World Facts Index
 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. The dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and
confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. Mounting
public dissatisfaction with President MUSHARRAF, coupled with the assassination
of the prominent and popular political leader, Benazir BHUTTO, in late 2007, and
MUSHARRAF's resignation in August 2008, led to the September presidential
election of Asif ZARDARI, BHUTTO's widower. Pakistani government and military
leaders are struggling to control Islamist militants, many of whom are located
in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan. The Pakistani
government is also faced with a deteriorating economy as foreign exchange
reserves decline, the currency depreciates, and the current account deficit
widens.
Geography of Pakistan
|
Location:
|
Southern Asia, bordering
the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on
the west and China in the north |
|
Coordinates:
|
30 00 N, 70 00 E |
|
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:
|
contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental
margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 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 |
|
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 |
|
Geography - note:
|
controls Khyber Pass and
Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the
Indian Subcontinent
|
Population of Pakistan
|
Population:
|
172,800,048 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 39% (male 33,293,428/female 31,434,314)
15-64 years: 56.9% (male 48,214,298/female 46,062,933)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 3,256,065/female 3,542,522) |
|
Median age:
|
19.8 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
2.09% |
|
Infant mortality:
|
70.45 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 63.39 years
male: 62.4 years
female: 64.44 years |
|
Fertility rate:
|
4 children born/woman |
|
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%),
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: 45.7%
male: 59.8%
female: 30.6%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Islamic
Republic of Pakistan
former: West Pakistan |
|
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 Province, 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:
|
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 Asif Ali ZARDARI
(since 9 September 2008)
head of government: Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25 March 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the President upon the advice of the prime
minister
elections: the president is 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; 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 is selected by the National Assembly. |
|
Legislative branch:
|
bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the
Senate (100 seats - formerly 87; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to
serve six-year terms and the National Assembly (342 seats - formerly 217; 60 seats
represent women; 10 seats represent minorities; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms) |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Court (justices appointed by the
president); Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
military remains most important political
force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential |
Economy
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, since 2001,
IMF-approved reforms - most notably, privatization of the banking sector -
bolstered by generous foreign assistance and renewed access to global markets,
have generated macroeconomic recovery. Pakistan has experienced GDP growth in
the 6-8% range in 2004-07, spurred by gains in the industrial and service
sectors. 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. In 2007 the fiscal
deficit - a result of chronically low tax collection and increased spending -
exceeded Islamabad's target of 4% of GDP. Inflation remains the top concern
among the public, jumping from 7.7% in 2007 to more than 11% during the first
few months of 2008, primarily because of rising world commodity prices. The
Pakistani rupee has depreciated since the proclamation of emergency rule in
November 2007.
|
GDP:
|
$411.9 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
6.9% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$2,400 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 21.6%
industry: 25.1%
services: 53.3% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
9.1% |
|
Labor force:
|
46.84 million
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture: 42%
industry: 20%
services: 38% |
|
Unemployment:
|
6.6% plus substantial underemployment |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $15.45 billion
expenditures: $20.07 billion |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 68.8%
hydro: 28.2%
nuclear: 3% |
|
Industries:
|
textiles and apparel, food processing,
pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp |
|
Agriculture:
|
cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits,
vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs |
|
Exports:
|
textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton
cloth, and yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and
rugs |
|
Export partners:
|
US 22.4%, UAE 8.3%, UK 6%, China 5.4%, Germany 4.7% |
|
Imports:
|
petroleum, petroleum products, machinery,
plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea |
|
Import partners:
|
China 14.7%, Saudi Arabia 10.1%, UAE 8.7%, Japan 6.5%, US
5.3%, Germany 5%, Kuwait 4.9% |
|
Currency:
|
Pakistani rupee (PKR) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |