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Background:
|
 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. A third war between
these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and
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 recent discussions and confindence-building
measures may be a start toward lessened tensions. |
|
Location:
|
Southern Asia,
bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran
and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north |
|
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 |
|
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:
27.81%
permanent crops: 0.79%
other: 71.4% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
180,000 sq km
(1998 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, 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 |
|
Population:
|
159,196,336 (July
2004 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
40.2% (male 32,919,441; female 31,058,929)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 45,381,469; female 43,377,613)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 3,123,594; female
3,335,290) (2004 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
19.4 years
male: 19.2 years
female: 19.5 years (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
1.98% (2004 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
31.22
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
8.67 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
-2.77 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 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: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
74.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 74 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 74.84 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 62.61 years
male: 61.69 years
female: 63.58 years (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.1% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
78,000 (2001
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
4,500 (2001 est.) |
|
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% (2003 est.) |
|
Country name:
|
conventional
long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: 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:
|
10 April 1973,
suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December
1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored 31 December 2002 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on English
common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as
an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations |
|
Executive branch:
|
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
chief of state: President Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20
June 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan
JAMALI (since 23 November 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister
election results: results are for the 10 October 2002
election for prime minister - Mir Zafarullah Khan JAMALI
elected prime minister
elections: the president is elected by Parliament for a
five-year term; note - in a referendum held on 30 April 2002,
MUSHARRAF's presidency was extended by five more years (next
to be held NA 2007); the prime minister is selected by the
National Assembly for a five-year term (next to be held NA
2007) |
|
Legislative branch:
|
bicameral
Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100
seats - formerly 87; members indirectly elected by provincial
assemblies to serve four-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
four-year terms)
election results: Senate results - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - PML/Q 40, PPPP 11, MMA 21, MQM/A
6, PML/N 4, NA 3, PML/F 1, PkMAP 2, ANP 2, PPP/S 2, JWP 1,
BNP-Awami 1, BNP-Mengal 1, BNM/H 1, independents 4; National
Assembly results - percent of votes by party - NA%; seats by
party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63, PML/N 19, MQM/A 17, NA 16,
PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1, PAT 1, PML/Z 1, PTI
1, MQM/H 1, PkMAP 1, independents 3
elections: Senate - last held 24 and 27 February 2003
(next to be held by February 2007); National Assembly - last
held 10 October 2002 (next to be held by October 2006) |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Court
(justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or
Shari'a Court |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Awami National
Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Movement/Hayee
Group or BNM/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch National Party or
BNP [Sardar Akhtar MENGAL]; Baluch National Party/Awami or BNP/Awami
[Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP [Akbar Khan
BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; 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-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat
Ulema-i-Pakistan, Noorani faction or JUP/NO [leader NA];
Millat Party or MP [Farooq LEGHARI]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement,
Altaf faction or MQM/A [Altaf HUSSAIN]; Muhajir Quami
Movement, Haqiqi faction or MQM/H [Afaq AHMAD]; Muttahida
Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan or MMA [leader NA]; National Alliance
or NA [Farooq Ahmad Khan LEGHARI]; National People's Party or
NPP [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI]; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or
PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakhtun Quami Party or PQP
[Mohammed Afzal KHAN]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul
QADRI]; Pakistan Democratic Party or PDP [Mehbooba Mufti
SAYEED]; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F [Pir
PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League, Junejo faction or PML/J [Hamid
Nasir CHATTHA]; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction
or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League, Quaid-l-Azam
faction or PML/Q [Chaudhry Shujjat HUSSAIN]; Pakistan Muslim
League, Zia-ul-HAQ or PML/Z [Ejaz ul-Haq]; Pakistan National
Party or PNP [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Benazir
BHUTTO]; Pakistan People's Party/Sherpao or PPP/S [Aftab Ahmed
Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan People's Party/Shaheed Bhutto or
PPP/SB [Ghinva BHUTTO]; Pakistan People's Party
Parliamentarians or PPPP [Amin FAHIM]; 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 |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir QAZI
FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, and Boston
telephone: [1] (202) 243-3277
chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC
20008 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL
embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE
09812-2200
telephone: [92] (51) 2080-0000
FAX: [92] (51) 2276427
consulate(s): Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar |
|
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 late 2001, have generated solid
macroeconomic recovery the last two years. The government has
made substantial inroads in macroeconomic reform since 2000,
although progress on more politically sensitive reforms has
slowed. For example, in the third and final year of its $1.3
billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, Islamabad
has continued to require waivers for energy sector reforms.
While long-term prospects remain uncertain, given Pakistan's
low level of development, medium-term prospects for job
creation and poverty reduction are the best in nearly a
decade. Islamabad has raised development spending from about
2% of GDP in the 1990s to 4% in 2003, a necessary step towards
reversing the broad underdevelopment of its social sector. GDP
growth is heavily dependent on rain-fed crops, and last year's
end to a four-year drought should support moderate
agricultural growth for the next few years. Foreign exchange
reserves continued to reach new levels in 2003, supported by
robust export growth and steady worker remittances. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power
parity - $317.7 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
5.4% (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $2,100 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
23.6%
industry: 25.1%
services: 51.3% (2003 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
35% (2001 est.) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
3.1% (FY02/03
est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
40.4 million
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle
East, and use of child labor (2000) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 44%,
industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
7.7% plus
substantial underemployment (2003 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$12.2 billion
expenditures: $12.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY02/03 est.) |
|
Industries:
|
textiles and
apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction
materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
5.4% (FY02/03
est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
66.96 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
68.8%
hydro: 28.2%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 3% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
62.27 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Oil - production:
|
62,870 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
365,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
23.4 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
23.4 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
cotton, wheat,
rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs |
|
Exports:
|
$11.7 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
textiles
(garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather
goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs |
|
Exports - partners:
|
US 24.5%, UAE
8.4%, UK 7.2%, Germany 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.8% (2002) |
|
Imports:
|
$12.51 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
petroleum,
petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation
equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel,
tea |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Saudi Arabia
11.8%, UAE 11.1%, Kuwait 6.8%, US 6.5%, China 6.3%, Japan 6%,
Malaysia 4.6%, Germany 4.4% (2002) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$33.2 billion
(2003 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$2.4 billion
(FY01/02) |
|
Currency:
|
Pakistani rupee (PKR) |
|
Currency code:
|
PKR |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Pakistani rupees
per US dollar - 57.75 (2003), 59.72 (2002), 61.93 (2001),
53.65 (2000), 49.12 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 July - 30 June |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
3.655 million
(2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
1,238,600 (2002) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: 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 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 (1999) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 27, FM 1,
shortwave 21 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
22 (plus seven
low-power repeaters) (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.pk |
|
Internet hosts:
|
12,707 (2002) |
|
Internet users:
|
1.5 million
(2002) |
|
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 (2002) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
254,410 km
paved: 109,396 km (including 339 km of expressways)
unpaved: 145,014 km (1999) |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Pipelines:
|
gas 9,945 km; oil
1,821 km (2003) |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Karachi, Port
Muhammad bin Qasim |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 17
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 329,486 GRT/512,506 DWT
by type: cargo 11, container 2, petroleum tanker 4
registered in other countries: 16 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports:
|
129 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 91
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 4 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 33 |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 38
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
under 914 m: 19 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 10 |
|
Heliports:
|
15 (2003 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
Army, Navy, Air
Force |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
17 years of age
(2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age
15-49: 39,793,586 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age
15-49: 24,355,985 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males:
1,891,101 (2004 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$2.7 billion
(FY02/03) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
3.9% (FY02/03) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
Kashmir remains
the world's largest and most highly 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), but recent discussions and
confidence-building measures among the parties are beginning
to defuse tensions; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding
lands to China in 1965 boundary agreement; disputes with
Pakistan over Indus River water sharing and the terminus of
the Sir Creek Estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch, which
prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Pakistani maps
continue to show Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State;
despite largely successful UN efforts at voluntary
repatriation, thousands of Afghan refugees continue to reside
in Pakistan; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal areas
to control the border with Afghanistan to stem organized
terrorist and other illegal cross-border activities; regular
meetings with Afghanistani and coalition allies aim to resolve
periodic claims of boundary encroachments |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
opium poppy
cultivation practically eliminated; key transit point for
Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western markets; Afghan
narcotics continue to transit Federally Administered Tribal
Areas, Balochistan Province, and Karachi; financial crimes
related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and
smuggling remain problems |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|