%
By occupation services: 35.1% (FY2015 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 90

Population below poverty line: 29.5% (FY2013 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 26.1% (FY2013)
Highest 10: 26.1% (FY2013)

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 130

Budget
Revenues: 46.81 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 64.49 billion (2017 est.): note: data are for fiscal years
Surplus or deficit: -5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 178

Taxes and other revenues: 15.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 190

Public debt:
Rank: 56

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 161

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 71

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 119

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 36

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 36

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 48

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 54

Current account balance:
Rank: 194

Exports:
Rank: 62
Partners: US 17.7%, UK 7.7%, China 6%, Germany 5.8%, Afghanistan 5.2%, UAE 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2017)
Commodities: textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sporting goods, chemicals, manufactures, surgical instruments, carpets and rugs

Imports:
Rank: 51
Commodities: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea
Partners: China 27.4%, UAE 13.7%, US 4.9%, Indonesia 4.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.2% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 62

Debt external:
Rank: 55

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 62

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 83

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 49.5 million (2013)
Access electrification total population: 73% (2013)
Access electrification urban areas: 91% (2013)
Access electrification rural areas: 62% (2013)
Production: 109.7 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 32
Consumption: 92.33 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 34
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 182
Imports: 490 million kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 80
Installed generating capacity: 26.9 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 35
Generation sources fossil fuels: 62% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 125
Generation sources nuclear: 5% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 22
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 74
Generation sources other renewable sources: 7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 94

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 89,720 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 44
Crude oil exports: 13,150 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 58
Crude oil imports: 168,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 34
Crude oil proven reserves: 332.2 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 52

Refined petroleum
Products production: 291,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 43
Products consumption: 557,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 33
Products exports: 25,510 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 68
Products imports: 264,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 27

Natural gas
Production: 39.05 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 21
Consumption: 45.05 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 20
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 165
Imports: 6.003 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 32
Proven reserves: 588.8 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 30

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 179.5 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 33

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,940,243 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 47
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 144,525,637 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 10

Telephone system
General assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving, with investments in mobile-cellular networks increasing, but fixed-line subscriptions declining; system consists of microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks; 3G and 4G mobile services introduced (2015)
Domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed; more than 90% of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage; fiber-optic networks are being constructed throughout the country to increase broadband access, though broadband penetration in Pakistan is still relatively low (2015)
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 (2015)

Broadcast media: media is government regulated; 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), operates a network consisting of 8 channels; private TV broadcasters are permitted; to date 69 foreign satellite channels are operational; the state-owned radio network operates more than 30 stations; nearly 200 commercially licensed, privately owned radio stations provide programming mostly limited to music and talk shows (2017)

Internet
Country code: .pk
Users total: 31,338,715 (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 15.5% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 23

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1,829,673 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
Rank: 53

Military expenditures:
Rank: 19

Military service age and obligation: 16-23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; women serve in all three armed forces; reserve obligation to age 45 for enlisted men, age 50 for officers (2017)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 4 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 67 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 8,467,827 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 183,177,313
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: AP (2016)

Airports: 151 (2013)
Rank: 37
With paved runways total: 108 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 15 (2017)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 20 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 43 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 20 (2017)
With paved runways under 914 m: 10 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 43 (2013)
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 9 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 24 (2013)

Heliports: 23 (2013)

Pipelines: 12,646 km gas, 2,576 km oil, 1087 km refined products (2013)

Railways
Total: 11,881 km (2015)
Narrow gauge: 389 km
Note: 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) (2015)
Broad gauge: 11,492 km
Rank: 22

Roadways
Total: 263,942 km (2014)
Paved: 185,063 km
Note: (includes 708 km of expressways) (2014)
Unpaved: 78,879 km (2014)
Rank: 21

Merchant marine
Total: 52 (2017)
By type: bulk carrier 5, oil tanker 6, other 41 (2017)
Rank: 114

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim
Container port: Karachi (2,100,000) (2016)
LNG terminal: Port 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 regionKashmir 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 has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease-fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed standoff in the Siachen glacier regionPakistan 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 tributariesto 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 SeaPakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat Statesince 2002, with UN assistance, Pakistan has repatriated 3.8 million Afghan refugees, leaving about 2.6 millionPakistan has sent troops across and built fences along some remote tribal areas of its treaty-defined Durand Line border with Afghanistan, which serve as bases for foreign terrorists and other illegal activitiesAfghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 2.58-2.68 million (1.4 million registered, 1.18-1.28 million undocumented) (Afghanistan) (2017)
IDPs: 249,000 (primarily those who remain displaced by counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations and violent conflict between armed non-state groups in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber-Paktunkwa Province; more than 1 million displaced in northern Waziristan in 2014; individuals also have been displaced by repeated monsoon floods) (2017)

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 930 hectares in 2015; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that utilizes forced eradication, fines, and arrests