Pakistan

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of modern-day 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 partition in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India created lasting tension between the two countries. They have fought two wars and a limited conflict -- in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 respectively -- over the Kashmir territory, a dispute that continues to this day. A third war in 1971 -- in which India assisted an indigenous movement reacting to Bengali marginalization 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. Pakistan has been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict with militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks that target government institutions and civilians.

land

770,875 sq km

total

796,095 sq km

water

25,220 sq km

slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California

mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

1,046 km

highest point

K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

lowest point

Arabian Sea 0 m

mean elevation

900 m

30 00 N, 70 00 E

controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

193,400 sq km (2020)

border countries

Afghanistan 2,670 km; China 438 km; India 3,190 km; Iran 959 km

total

7,257 km

agricultural land

35.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 27.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.5% (2018 est.)

forest

2.1% (2018 est.)

other

62.7% (2018 est.)

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Indus Basin

Indus river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,610 km; Sutlej river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 1,372 km; Chenab river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 1,086 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Indian Ocean drainage: Indus (1,081,718 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)

Asia

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

frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

arable land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated

divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain in the center and east, and the Balochistan Plateau in the south and west

0-14 years

34.4% (male 44,330,669/female 42,529,007)

15-64 years

60.7% (male 78,321,834/female 74,833,003)

65 years and over

4.9% (2024 est.) (male 5,735,294/female 6,613,764)

beer

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

25.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

men married by age 18

4.7% (2018 est.)

women married by age 15

3.6%

women married by age 18

18.3%

23.1% (2017/18)

34% (2018/19)

2.8% of GDP (2020)

63.5% (2023 est.)

5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

7.2

potential support ratio

13.9 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

70

youth dependency ratio

62.8

improved: rural

rural: 92.5% of population

improved: total

total: 94% of population

improved: urban

urban: 96.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 7.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 3.5% of population

2.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Punjabi 44.7%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.4%, Sindhi 14.1%, Saraiki 8.4%, Muhajirs 7.6%, Baloch 3.6%, other 6.3%

1.62 (2024 est.)

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)

female

46.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

56 deaths/1,000 live births

total

51.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Punjabi 38.8%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 18.2%, Sindhi 14.6%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 12.2%, Urdu 7.1%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2.4%, Brahui 1.2%, other 2.4%

major-language sample(s)

دنیا کا قاموس، ایک لازمی زریہ بنیادی معلومات کا (Urdu)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note

note: data represent population by mother tongue; English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries)

female

72.5 years

male

68.2 years

total population

70.3 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

46.5% (2019)

male

69.3%

total population

58%

17.236 million Karachi, 13.979 million Lahore, 3.711 million Faisalabad, 2.415 million Gujranwala, 2.412 million Peshawar, 1.232 million ISLAMABAD (capital) (2023)

154 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

23 years

male

22.8 years

total

22.9 years (2024 est.)

22.8 years (2017/18 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

adjective

Pakistani

noun

Pakistani(s)

-1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

8.6% (2016)

1.12 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

female

123,975,774 (2024 est.)

male

128,387,797

note

note: results of Pakistan's 2017 national census estimate the country's total population to be 207,684,626

total

252,363,571

the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated

1.86% (2024 est.)

Muslim (official) 96.5% (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.5% (2020 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 73.2% of population

improved: total

total: 78.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 88.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 26.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 21.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 11.4% of population

female

8 years (2019)

male

9 years

total

9 years

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

7.3% (2020 est.)

male

33% (2020 est.)

total

20.2% (2020 est.)

3.32 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

38% of total population (2023)

4 provinces, 2 Pakistan-administered areas*, and 1 capital territory**; Azad Kashmir*, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh

etymology

derived from two words: Islam, an Urdu word referring to the religion of Islam, and -abad, a Persian suffix indicating an "inhabited place" or "city," to render the meaning "City of Islam"

geographic coordinates

33 41 N, 73 03 E

name

Islamabad

time difference

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Pakistan

dual citizenship recognized

yes, but limited to select countries

residency requirement for naturalization

4 out of the previous 7 years and including the 12 months preceding application

amendments

proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses; amended many times, last in 2018

history

several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times)

conventional long form

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

conventional short form

Pakistan

etymology

the word "pak" means "pure" in Persian or Pashto, while the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Pakistan literally means "Land of the Pure"

former

West Pakistan

local long form

Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan

local short form

Pakistan

chief of mission

Ambassador Donald BLOME (since 2 July 2022)

consulate(s) general

Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

email address and website

ACSIslamabad@state.govhttps://pk.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad

FAX

[92] 51-2338071

mailing address

8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100

telephone

[92] 051-201-4000

chancery

3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Rizwan Saeed SHEIKH (since 18 September 2024)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

consularsection@embassyofpakistanusa.orghttps://embassyofpakistanusa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 686-1534

telephone

[1] (202) 243-6500

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

chief of state

President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 10 March 2024)

election results

2024: Asif Ali ZARDARI elected president; National Assembly vote - Asif Ali ZARDARI (PPP) 411 votes, Mehmood Khan ACHAKZALI (PMAP) 181 votes; Shahbaz SHARIF elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - Shahbaz SHARIF (PML-N) 201, Omar AYUB (PTI) 922018: Arif ALVI elected president; Electoral College vote - Arif ALVI (PTI) 352, Fazl-ur-REHMAN (MMA) 184, Aitzaz AHSAN (PPP) 124; Imran KHAN elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - Imran KHAN (PTI) 176, Shehbaz SHARIF (PML-N) 96

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by the Electoral College consisting of members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); election last held on 9 March 2024 (next to be held in 2029)

head of government

Prime Minister Shahbaz SHARIF (since 3 March 2024)

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

federal parliamentary republic

14 August 1947 (from British India)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

ADB, AIIB, ARF, ASEAN (sectoral dialogue partner), C, CERN (associate member), CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-11, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNSOS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Pakistan (consists of the chief justice and 16 judges)

judge selection and term of office

justices nominated by an 8-member parliamentary committee upon the recommendation of the Judicial Commission, a 9-member body of judges and other judicial professionals, and appointed by the president; justices can serve until age 65

subordinate courts

High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues, such as taxation, banking, and customs

common law system with Islamic law influence

description

bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of:Senate (96 seats current; members indirectly elected by the 4 provincial assemblies and the federal capital territory indirectly elected by the National Assembly using proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years)National Assembly (336 seats; 266 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 70 members - 60 women and 10 non-Muslims - directly elected by proportional representation vote; all members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 79, women 17, percent of women 17.7%National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML-N 75, PPP 54, MQM-P 17, JUI-F 4, Pakistan Muslim League 3, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party 2, BNP-A 2, BAP 1, PMAP 1, PML-Z 1, NP 1, independent (PTI-backed) 101, other 8, vacant 2 (excludes 60 seats reserved for women and 10 non-Muslims); composition - men 276, women 60, percent of women 17.9%; note - total Parliament percent of women 17.8%    

elections

Senate - last held on 2 and 9 April 2024 (next to be held in 2027)National Assembly - last held on 8 February 2024 (next to be held in 2029)

note

note: in May 2018, the Parliament of Pakistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed a constitutional amendment to merge the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas with the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; the amendment reduces the Senate from 104 to 96 members - 4 in the 2024 election and 4 in the 2027 election

lyrics/music

Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA

name

"Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem)

note

note: adopted 1954; also known as "Pak sarzamin shad bad" (Blessed Be the Sacred Land)

selected World Heritage Site locales

Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro; Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi; Taxila; Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore; Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta; Rohtas Fort

total World Heritage Sites

6 (all cultural)

Pakistan Day (also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day or Republic Day), 23 March (1940); note - commemorates both the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the All-India Muslim League during its 22-24 March 1940 session, which called for the creation of independent Muslim states, and the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan on 23 March 1956 during the transition to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

five-pointed star between the horns of a waxing crescent moon, jasmine; national colors: green, white

Awami National Party or ANPAwami Muslim League or AMLBalochistan Awami Party or BAPBalochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-ABalochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-MGrand Democratic Alliance or GDA (alliance of several parties)Hazara Democratic Party or HDPIstehkam-e-Pakistan PartyJamaat-e-Islami or JIJamhoori Wattan Party or JWPJamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl or JUI-FMajlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan or MWMMuttahida Majlis-e-Amal or MMA (alliance of several parties)Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan or MQM-PNational Party or NPPakistan Muslim League or PML-ZPakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-FPakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-NPakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam or PML-QPakistan Peoples Party or PPPPakistan Rah-e-Haq Party or PRHPPakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice)Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party or PMAP or PKMAPTehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan or TLP

18 years of age; universal; note - there are joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

sugarcane, bison milk, wheat, milk, rice, maize, potatoes, mangoes/guavas, cotton, onions (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on alcohol and tobacco

1.2% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

39.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

expenditures

$49.558 billion (2015 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$40.774 billion (2015 est.)

Fitch rating

B- (2018)

Moody's rating

B3 (2015)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B- (2019)

Current account balance 2021

-$12.283 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$12.216 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$350.044 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external 2022

$74.852 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

lower middle-income South Asian economy; extremely high debt; endemic corruption; major currency devaluation; major food insecurity and inflation; environmentally fragile agricultural sector; regional disputes with India and Afghanistan hinder investment

Currency

Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

150.036 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

161.838 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

162.906 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

204.867 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

280.356 (2023 est.)

Exports 2021

$35.612 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$38.967 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$36.442 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

garments, fabric, cotton fabric, rice, refined petroleum (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

US 17%, Germany 7%, China 7%, UAE 7%, UK 6% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

10.4% (2023 est.)

government consumption

10.2% (2023 est.)

household consumption

83.4% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-17.7% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

12% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

1.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

23.4% (2023 est.)

industry

20.8% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

50.6% (2023 est.)

$338.368 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

29.6 (2018 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

25.5% (2018 est.)

lowest 10%

4.2% (2018 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2021

$76.514 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$76.594 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$57.806 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, natural gas, palm oil, cotton (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 28%, UAE 8%, Indonesia 6%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Kuwait 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-3.76% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

9.5% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

19.87% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

30.77% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

80.99 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

21.9% (2018 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt 2017

67% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$1.285 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.347 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.347 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.51% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.77% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$5,600 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$5,700 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$5,600 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

8.98% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

8.05% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

7.85% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$22.812 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$9.927 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$13.73 billion (2023 est.)

15.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

6.34% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

5.55% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

5.5% (2023 est.)

female

10.7% (2023 est.)

male

9.3% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

9.7% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

71.24 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

75.454 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

66.804 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

213.498 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

34.027 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

1,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

21.944 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

12.712 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

3.064 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

145.999 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

498.228 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

43.478 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

23.021 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - rural areas

93%

electrification - total population

95% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

biomass and waste

1.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

62.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

20.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

13.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

1.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

14.902 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption

46.448 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

10.851 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

36.937 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

592.219 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

3.26GW (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

1 (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

6 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

17.4% (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

540 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

473,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

101,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2020 est.)

total

2,523,027 (2020 est.)

television is the most popular and dominant source of news in Pakistan with over 120 satellite tv stations licensed by the country’s electronic media regulatory body, PEMRA ,and 42 media companies/channels with landing rights permission; state-run Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) is the largest television network in the country and serves over 85 percent of the population with the largest terrestrial infrastructure of the country; PTV consists of nine TV Channels and PTV networks give special coverage to Kashmir; Pakistanis have access to over 100 private cable and satellite channels; six channels are considered the leaders for news reporting and current affairs programing in the country; state-owned Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC or Radio Pakistan) has the largest radio audience in the country, particularly in the rural areas; Radio Pakistan’s AM/SW/FM stations cover 98 percent of the population and 80 percent of the total area in the country; all major newspapers have online editions and all major print publications operate websites; freedom of the press and freedom of speech in the country are fragile (2022)

.pk

percent of population

21% (2021 est.)

total

48.3 million (2021 est.)

domestic

mobile-cellular subscribership has increased; more than 90% of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage; fiber-optic networks are being constructed throughout the country to increase broadband access and broadband penetration in Pakistan is increasing--by the end of 2021, 50% of the population had access to broadband services; fixed-line teledensity is a little over 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular roughly 82 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Pakistan’s telecom market transitioned from a regulated state-owned monopoly to a deregulated competitive structure in 2003, now aided by foreign investment; moderate growth over the last six years, supported by a young population and a rising use of mobile services; telecom infrastructure is improving, with investments in mobile-cellular networks, fixed-line subscriptions declining; system consists of microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks; 4G mobile services broadly available; 5G tests ongoing; data centers in major cities; mobile and broadband doing well and dominate over fixed-broadband sector; future growth (in market size as well as revenue) is likely to come from the wider availability of value-added services on top of the expansion of 4G LTE and (from 2023) 5G mobile networks; the Universal Service Fund (USF) continues to direct investment towards the development of mobile broadband (and, to a lesser extent, fiber-based networks) in under-served and even under served areas of the country, with multiple projects being approved to start in 2021 and 2022 (2021)

international

country code - 92; landing points for the SEA-ME-WE-3, -4, -5, AAE-1, IMEWE, Orient Express, PEACE Cable, and TW1 submarine cable systems that provide links to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia; 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 (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

2.799 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

82 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

192.78 million (2022 est.)

116 (2024)

AP

48 (2024)

by type

bulk carrier 5, oil tanker 9, other 46

total

60 (2023)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

217.53 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

6,880,637 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

52

number of registered air carriers

5 (2020)

13,452 km gas transmission and 177,029 km gas distribution, 3,663 km oil, 1,150 km refined products (2022)

key ports

Gwadar, Karachi, Muhamamad Bin Qasim

medium

2

ports with oil terminals

2

small

1

total ports

3 (2024)

broad gauge

11,492 km (2021) 1.676-m gauge (286 km electrified)

narrow gauge

389 km (2021) 1.000-m gauge

total

11,881 km (2021)

paved

185,463 km (includes 708 km of expressways)

total

264,175 km

unpaved

78,712 km (2021)

the Pakistan military operates largely independently and without effective civilian oversight; it has ruled the country for more than 30 years since independence in 1947 and continues to play a significant role in Pakistan's political arena; it also has a large stake in the country’s economic sector and is involved in a diverse array of commercial activities, including banking, construction of public projects, employment services, energy and power generation, fertilizer, food, housing, real estate, and security servicesthe military is responsible for external defense but also has a large role in domestic security; its chief external focus is on the perceived threat posed by India; the military is the lead security agency in many areas of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA); it has considerable operational experience, having engaged in several conflicts with India and conducted counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations for decades against various internal militant groups; it is also one of the longest serving and largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions; China is its closest security partnerPakistan and India have fought several conflicts since 1947, including the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistan and Bangladesh War of Independence of 1971, as well as two clashes over the disputed region of Kashmir (First Kashmir War of 1947 and the Kargil Conflict of 1999); a fragile cease-fire in Kashmir was reached in 2003, revised in 2018, and reaffirmed in 2021, although the Line of Control remains contested, and India has accused Pakistan of backing armed separatists and terrorist organizations in Jammu and Kashmir; in addition, India and Pakistan have battled over the Siachen Glacier of Kashmir, which was seized by India in 1984 with Pakistan attempting to retake the area several times between 1985-1995; despite a cease-fire, both sides continue to maintain a permanent military presence there with outposts at altitudes above 20,000 feet (over 6,000 meters) where most casualties are due to extreme weather or the hazards of operating in the high mountain terrain of the world’s highest conflict, including avalanches, exposure, and altitude sicknessPakistan has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2024)

Pakistan Armed Forces: Pakistan Army (includes National Guard), Pakistan Navy (includes marines, Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fizaia)Ministry of Interior: Frontier Corps, Pakistan Rangers (2024)

note

note 1: the National Guard is a paramilitary force and one of the Army's reserve forces, along with the Pakistan Army Reserve, the Frontier Corps, and the Pakistan Rangersnote 2: the Frontier Corps is a paramilitary force manned mostly by individuals from the tribal areas and commanded by Pakistan Army officers; its primary mission is security of the border with Afghanistan; the Frontier Corps is under the Ministry of Interior, but would report to the Army in times of conflictnote 3: the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers operate in Sindh and Punjab

information varies; approximately 630,000 active-duty personnel (550,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 50,000 Air Force); approximately 150,000 Frontier Corps and Pakistan Rangers (2023)

1,300 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 290 South Sudan (UNMISS); 590 Sudan (UNISFA) (2024)

the military's inventory is a broad mix of mostly imported and some domestically produced weapons and equipment; most of its imported weapons are from China; other suppliers include France, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, the UK, and the US; Pakistan also has a large domestic defense industry, which produces or co-produces such items as armored vehicles, aircraft, missiles, naval vessels (2024)

Military Expenditures 2019

4.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

3% of GDP (2023 est.)

16 (or 17 depending on service) to 23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; women serve in all three armed forces; reserve obligation to age 45 for enlisted men, age 50 for officers (2023)

one of the world’s top transit corridors for opiates and cannabis products trafficked with Afghanistan and Iran; increased synthetic drug smuggling primarily methamphetamine; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of heroin and amphetamine-type stimulants

IDPs

21,000 (primarily those who remain displaced by counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations and violent conflict between armed non-state groups in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber-Paktunkwa Province; more than 1 million displaced in northern Waziristan in 2014; individuals also have been displaced by repeated monsoon floods) (2022)

refugees (country of origin)

2.64-2.9 million (1.3 million registered, 1.34-1.6  million undocumented or otherwise categorized) (Afghanistan) (2023)

stateless persons

48 (2022)

Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO; established 1961); National Remote Sensing Center (aka Resacent; established 1980) (2024)

Somiani Flight Test Range (Balochistan); Tilla Satellite Launch Center (aka Tilla Range; Punjab) (2024)

space program dates back to the early 1960s but funding shortfalls and shifts in priority toward ballistic missile development in the 1980s and 1990s hampered the program’s development; more recently, the program has regained attention and become more ambitious, particularly in acquiring satellites and reaching agreements with other space powers for additional capabilities; manufactures and operates satellites; researching and developing other space-related capabilities and technologies, such as satellite payloads and probably satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs); also conducts research in such areas as astronomy, astrophysics, environmental monitoring, and space sciences; has relations or cooperation agreements on space with China, Russia, and Turkey (cooperated with the UK and US prior to the 1990s) (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Haqqani Network; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan (ISIS-K); Islamic State of ash-Sham – India; Islamic State of ash-Sham – Pakistan; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP); al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)

note

note 1: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guidenote 2: the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an armed separatist group that targets security forces and civilians, has been active in Pakistan since the 2000s, mainly in ethnic Baloch areas of the country; in 2019, the US designated BLA as Specially Designated Global Terrorists

carbon dioxide emissions

201.15 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

142.12 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

50.13 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural freshwater resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution and noise pollution in urban areas

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Marine Life Conservation

severe localized food insecurity

due to population displacements, economic constraints, and high prices of the main food staple - according to the latest analysis, the number of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity between April and October 2023 is estimated at 10.5 million people, due to the devastating flood impacts in 2022; price of wheat flour, the country’s main staple, were at elevated levels in most markets in January 2023, constraining access to a key staple food (2023)

agricultural land

35.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 27.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.5% (2018 est.)

forest

2.1% (2018 est.)

other

62.7% (2018 est.)

Indus Basin

Indus river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,610 km; Sutlej river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 1,372 km; Chenab river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 1,086 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Indian Ocean drainage: Indus (1,081,718 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)

0.06% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

246.8 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

172.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

1.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

9.65 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

38% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

30.76 million tons (2017 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

2,460,800 tons (2017 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

8% (2017 est.)