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 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 discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002.
Location
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north
Geographic coordinates
30 00 N, 70 00 E
Map references
Asia
Area
total
803,940 sq km
land
778,720 sq km
water
25,220 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries
total
6,774 km
border countries
Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km
Coastline
1,046 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
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 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)
Environment - current issues
Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified
Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note
controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases
dengue fever, malaria, and cutaneous leishmaniasis are high risks depending on location
animal contact disease
rabies
note
highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007)
Nationality
noun
Pakistani(s)
adjective
Pakistani
Ethnic groups
Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants)
Religions
Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3%
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%
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
49.9%
male
63%
female
36% (2005 est.)
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**, 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 Northern Areas
Independence
14 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday
Republic Day, 23 March (1956)
Constitution
12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003
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 General Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June 2001)
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
head of government
Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August 2004)
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections
the president is elected by an electoral college drawn from the national parliament and provincial assemblies for a five-year term; note - Musharraf was last sworn in as President in November 2002; the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly (next elections to be held in late 2007)
election results
AZIZ elected by the National Assembly on 27 August 2004
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; to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009); National Assembly - last held 10 October 2002 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML 39, MMA 18, PPPP 9, MQM 6, PML/N 4, PkMAP 3, PPP/S 3, ANP 2, BNP/A 1, BNP/M 1, JWP 1, PML/F 1, independents 12; National Assembly results - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63, PML/N 19, MQM 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP/A 1, JWP 1, PAT 1, PkMAP 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, independents 4
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court
Political parties and leaders
Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Party/Hayee Group or BNP/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch National Party/Awami or BNP/A [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Baluch National Party-Mengal or BNP/M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami ul-HAQ faction 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); Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; note - as of May 2004, the PML/Q changed its name to PML and absorbed the PML/J, PML/Z, and NA; Pakistan People's Party or PPP/S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i-Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently
Political pressure groups and leaders
military remains most important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential
Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'affaires Peter W. BODDE
embassy
Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
mailing address
P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200
telephone
[92] (51) 208-0000
FAX
[92] (51) 2276427
consulate(s) general
Karachi
consulate(s)
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 2001, have generated solid macroeconomic recovery the last five years. The government has made substantial macroeconomic reforms since 2000, most notably privatizing the banking sector. Poverty levels have decreased by 10% since 2001, and Islamabad has steadily raised development spending in recent years, including a 52% real increase in the budget allocation for development in FY07, a necessary step toward reversing the broad underdevelopment of its social sector. The fiscal deficit - the result of chronically low tax collection and increased spending, including reconstruction costs from the October 2005 earthquake - appears manageable for now. GDP growth, spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors, remained in the 6-8% range in 2004-06. Inflation remains the biggest threat to the economy, jumping to more than 9% in 2005 before easing to 7.9% in 2006. The central bank is pursuing tighter monetary policy - raising interest rates in 2006 - while trying to preserve growth. Foreign exchange reserves are bolstered by steady worker remittances, but a growing current account deficit - driven by a widening trade gap as import growth outstrips export expansion - could draw down reserves and dampen GDP growth in the medium term.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$437.5 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$124 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
6.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$2,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
22%
industry
26%
services
52% (2006 est.)
Labor force
48.29 million
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
42%
industry
20%
services
38% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate
6.5% plus substantial underemployment (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
24% (FY05/06 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)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
7.9% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
15.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$20.55 billion
expenditures
$25.65 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
Public debt
55% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
Industries
textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp
Industrial production growth rate
6% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production
80.24 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
68.8%
hydro
28.2%
nuclear
3%
other
0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
74.62 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production
63,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption
324,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves
358.9 million bbl (2006 est.)
Natural gas - production
27.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
27.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
759.7 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance
-$5.486 billion (2006 est.)
Exports
$19.24 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs
Exports - partners
US 21.2%, UAE 9.1%, Afghanistan 7.7%, China 5.4%, UK 5.1% (2006)
Imports
$26.79 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea
Imports - partners
China 13.7%, Saudi Arabia 10.4%, UAE 9.7%, US 6.4%, Japan 5.7%, Kuwait 4.7%, Germany 4.1% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$13.29 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$42.38 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$2.4 billion (FY01/02)
Currency (code)
Pakistani rupee (PKR)
Currency code
PKR
Exchange rates
Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 60.35 (2006), 59.515 (2005), 58.258 (2004), 57.752 (2003), 59.724 (2002)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Telephones - main lines in use
5,162,798 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular
48,289,136 (2006)
Telephone system
general assessment
the telecom infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line and mobile networks; mobile cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, approaching 50 million in late 2006, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting main line service to rural areas.
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 (2006)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 31, FM 68, shortwave NA (2006)
Radios
13.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
20 (5 state-run channels and 15 privately-owned satellite channels) (2006)
Televisions
3.1 million (1997)
Internet country code
.pk
Internet hosts
72,765 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
30 (2000)
Internet users
10.5 million (2005)
Airports
139 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
91
over 3,047 m
14
2,438 to 3,047 m
21
1,524 to 2,437 m
33
914 to 1,523 m
15
under 914 m
8 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
48
over 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
12
914 to 1,523 m
12
under 914 m
23 (2006)
Heliports
18 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 10,257 km; oil 2,001 km (2006)
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 (2004)
Roadways
total
258,340 km
paved
167,146 km (includes 711 km of expressways)
unpaved
91,194 km (2004)
Merchant marine
total
16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 397,740 GRT/657,656 DWT
11 (Comoros 2, North Korea 3, Malta 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim
Military branches
Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines and Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya) (2007)
Military service age and obligation
16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2006)
Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49
39,028,014
females age 16-49
36,779,584 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49
29,428,747
females age 16-49
28,391,887 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
1,969,055
females age 16-49
1,849,254 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
3.2% (2006 est.)
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 (country of origin)
1,084,208 (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) (2006)
Illicit drugs
opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 800 hectares in 2005 yielding a potential production of 4 metric tons of pure heroin; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that force eradication - fines and arrests will take place if the ban on poppy cultivation is not observed; 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
