Pakistan
Country Guide

Explore Pakistan

Pakistan with its capital Islamabad is located in Asia (Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea). It covers some 796,096 square kilometers (slightly more than five times the size of Georgia) with a population of 204,925,000. Urdu, English, Panjabi, Sindhi and Pushto are some of the languages spoken by the majority in Pakistan (consider regional differences). Afghanistan, China, India and Iran are bordering countries.

Pakistan is a a large country ( 1.5 times the size of France) in South Asia. Observe the wonders of Karachi, Pakistan's former capital and its largest city, situated on the shores of the Arabian Sea. The magnificent Quaid-e-Azam's Mazar, the mausoleum of the founder of Pakistan, is made entirely of white marble with impressive north African arches. Pakistan boasts some of the highest mountains in the world in Kashmir, including the famous Nanga Parbat and the second-highest mountain in the world, K2. The Baltoro Glacier and the Batura Glacier are the largest outside the polar regions.

Popular Destinations in Pakistan

Administrative regions of Pakistan

• Azad Kashmir
• Balochistan
• Federally Administered Tribal Areas
• Gilgit-Baltistan
• Islamabad Capital Territory
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• Punjab
• Sindh

About the country

The terrain is 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. The average density of population is about 257 per km². The climate in Pakistan can be described as mostly hot, dry deserttemperate in northwest, arctic in north. Possible natural disasters include flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west

To reach someone Pakistan dial +92 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".pk". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, D). The sign for the locally used currency Rupee is PKR.

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.

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 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 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. 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.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 37)	796,095	sq km
Land (World Rank: 36)	770,875	sq km
Water (World Rank: 20)	25,220	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 145)	6.50	%
Comparative	slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California
Coastline
1046
Landborder
7257
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 3)	8,611	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 118)	35.20	%
Arable (World Rank: 34)	27.60	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 117)	1.10	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 145)	6.50	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 4)	202,000	sq km
Map reference
Asia
Environment
Issues	- and agricultural runoff - deforestation - desertification - industrial wastes - limited natural freshwater resources - most of the population does not have access to potable water - soil erosion - water pollution from raw sewage
Agreement party	- 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
Agreement signed	Marine Life Conservation
Hazzards	- flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) - frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west
Location
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north
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

---

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 6)	204,925,000
Deathrate (World Rank: 149)	0.63	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 73)	2.19	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 80)	1.43	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 111)	-0.13	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 74)	2.62	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 160)	23.70
Female (World Rank: 166)	23.80
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 5)	33,005,600
0 14 female (World Rank: 5)	31,265,500
15 24 male (World Rank: 4)	22,337,900
15 24 female (World Rank: 5)	20,980,500
25 54 male (World Rank: 6)	39,846,400
25 54 female (World Rank: 6)	36,907,700
55 64 male (World Rank: 9)	5,739,820
55 64 female (World Rank: 9)	5,669,500
65 x male (World Rank: 13)	4,261,920
65 x female (World Rank: 14)	4,910,090
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 26)	5.21	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 166)	68	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 165)	70	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 160)	66	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 120)	0.81
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 168)	0.60
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 146)	63.50	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 147)	8.60	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 130)	91.40	%

---

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 33)	104,500,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 34)	85,900,000,000	kWh
Import (World Rank: 82)	452,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 125)	61.80	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 132)	3.00	%
Source renew (World Rank: 88)	5.70	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 45)	85,500	bbl / day
Exports (World Rank: 76)	493	bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 33)	166,000	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 54)	350,600,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 45)	259,500	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 33)	517,000	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 69)	20,720	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 27)	247,300	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 22)	39,300,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 22)	48,060,000,000	m³
Import (World Rank: 7)	0	m³
Carbon footprint
145000000

---

Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 150)	3	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 21)	4	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 186)	3	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 142)	-5	% of GDP
National symbol
star and crescent
National colours
white
Adjective
Pakistani
Noun
Pakistani(s)
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 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 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. 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.
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

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 25)	986,300,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 50)	4.50	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 169)	5,100	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 32)	24.60	%
Source industry (World Rank: 155)	19.40	%
Source service (World Rank: 146)	56.00	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 9)	62,540,000
In poverty (World Rank: 67)	29.50	%
Products
Industries	- apparel - construction materials - fertilizer - food processing - paper products - pharmaceuticals - shrimp - surgical instruments - textiles
Agriculture	- beef - cotton - eggs - fruits - milk - mutton - rice - sugarcane - vegetables - wheat
Exports	- bed linen - carpets - chemicals - cotton cloth - leather goods - manufactures - rice - rugs - sporting goods - surgical instruments - textiles (garments - yarn)
Imports	- edible oils - iron - machinery - paper - paperboard - petroleum - petroleum products - plastics - steel - tea - transportation equipment

---

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 50)	3,067,910
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 177)	2.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 185)	68.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 23)	31,338,700
Population (World Rank: 195)	15.50	%

---

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 21)	108.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 64)	43.00
Heliports (World Rank: 12)	23.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 22)	11,881
Road
Total length (World Rank: 21)	263,942
Paved length (World Rank: 16)	185,063
Unpaved length (World Rank: 25)	78,879

---