| 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 - 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 November 2008 Mumbai attacks again inflamed Indo-Pakistan relations. The Pakistani Government is also faced with a deteriorating economy as foreign exchange reserves decline, the currency depreciates, and the current account deficit widens. |
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| Controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. | |
| 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 |
| Area: | total: 803,940 sq km
Size comparison: slightly less than twice the size of California |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 6,774 km
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| Coastline: | 1,046 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
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| 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
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| Natural resources: | land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone |
| Land use: | arable land: 24.44%
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| 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) |
| Current Environment Issues: | water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification |
| International Environment 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
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| Population: | 176,242,949 (July 2009 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 37.2% (male 33,739,547/female 31,868,065)
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| Median age: | total: 20.8 years
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| Population growth rate: | 1.947% (2009 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 28.35 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.85 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
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| Infant mortality rate: | total: 65.14 deaths/1,000 live births
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| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 64.49 years
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| Total fertility rate: | 3.6 children born/woman (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 96,000 (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 5,100 (2007 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Pakistani(s)
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| Ethnic groups: | Punjabi 44.68%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.42%, Sindhi 14.1%, Sariaki 8.38%, Muhagirs 7.57%, Balochi 3.57%, other 6.28% |
| Religions: | Muslim 95% (Sunni 75%, Shia 20%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 5% |
| 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
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| Country name: | conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
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| Government type: | federal republic |
| Capital: | name: Islamabad
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| Administrative divisions: | 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
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| Independence: | 14 August 1947 (from British India) |
| National holiday: | Republic Day, 23 March (1956) |
| Constitution: | 12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007; restored on 15 December 2007 |
| 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)
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| 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)
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| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Sharia Court |
| Political parties and leaders: | Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Party-Hayee Group or BNP-H [Dr. Hayee BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat Ahle Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Fazlur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Sami-ul HAQ 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); National Peoples Party or NPP; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Sharif or PML-N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; Pakistan Peoples Party-SHERPAO or PPP-S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI, chairman; Asif Ali ZARDARI, co-chairman]; Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]
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| Political pressure groups and leaders: | other: military (most important political force); ulema (clergy); landowners; industrialists; small merchants |
| International organization participation: | ADB, ARF, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Husain HAQQANI
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| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON
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| Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and declining exports of manufactures. Faced with untenable budgetary deficits, high inflation, and hemorrhaging foreign exchange reserves, the government agreed to an International Monetary Fund Standby Arrangement in November 2008. Between 2004-07, GDP growth in the 6-8% range was spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors, despite severe electricity shortfalls. Poverty levels decreased by 10% since 2001, and Islamabad steadily raised development spending in recent years. In 2008 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 24.4% in 2008, primarily because of rising world fuel and commodity prices. In addition, the Pakistani rupee has depreciated significantly as a result of political and economic instability. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $452.7 billion (2008 est.) $427.9 billion (2007) $404.5 billion (2006) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $160.9 billion (2008 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 5.8% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $2,600 (2008 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 20.4%
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| Labor force: | 50.58 million note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2008 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 43%
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| Unemployment rate: | 7.4% plus substantial underemployment (2008 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 24% (FY05/06 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 4%
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| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 30.6 (FY07/08) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 20.8% (2008 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | 20% of GDP (2008 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $22.14 billion
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| Public debt: | 49.8% of GDP (2008 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs |
| Industries: | textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 4.6% (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 93.26 billion kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 68.4 billion kWh (2006 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 68,670 bbl/day (2007 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 345,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 28,060 bbl/day (2005) |
| Oil - imports: | 290,600 bbl/day (2005) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 289.2 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 30.8 billion cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 30.8 billion cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 792.8 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$10.57 billion (2008 est.) |
| Exports: | $20.62 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs |
| Exports - partners: | US 18%, UAE 10.4%, Afghanistan 8.4%, China 5.2%, UK 4.7% (2007) |
| Imports: | $35.38 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea |
| Imports - partners: | China 16.2%, Saudi Arabia 10.9%, UAE 10.1%, US 5.7%, Kuwait 4.9%, Japan 4.4% (2007) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $9.104 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $43.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $25.31 billion (2008 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $1.032 billion (2008 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $70.26 billion (31 December 2007) |
| Currency (code): | Pakistani rupee (PKR) |
| Exchange rates: | Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 70.64 (2008 est.), 60.6295 (2007), 60.35 (2006), 59.515 (2005), 58.258 (2004) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June |
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| Telephones in use: | 4.546 million (2008) |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 88.02 million (2008) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line and mobile networks; mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, reaching some 88 million in 2008, 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
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| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 31, FM 68, shortwave NA (2006) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 20 (5 state-run channels and 15 privately-owned satellite channels) (2006) |
| Internet country code: | .pk |
| Internet hosts: | 197,264 (2008) |
| Internet users: | 17.5 million (2007) |
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| Airports: | 146 (2007) |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 92
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| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 54
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| Heliports: | 18 (2007) |
| Pipelines: | gas 10,402 km; oil 2,076 km; refined products 792 km (2008) |
| Railways: | total: 8,163 km
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| Roadways: | total: 259,758 km
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| Merchant marine: | total: 15
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| Ports and terminals: | Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim |
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| Military branches: | Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines and Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya) (2008) |
| 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: 42,633,765
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| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 33,690,322
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