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

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:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

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: 27%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 61% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 171,100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

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

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, 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

People

Population: 138,123,359 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 29,423,876; female 27,763,774)
15-64 years: 55% (male 38,533,918; female 36,804,592)
65 years and over: 4% (male 2,768,942; female 2,828,257) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.18% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 33.51 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.45 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 91.86 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.38 years
male: 58.49 years
female: 60.3 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.73 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Pakistani(s)
adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India and their descendants)

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

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%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 50%
female: 24.4% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: Pakistan
former: West Pakistan

Data code: PK

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Islamabad

Administrative divisions: 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier, Punjab, Sindh
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: Pakistan Day, 23 March (1956) (proclamation of the republic)

Constitution: 10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985

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: 21 years of age; universal; separate electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for non-Muslims

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohammad Rafiq TARAR (since 31 December 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF (since 17 February 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 31 December 1997 (next to be held no later than 1 January 2003); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the National Assembly; election last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2002)
election results: Mohammad Rafiq TARAR elected president; percent of Parliament and provincial vote-NA; Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote-NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (87 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve six-year terms; one-third of the members up for election every two years) and the National Assembly (217 seats-10 represent non-Muslims; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate-last held 12 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 1999); National Assembly-last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2002)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PML/N 30, PPP 17, ANP 7, MQM/A 6, JWP 5, BNP 4, JUI/F 2, PML/J 2, BNM/M 1, PKMAP 1, TJP 1, independents 6, vacant 5; National Assembly-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PML/N 137, PPP 18, MQM/A 12, ANP 10, BNP 3, JWP 2, JUI/F 2, PPP/SB 1, NPP 1, independents 21, minorities 10

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judicial chiefs are appointed by the president; Federal Islamic (Shari'a) Court

Political parties:
government: Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N; Balochistan National Movement/Mengal Group or BNM/M; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Pakistan People's Party/Shaheed Bhutto or PPP/SB; Baluch National Party or BNP
opposition: Pakistan People's Party or PPP; Pakistan Muslim League, Junejo faction or PML/J; National People's Party or NPP; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP; Balochistan National Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H; Pakhtun Quami Party or PKQP; Awami National Party or ANP; Mutahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A frequently shifting: Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Niazi faction or JUP/NI; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F; Pakistan National Party or PNP; Milli Yakjheti Council or MYC is an umbrella organization which includes Jamaat-i-Islami or JI, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-Haq faction or JUI/S, Tehrik-I-Jafria Pakistan or TJP, and Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Noorani faction or JUP/NO
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently; subsequent to the election Jamiat Ulema-i-Islami, Fazlur Rehman group or JUI/F was disbanded

Political pressure groups and leaders: military remains important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential

International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNOMSIL, UNPREDEP, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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

Economy-overview: Pakistan continues to suffer through a damaging foreign exchange crisis-stemming from years of loose fiscal policies that have exacerbated inflation and allowed public debt to explode. After accruing more than $1.5 billion in debt arrears in the first six months of FY98/99, Pakistani officials approached multilateral creditors requesting balance-of-payments relief and structural support. In January 1999, Islamabad received more than $1 billion in loans along with $3 billion in debt relief following the Finance Minister DAR's pledge to implement an economic reform program to reduce the budget deficit, deepen the financial sector, and broaden the industrial base. Although the economy has shown signs of improvement following implementation of some corrective measures, Prime Minister SHARIF-historically-has failed to implement the tough structural reforms necessary for sustained, longer-term growth. The government must also cope with long-standing economic vulnerabilities-inadequate infrastructure and low levels of literacy.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$270 billion (1998 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,000 (1998 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 24.2%
industry: 26.4%
services: 49.4% (1997)

Population below poverty line: 34% (1991 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.8% (FY97/98)

Labor force: 37.8 million (1998)
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor

Labor force-by occupation: agriculture 47%, mining and manufacturing 17%, services 17%, other 19%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $10.8 billion
expenditures: $12 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)

Industries: textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (FY97/98)

Electricity-production: 59.336 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity-production by source:
fossil fuel: 57.3%
hydro: 42.13%
nuclear: 0.57%
other: 0% (1997)

Electricity-consumption: 59.336 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity-exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity-imports: 0 kWh (1996)

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

Exports: $8.5 billion (FY97/98)

Exports-commodities: cotton, textiles, clothing, rice, leather, carpets

Exports-partners: EU, US, Hong Kong, Japan

Imports: $10.1 billion (FY97/98)

Imports-commodities: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, transportation equipment, vegetable oils, animal fats, chemicals

Imports-partners: EU, Japan, US, China

Debt-external: $34 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid-recipient: $2 billion (FY97/98)

Currency: 1 Pakistani rupee (PRe) = 100 paisa

Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees (PRs) per US$1-46.000 (January 1999), 45.033 (1998), 41.086 (1997), 36.056 (1996), 31.623 (1995), 30.548 (1994); note-annual average of official rate; parallel market rate is higher

Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

Communications

Telephones: 2.828 million (1998)

Telephone system: 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 international: 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

Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 3, shortwave 18 (1998 est.)

Radios: 10.2 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 22 (in addition, there are seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 2.08 million (1998 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 8,163 km
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified; 1,037 km double track)
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (1996 est.)

Highways:
total: 224,774 km
paved: 128,121 km
unpaved: 96,653 km (1996 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 885 km; natural gas 4,044 km (1987)

Ports and harbors: Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 384,304 GRT/619,668 DWT
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 15, container 3, oil tanker 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 116 (1998 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 80
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
1,524 to 2,437 m: 31
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 18 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 7 (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: status of Kashmir with India; water-sharing problems with India over the Indus River (Wular Barrage)

Illicit drugs: producer of illicit opium and hashish for the international drug trade (poppy cultivation in 1998-3,030 hectares, a 26% drop from 1997 because of eradication and alternative development); limited center for processing Afghan heroin; key transit area for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western markets; narcotics still move from Afghanistan into Baluchistan Province