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Guide to Pakistan

Introduction

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, and India and Pakistan have 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 recent discussions and confidence-building measures may be a start toward lessened tensions.

Geography

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
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total
Coastline: 1,046 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea
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
Natural resources: land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
Land use: arable land
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
Geography - note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People

Population: 162,419,946 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 2.03% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 30.42 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 8.45 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 4.14 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 74,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,900 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk
Nationality: noun
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

Government

Country name: conventional long form
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
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 31 December 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: note
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) elections
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/Awami or BNP/Awami [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Baluch National Party-Mengal or BNP/M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP [Akbar Khan BUGTI]; 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]; Millat Party or MP [Farooq LEGHARI]; Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A [Altaf HUSSAIN]; Muttahida Quami Movement, Haqiqi faction or MQM/H [Afaq AHMAD]; 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, 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 National Party or PNP [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [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 pressure groups and leaders: military remains most important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential
International organization participation: ARF, AsDB, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
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, 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 three years. The government has made substantial macroeconomic reforms 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, spurred by double-digit gains in industrial production over the past year, has become less dependent on agriculture. Foreign exchange reserves continued to reach new levels in 2004, supported by robust export growth and steady worker remittances.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $347.3 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 45.43 million note
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 42%, industry 20%, services 38% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate: 8.3% plus substantial underemployment (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: 32% (FY00/01 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 41 (FY98/99)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.8% (FY03/04 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 16.4% of GDP (FY03/04 est.)
Budget: revenues
Public debt: 71.4% of GDP (2004 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: 13.1% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production: 75.27 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 52.66 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production: 61,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption: 365,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - proved reserves: 325.5 million bbl (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production: 23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 695.6 billion cu m (2004)
Current account balance: $1.4 billion (2004 est.)
Exports: $15.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs
Exports - partners: US 23.5%, UAE 7.4%, UK 7.3%, Germany 5%, Hong Kong 4.4% (2004)
Imports: $14.01 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea
Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 11.6%, UAE 10%, US 9.7%, China 8.4%, Japan 6.5%, Kuwait 5.6% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $12.58 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $33.97 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $2.4 billion (FY01/02)
Currency (code): Pakistani rupee (PKR)
Currency code: PKR
Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 58.258 (2004), 57.752 (2003), 59.724 (2002), 61.927 (2001), 53.648 (2000)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 3,982,800 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,624,800 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)
Radios: 13.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 3.1 million (1997)
Internet country code: .pk
Internet hosts: 15,124 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 30 (2000)
Internet users: 1.5 million (2002)

Transportation

Railways: total
Highways: total
Pipelines: gas 9,945 km; oil 1,821 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim
Merchant marine: total
Airports: 131 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total
Heliports: 15 (2004 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18 (2001)
Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49
Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.848 billion (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.9% (2004)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: recent talks and confidence-building measures have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, 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; in 2004, India and Pakistan instituted a cease fire in the Kashmir, and in 2005 restored bus service across the highly militarized Line of Control; Pakistan has taken its dispute on the impact and benefits of India's building the Baglihar dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir to the World Bank for arbitration and in general the two states still dispute Indus River water sharing; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan resurveyed a portion of the disputed Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in 2004; Pakistani maps continue to show Junagadh in India's Gujarat State; by 2005, Pakistan with UN assistance had repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees and has undertaken a census to count the remaining million or more, many of whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan maintains troops in remote tribal areas to control the border with Afghanistan and root out organized terrorist and other illegal cross-border activities; regular meetings with Afghan and Coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary encroachments
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin)
Illicit drugs: opium poppy in Federally Administered Tribal Areas, North-West Frontier Province, and Balochistan Province has rebounded since it was nearly eliminated in 2001; 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
Last updated: 20 October, 2005


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