| 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. A dispute over
the state of Kashmir is ongoing. In response to Indian
nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in
1998. |
| 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
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 |
| 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, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban |
| Geography
- note: |
controls Khyber
Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between
Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent |
| Population: |
144,616,639 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
40.47% (male 30,131,400; female 28,391,891)
15-64 years: 55.42% (male 40,977,543; female
39,164,663)
65 years and over: 4.11% (male 2,918,872;
female 3,032,270) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.11% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
31.21
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
9.26 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.84 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 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: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
80.5 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 61.45 years
male: 60.61 years
female: 62.32 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
4.41 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.1% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
74,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
6,500 (1999 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: 42.7%
male: 55.3%
female: 29% (1998) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: Pakistan
former: West Pakistan |
| Government
type: |
federal republic |
| 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 |
| 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: |
note:
following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of
Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Committee, Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF suspended Pakistan's
constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief
Executive; exercising the powers of the head of the
government, he appointed an eight-member National Security
Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body;
President Mohammad Rafiq TARAR remains the ceremonial chief
of state; 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
chief of state: President Mohammad Rafiq TARAR
(since 31 December 1997)
head of government: Chief Executive Gen. Pervez
MUSHARRAF (since 12 October 1999)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the chief
executive
elections: president elected by Parliament for
a five-year term; election last held 31 December 1997 (next
to be held NA 2002); 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); note - Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF overthrew the
government of Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF in the
military takeover of 12 October 1999; in May 2000, the
Supreme Court validated the October 1999 coup and set a
three-year limit in office for Chief Executive MUSHARRAF
election results: Rafiq TARAR elected
president; percent of Parliament and provincial vote - NA%;
results are for the last election for prime minister prior
to the military takeover of 12 October 1999 - Mohammad Nawaz
SHARIF elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly
vote - NA% |
| Legislative
branch: |
note - Gen.
Pervez MUSHARRAF dissolved Parliament following the military
takeover of 12 October 1999; 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); National Assembly - last held 3
February 1997 (next to be held NA); note - no timetable has
yet been given for elections following the military takeover
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; note - Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF
dismissed Parliament 15 October 1999 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court
(justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or
Shari'a Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
note:
Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF dissolved Parliament following the
military takeover of 12 October 1999, however, political
parties have been allowed to operate; 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]; 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-Pakistan, Niazi faction or JUP/NI [Abdul
Sattar Khan NIAZI]; Millat Party [Farooq LEGHARI]; Milli
Yakjheti Council or MYC is an umbrella organization which
includes Jamaat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED], Jamiat
Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-Haq faction or JUI/S [Sami ul-HAQ],
Tehrik-I-Jafria Pakistan or TJP [Allama Sajid NAQVI], and
Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Noorani faction or JUP/NO [Shah
Ahmad NOORANI]; Mutahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or
MQM/A [Altaf HUSSAIN]; 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 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 National Party or PNP [Hasil
BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Benazir BHUTTO];
Pakistan People's Party/Shaheed Bhutto or PPP/SB [Ghinva
BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift
frequently |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
military remains
important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners,
industrialists, and small merchants also influential |
| International
organization participation: |
AsDB, C
(suspended), 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, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC,
OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Maleeha LODHI
chancery: 2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6200
FAX: [1] (202) 387-0484
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador William B. MILAM
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) general: Karachi
consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar |
| 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
- overview: |
Pakistan is a
poor, heavily populated country, suffering from internal
political disputes, lack of foreign investment, and a costly
confrontation with neighboring India. Pakistan's economic
outlook continues to be marred by its weak foreign exchange
position, which relies on international creditors for hard
currency inflows. The MUSHARRAF government will face an
estimated $21 billion in foreign debt coming due in 2000-03,
despite having rescheduled nearly $2 billion in debt with
Paris Club members. Foreign loans and grants provide
approximately 25% of government revenue, but debt service
obligations total nearly 50% of government expenditure.
Although Pakistan successfully negotiated a $600 million IMF
Stand-By Arrangement, future loan installments will be
jeopardized if Pakistan misses critical IMF benchmarks on
revenue collection and the fiscal deficit. MUSHARRAF has
complied largely with IMF recommendations to raise petroleum
prices, widen the tax net, privatize public sector assets,
and improve the balance of trade. However, Pakistan's
economic prospects remain uncertain; too little has changed
despite the new administration's intentions. Foreign
exchange reserves hover at roughly $1 billion, GDP growth
hinges on crop performance, the import bill has been
hammered by high oil prices, and both foreign and domestic
investors remain wary of committing to projects in Pakistan. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $282 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4.8% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
25.4%
industry: 24.9%
services: 49.7% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
40% (2000 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
4.1%
highest 10%: 27.7% (1996) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
5.2% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
40 million
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the
Middle East, and use of child labor (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 44%,
industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
6% (FY99/00 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$8.9 billion
expenditures: $11.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
| Industries: |
textiles, food
processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing,
paper products, shrimp |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
3.8% (1999 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
62.078 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
63.38%
hydro: 36.51%
nuclear: 0.11%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
57.732 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
cotton, wheat,
rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton,
eggs |
| Exports: |
$8.6 billion
(f.o.b., FY99/00) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
textiles
(garments, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, other agricultural
products |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 24%, Hong Kong
7%, UK 7%, Germany 6%, UAE 6% (FY99/00) |
| Imports: |
$9.6 billion
(f.o.b., FY99/00) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery,
petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals, transportation
equipment, edible oils, grains, pulses, flour |
| Imports
- partners: |
Saudi Arabia 8%,
UAE 8%, US 6%, Japan 6%, Malaysia 4% (FY99/00) |
| Debt
- external: |
$38 billion (2000
est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$2 billion
(FY99/00) |
| Currency: |
Pakistani rupee (PKR) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Pakistani rupees
per US dollar - 59.152 (January 2001), 52.814 (2000), 49.118
(1999), 44.943 (1998), 40.918 (1997), 35.909 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 July - 30 June |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
2.861 million
(March 1999) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
158,000 (1998) |
| 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: 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) |
| 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
Service Providers (ISPs): |
30 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
1.2 million
(2000) |
| 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.)
(2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
247,811 km
paved: 141,252 km (including 339 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 106,559 km (1998) |
| 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:
17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 240,605 GRT/367,040
DWT
ships by type: cargo 13, container 3, petroleum
tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
117 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
82
over 3,047 m: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
35
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 17 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy, Air
Force, Civil Armed Forces, National Guard |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
17 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 35,770,928 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 21,897,366 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
1,657,723 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$2.435 billion
(FY99/00) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
3.9% (FY99/00) |
| Disputes
- international: |
status of Kashmir
with India; water-sharing problems with India over the Indus
River (Wular Barrage) |
| Illicit
drugs: |
key transit area
for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western markets;
narcotics still move from Afghanistan into Balochistan
Province |
|
