2000 Edition

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.

Area

land

778,720 sq km

total

803,940 sq km

water

25,220 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of California

Climate

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

Coastline

1,046 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

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

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geographic coordinates

30 00 N, 70 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

171,100 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km

total

6,774 km

Land use

arable land

27%

forests and woodland

5%

other

61% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

1%

permanent pastures

6%

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

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

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west

Age structure

0-14 years: 41% (male 29,880,574; female 28,145,247) 15-64 years: 55% (male 39,751,222; female 37,981,378) 65 years and over: 4% (male 2,856,305; female 2,939,049) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

32.11 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

9.51 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants)

Infant mortality rate

82.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

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%

Life expectancy at birth

female

61.91 years (2000 est.)

male

60.27 years

total population

61.07 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

24.4% (1995 est.)

male

50%

total population

37.8%

Nationality

adjective

Pakistani

noun

Pakistani(s)

Net migration rate

-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

141,553,775 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.17% (2000 est.)

Religions

Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%

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: 0.97 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.56 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier, Punjab, Sindh

note

the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Capital

Islamabad

Constitution

10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999

Country name

conventional long form

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

conventional short form

Pakistan

former

West Pakistan

Data code

PK

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador William MILAM

embassy

Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad

mailing address

P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200

telephone

(51) 826161 through 826179

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Maleeha LODHI

telephone

(202) 939-6200

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the chief executive

chief of state

President Mohammad Rafiq TARAR (since 31 December 1997)

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

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

head of government

Chief Executive Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 12 October 1999)

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

FAX

(202) 387-0484

(51) 276427

consulate(s)

Lahore, Peshawar

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles and New York

consulate(s) general

Karachi

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

Government type

federal republic

Independence

14 August 1947 (from UK)

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, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judicial chiefs are appointed by the president; Federal Islamic (Shari'a) Court

Legal system

based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

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)

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

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

National holiday

Pakistan Day, 23 March (1956) (proclamation of the republic)

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 ; Balochistan National Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H ; Balochistan National Movement/Mengal Group or BNM/M [Sardar Akhtar MENGAL]; Baluch National Party or BNP ; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP ; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH ; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F; Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Niazi faction or JUP/NI ; Millat Part ; 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, Tehrik-I-Jafria Pakistan or TJP , and Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Noorani faction or JUP/NO; Mutahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A ; National People's Party or NPP ; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP ; Pakhtun Quami Party or PKQP [Mohammed AFZAL Khan]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT ; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F ; Pakistan Muslim League, Junejo faction or PML/J ; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N ; Pakistan National Party or PNP ; Pakistan People's Party or PPP ; Pakistan People's Party/Shaheed Bhutto or PPP/SB ; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI

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

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal; separate electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for non-Muslims

Agriculture - products

cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs

Budget

expenditures

$11.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99)

revenues

$10 billion

Currency

1 Pakistani rupee (PRe) = 100 paisa

Debt - external

$32 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$2 billion (FY97/98)

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, notably its continued reliance on international creditors for hard currency inflows. The MUSHARRAF government faces $32 billion in external debt and has nearly completed rescheduling with Paris Club members and other bilateral creditors. Foreign loans and grants provide approximately 25% of government revenue, but debt service obligations total nearly 50% of government expenditure. The IMF has remained silent on future disbursements from its $1.56 billion bailout package initiated in 1999, and other international financial institutions are gauging the current administration's resolve to implement necessary fiscal reforms. MUSHARRAF's ambitious economic agenda includes measures to widen the tax net, privatize public sector assets, and improve its balance of trade position. Pakistan has made privatization a cornerstone of economic revival, but may have difficulty attracting new investors until it receives positive endorsement from the World Bank. The Bank has withheld its approval pending resolution of the pricing dispute between the government and independent power producers.

Electricity - consumption

55.114 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

59.262 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

63.05%

hydro

36.31%

nuclear

0.64%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Pakistani rupees (PRs) per US$1 - 51.90 (December 1999), 44.550 (1998), 40.185 (1997), 35.266 (1996), 30.930 (1995)

Exports

$8.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

cotton, fabrics, and yarn, rice, other agricultural products

Exports - partners

US 22%, Hong Kong 7%, UK 7%, Germany 7%, UAE 5% (FY98/99)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $282 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

25.2%

industry

26.6%

services

48.2% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.1% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 27.7% (1996)

Imports

$9.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

machinery, petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals, transportation equipment, edible oils, grains, pulses, flour

Imports - partners

US 8%, Japan 8%, Malaysia 7%, Saudi Arabia 7%, UAE 7% (FY98/99)

Industrial production growth rate

3.8% (1999 est.)

Industries

textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6% (1999 est.)

Labor force

38.6 million (1999)

note

extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 44%, industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

34% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

7% (FY98/99 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

26 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Radios

13.5 million (1997)

Telephone system

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

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

Telephones - main lines in use

2.861 million (March 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

158,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

3.1 million (1997)

Airports

118 (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 20 (1999 est.)

Heliports

7 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

141,252 km (including 339 km of expressways)

total

247,811 km

unpaved

106,559 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 1, cargo 15, container 3, petroleum tanker 1 (1999 est.)

total

20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 288,249 GRT/444,451 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 885 km; natural gas 4,044 km (1987)

Ports and harbors

Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Railways

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.)

total

8,163 km

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces, National Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$2.435 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.9% (FY99/00)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 34,632,509 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 21,206,148 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

17 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

1,604,806 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

status of Kashmir with India; water-sharing problems with India over the Indus River (Wular Barrage)

Illicit drugs

producer of illicit opium and hashish for the international drug trade (poppy cultivation in 1999 - 1,570 hectares, a 48% drop from 1998 because of eradication and alternative development); key transit area for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western markets; narcotics still move from Afghanistan into Balochistan Province

PALAU