2011 Edition

Background

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently 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 separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan 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. India-Pakistan relations have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, but both countries are taking small steps to put relations back on track. In February 2008, Pakistan held parliamentary elections and in September 2008, after the resignation of former President MUSHARRAF, elected Asif Ali ZARDARI to the presidency. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control domestic insurgents, many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan.

Area

796,095 sq km 770,875 sq km 25,220 sq km

total

796,095 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

Indian Ocean 0 m K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

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 freshwater resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Marine Life Conservation

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

169.39 cu km/yr (2%/2%/96%) 1,072 cu m/yr (2000)

per capita

1,072 cu m/yr (2000)

total

169.39 cu km/yr (2%/2%/96%)

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

198,700 sq km (2008)

Land boundaries

6,774 km Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km

border countries

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

total

6,774 km

Land use

24.44% 0.84% 74.72% (2005)

arable land

24.44%

other

74.72% (2005)

permanent crops

0.84%

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

12 nm 24 nm 200 nm 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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

Total renewable water resources

233.8 cu km (2003)

Age structure

35.4% (male 34,093,853/female 32,278,462) 60.4% (male 58,401,016/female 54,671,873) 4.2% (male 3,739,647/female 4,157,870) (2011 est.)

0-14 years

35.4% (male 34,093,853/female 32,278,462)

15-64 years

60.4% (male 58,401,016/female 54,671,873)

65 years and over

4.2% (male 3,739,647/female 4,157,870) (2011 est.)

Birth rate

24.81 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

31.3% (2001)

Death rate

6.92 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 95% of population rural: 87% of population total: 90% of population urban: 5% of population rural: 13% of population total: 10% of population (2008)

rural

13% of population

total

10% of population (2008)

urban

5% of population

Education expenditures

2.7% of GDP (2009)

Ethnic groups

Punjabi 44.68%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.42%, Sindhi 14.1%, Sariaki 8.38%, Muhajirs 7.57%, Balochi 3.57%, other 6.28%

Health expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

5,800 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

98,000 (2009 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

63.26 deaths/1,000 live births 66.52 deaths/1,000 live births 59.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

female

59.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

total

63.26 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Life expectancy at birth

65.99 years 64.18 years 67.9 years (2011 est.)

female

67.9 years (2011 est.)

total population

65.99 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 49.9% 63% 36% (2005 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

36% (2005 est.)

male

63%

total population

49.9%

Major cities - population

Karachi 13.125 million; Lahore 7.132 million; Faisalabad 2.849 million; Rawalpindi 2.026 million; ISLAMABAD (capital) 832,000 (2009)

Major infectious diseases

high bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever dengue fever and malaria rabies highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

animal contact disease

rabies

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever and malaria

Maternal mortality rate

260 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)

Median age

21.6 years 21.5 years 21.6 years (2011 est.)

female

21.6 years (2011 est.)

male

21.5 years

total

21.6 years

Nationality

Pakistani(s) Pakistani

adjective

Pakistani

noun

Pakistani(s)

Net migration rate

-2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Physicians density

0.813 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

187,342,721 (July 2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.573% (2011 est.)

Religions

Muslim 95% (Sunni 75%, Shia 20%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 5%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 72% of population rural: 29% of population total: 45% of population urban: 28% of population rural: 71% of population total: 55% of population (2008)

rural

71% of population

total

55% of population (2008)

urban

28% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

7 years 8 years 6 years (2009)

female

6 years (2009)

male

8 years

total

7 years

Sex ratio

1.05 male(s)/female 1.06 male(s)/female 1.09 male(s)/female 0.92 male(s)/female 1.07 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

15-64 years

1.09 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.92 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.07 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.17 children born/woman (2011 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

7.7% 7% 10.5% (2008)

female

10.5% (2008)

total

7.7%

Urbanization

36% of total population (2010) 3.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

3.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

36% of total population (2010)

Administrative divisions

4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North-West Frontier Province), Punjab, Sindh the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan

the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities

Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan

Capital

Islamabad 33 42 N, 73 10 E UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

33 42 N, 73 10 E

name

Islamabad

time difference

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

Constitution

12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007; restored 15 December 2007; amended 19 April 2010

Country name

Islamic Republic of Pakistan Pakistan Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan Pakistan West Pakistan

conventional long form

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

conventional short form

Pakistan

former

West Pakistan

local long form

Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan

local short form

Pakistan

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador Cameron MUNTER Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200 [92] (51) 208-0000 [92] (51) 2276427 Karachi Lahore, Peshawar

chief of mission

Ambassador Cameron MUNTER

consulate(s)

Lahore, Peshawar

consulate(s) general

Karachi

embassy

Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad

FAX

[92] (51) 2276427

mailing address

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

telephone

[92] (51) 208-0000

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador (vacant) 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008 [1] (202) 243-6500 [1] (202) 686-1544 Boston (Honorary Consulate General), Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York Chicago, Houston

chancery

3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant)

consulate(s)

Chicago, Houston

consulate(s) general

Boston (Honorary Consulate General), Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 686-1544

telephone

[1] (202) 243-6500

Executive branch

President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 9 September 2008) Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25 March 2008) Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the prime minister president elected by secret ballot through an Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies for a five-year term; election last held on 6 September 2008 (next to be held not later than 2013); note - any person who is a Muslim and not less than 45 years of age and is qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly can contest the presidential election; the prime minister selected by the National Assembly Asif Ali ZARDARI elected president; ZARDARI 481 votes, SIDDIQUE 153 votes, SYED 44 votes; Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI elected prime minister; GILANI 264 votes, Pervaiz ELAHI 42 votes; several abstentions

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 9 September 2008)

election results

Asif Ali ZARDARI elected president; ZARDARI 481 votes, SIDDIQUE 153 votes, SYED 44 votes; Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI elected prime minister; GILANI 264 votes, Pervaiz ELAHI 42 votes; several abstentions

elections

president elected by secret ballot through an Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies for a five-year term; election last held on 6 September 2008 (next to be held not later than 2013); note - any person who is a Muslim and not less than 45 years of age and is qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly can contest the presidential election; the prime minister selected by the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25 March 2008)

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 British India)

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

ADB, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), C, CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-11, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Sharia Court

Legal system

common law system with Islamic law influence

Legislative branch

bicameral parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives in the National Assembly to serve six-year terms; one half are elected every three years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members elected by popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims; members serve five-year terms) Senate - last held on 3 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2012); National Assembly - last held on 18 February 2008 with by-elections on 26 June 2008 (next to be held in 2013) Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPPP 27, PML 21, MMA 9, PML-N 7, ANP 6, MQM 6, JUI-F 4, BNP-A 2, JWP 1, NPP 1, PKMAP 1, PML-F 1, PPP 1, independents 13; National Assembly - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party as of October 2010 - PPPP 127, PML-N 90, PML 51, MQM 25, ANP 13, JUI-F 8, PML-F 5, BNP-A 1, NPP 1, PPP-S 1, independents 18, unfilled seats - 2

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPPP 27, PML 21, MMA 9, PML-N 7, ANP 6, MQM 6, JUI-F 4, BNP-A 2, JWP 1, NPP 1, PKMAP 1, PML-F 1, PPP 1, independents 13; National Assembly - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party as of October 2010 - PPPP 127, PML-N 90, PML 51, MQM 25, ANP 13, JUI-F 8, PML-F 5, BNP-A 1, NPP 1, PPP-S 1, independents 18, unfilled seats - 2

elections

Senate - last held on 3 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2012); National Assembly - last held on 18 February 2008 with by-elections on 26 June 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

National anthem

"Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem) Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA adopted 1954; the anthem is also known as "Pak sarzamin shad bad" (Blessed Be the Sacred Land)

lyrics/music

Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA

name

"Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem)

National holiday

Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

National symbol(s)

star and crescent

Political parties and leaders

Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A; Balochistan National Party-Hayee Group or BNP-H [Dr. Hayee BALOCH]; Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M; Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Syed Munawar HASAN]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat Ahle Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Fazl-ur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazl-ur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i Islam Sami-ul HAQ or JUI-S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat Ulema-i Pakistan or JUP [Abul Khair ZUBAIR]; Millat-e-Jafferia [Allama Sajid NAQVI]; Muttahida Majlis-e Amal or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement or MQM [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National Peoples Party or NPP; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI, chairman; Asif Ali ZARDARI, co-chairman]; Pakistan Peoples Party-SHERPAO or PPP-S [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN] political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Political pressure groups and leaders

military (most important political force); ulema (clergy); landowners; industrialists; small merchants

other

military (most important political force); ulema (clergy); landowners; industrialists; small merchants

Suffrage

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

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

$24.75 billion $35.67 billion (2010 est.)

expenditures

$35.67 billion (2010 est.)

revenues

$24.75 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-6.2% of GDP (2010 est.)

Central bank discount rate

0.07% (31 December 2010 est.) 12.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

13.462% (31 December 2010 est.) 14.189% (31 December 2009 est.)

Current account balance

-$1.585 billion (2010 est.) -$3.993 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$56.12 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $53.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

30.6 (FY07/08) 41 (FY98/99)

Economy - overview

Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered from decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment. Between 2001-07, however, poverty levels decreased by 10%, as Islamabad steadily raised development spending. During 2004-07, GDP growth in the 5-8% range was spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors - despite severe electricity shortfalls - but growth slowed in 2008-09 and unemployment rose. Inflation remains the top concern among the public, climbing from 7.7% in 2007 to more than 13% in 2010. In addition, the Pakistani rupee has depreciated since 2007 as a result of political and economic instability. The government agreed to an International Monetary Fund Standby Arrangement in November 2008 in response to a balance of payments crisis, but during 2009-10 its current account strengthened and foreign exchange reserves stabilized - largely because of lower oil prices and record remittances from workers abroad. Record floods in July-August 2010 lowered agricultural output and contributed to a jump in inflation, and reconstruction costs will strain the limited resources of the government. Textiles account for most of Pakistan's export earnings, but Pakistan's failure to expand a viable export base for other manufactures has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Other long term challenges include expanding investment in education, healthcare, and electricity production, and reducing dependence on foreign donors.

Electricity - consumption

68.55 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

89.23 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Exchange rates

Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 85.27 (2010) 81.71 (2009) 70.64 (2008) 60.6295 (2007) 60.35 (2006)

Exports

$21.46 billion (2010 est.) $18.35 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs

Exports - partners

US 15.8%, Afghanistan 8.1%, UAE 7.9%, China 7.3%, UK 4.3%, Germany 4.2% (2010)

GDP - composition by sector

21.2% 25.4% 53.4% (2010 est.)

agriculture

21.2%

industry

25.4%

services

53.4% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,500 (2010 est.) $2,400 (2009 est.) $2,400 (2008 est.) data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

4.8% (2010 est.) 3.4% (2009 est.) 1.6% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$174.9 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$464.9 billion (2010 est.) $443.6 billion (2009 est.) $429.2 billion (2008 est.) data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

3.9% 26.5% (2005)

highest 10%

26.5% (2005)

lowest 10%

3.9%

Imports

$32.88 billion (2010 est.) $28.62 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea

Imports - partners

China 17.9%, Saudi Arabia 10.7%, UAE 10.6%, Kuwait 5.5%, US 4.9%, Malaysia 4.8% (2010)

Industrial production growth rate

4.6% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

13.9% (2010 est.) 13.6% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

13.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

55.77 million extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

43% 20.3% 36.6% (2005 est.)

agriculture

43%

industry

20.3%

services

36.6% (2005 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$38.17 billion (31 December 2010) $33.24 billion (31 December 2009) $23.49 billion (31 December 2008)

Natural gas - consumption

38.41 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - production

38.41 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

840.2 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

Oil - consumption

410,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - exports

29,840 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - imports

346,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - production

63,580 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

313 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

Population below poverty line

24% (FY05/06 est.)

Public debt

50.6% of GDP (2010 est.) 50.2% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$17.21 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $13.77 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$85.22 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $65.13 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$1.148 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.102 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$30.06 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $28.04 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$61.39 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $56.11 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$53.08 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $45.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.2% of GDP (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate

15.4% (2010 est.) 14.4% (2009 est.) substantial underemployment exists

Broadcast media

media is government regulated; 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), operates a network consisting of 6 channels; private TV broadcasters are permitted and some foreign satellite channels are carried by cable TV operators; the state-owned radio network operates more than 40 stations; privately-owned radio stations mostly limit programming to music and talk shows (2007)

Internet country code

.pk

Internet hosts

330,466 (2010)

Internet users

20.431 million (2009)

Telephone system

the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments in fixed-line and mobile-cellular networks; system consists of microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks; mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, exceeding 100 million in 2009, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; approximately 90 percent of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage and more than half of all Pakistanis have access to a cell phone; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; fixed line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting fixed-line service to rural areas country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; 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 (2009)

domestic

mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, exceeding 100 million in 2009, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; approximately 90 percent of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage and more than half of all Pakistanis have access to a cell phone; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; fixed line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting fixed-line service to rural areas

general assessment

the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments in fixed-line and mobile-cellular networks; system consists of microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks;

international

country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; 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 (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

3.419 million (2010)

Telephones - mobile cellular

103 million (2010)

Airports

148 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

9 (2010)

1,524 to 2,437 m

39

2,438 to 3,047 m

20

914 to 1,523 m

18

over 3,047 m

15

total

101

under 914 m

9 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

25 (2010)

1,524 to 2,437 m

11

914 to 1,523 m

11

total

47

under 914 m

25 (2010)

Heliports

20 (2010)

Merchant marine

bulk carrier 1, cargo 4, petroleum tanker 5 14 (Comoros 3, Georgia 1, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 5, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010)

registered in other countries

14 (Comoros 3, Georgia 1, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 5, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2010)

total

10

Pipelines

gas 10,514 km; oil 2,013 km; refined products 787 km (2010)

Ports and terminals

Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim

Railways

7,791 km 7,479 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) 312 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)

narrow gauge

312 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)

total

7,791 km

Roadways

260,760 km 180,910 km (includes 711 km of expressways) 79,850 km (2010)

total

260,760 km

unpaved

79,850 km (2010)

Manpower available for military service

48,453,305 44,898,096 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

44,898,096 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

48,453,305

Manpower fit for military service

37,945,440 37,381,549 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

37,381,549 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

37,945,440

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

2,237,723 2,104,906 (2010 est.)

female

2,104,906 (2010 est.)

male

2,237,723

Military branches

Pakistan Army (includes National Guard), Pakistan Navy (includes Marines and Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya) (2011)

Military expenditures

3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17-23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2009)

Disputes - international

various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the 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; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; by 2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees leaving slightly more than a million, many of whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan has sent troops across and built fences along some remote tribal areas of its treaty-defined Durand Line border with Afghanistan, which serve as bases for foreign terrorists and other illegal activities; Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps

Illicit drugs

significant transit area for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Iran, Western markets, the Gulf States, Africa, and Asia; financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems; opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 2,300 hectares in 2007 with 600 of those hectares eradicated; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that utilizes forced eradication, fines, and arrests

Refugees and internally displaced persons

1,043,984 (Afghanistan) undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South Waziristan); 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake; most of those displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006) (2007)

IDPs

undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South Waziristan); 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake; most of those displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006) (2007)

refugees (country of origin)

1,043,984 (Afghanistan)