2019 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 and a limited conflict - in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 respectively - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India assisted an indigenous movement reacting to the 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 mid-1998. India-Pakistan relations improved in the mid-2000s but have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and have been further strained by attacks in India by militants believed to be based in Pakistan. Imran KHAN took office as prime minister in 2018 after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party won a plurality of seats in the July 2018 general elections. Pakistan has been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict with militant groups that target government institutions and civilians, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks.

Area

Land

770,875 sq km

Total

796,095 sq km

Water

25,220 sq km

Area Comparative

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

Climate

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

Coastline

1,046 km

Elevation

Highest Point

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

Lowest Point

Arabian Sea 0 m

Mean Elevation

900 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; air pollution and noise pollution in urban areas

Environment International Agreements

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

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

202,000 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Afghanistan 2670 km, China 438 km, India 3190 km, Iran 959 km

Total

7,257 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

35.2% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

27.6% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

1.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

6.5% (2011 est.)

Forest

2.1% (2011 est.)

Other

62.7% (2011 est.)

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

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

Population Distribution

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

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0 14 Years

30.76% (male 32,828,078 /female 31,118,626)

15 24 Years

20.94% (male 22,446,320 /female 21,076,265)

25 54 Years

38.04% (male 41,021,803 /female 38,039,766)

55 64 Years

5.7% (male 5,979,712 /female 5,871,574)

65 Years And Over

4.56% (male 4,399,926 /female 5,080,448) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

21.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

23.1% (2018)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

34.2% (2017/18)

Current Health Expenditure

2.8% (2016)

Death Rate

6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

7.4 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

13.5 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

65.3 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

57.9 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

89.9% of population

Improved Total

91.4% of population

Improved Urban

93.9% of population

Unimproved Rural

10.1% of population

Unimproved Total

8.6% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

6.1% of population

Education Expenditures

2.9% of GDP (2017)

Ethnic Groups

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

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

6,400 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

160,000 (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

47.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

53.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

50.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, 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

Female

70.5 years

Male

66.4 years

Total Population

68.4 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

45.8% (2015)

Male

69.5%

Total Population

57.9%

Major Infectious Diseases

Animal Contact Diseases

rabies (2016)

Degree Of Risk

high (2016)

Food Or Waterborne Diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever (2016)

Vectorborne Diseases

dengue fever and malaria (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

15.741 million Karachi, 12.188 million Lahore, 3.385 million Faisalabad, 2.196 million Rawalpindi, 2.169 million Gujranwala, 1.095 million ISLAMABAD (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

140 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

24.2 years

Male

24.1 years

Total

24.1 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

23.6 years (2017/18 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Pakistani

Noun

Pakistani(s)

Net Migration Rate

-1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

8.6% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.98 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

207,862,518 (July 2017 est.) (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.41% (2018 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 96.4% (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.6% (2010 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

51.1% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

63.5% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

83.1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

48.9% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

36.5% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

16.9% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

8 years (2017)

Male

9 years

Total

8 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.05 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.07 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1.08 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

1.02 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.87 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

1.05 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.55 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

6.8% (2018 est.)

Male

8.2%

Total

7.8%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

2.53% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

36.9% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

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

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

33 41 N, 73 03 E

Name

Islamabad

Time Difference

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

Citizenship

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

Constitution

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 (2018)

History

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

Country Name

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

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Paul W. JONES (since 24 September 2018)

Consulate's General

Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

Embassy

Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad

Fax

[92] 51-227-6427

Mailing Address

8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100

Telephone

[92] 51-201-4000

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Asad Majeed KHAN (since 11 January 2019)

Consulate S

Louisville (KY), San Francisco

Consulate's General

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Fax

[1] (202) 686-1534

Telephone

[1] (202) 243-6500

Executive Branch

Cabinet

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

Chief Of State

President Arif ALVI (since 9 September 2018)

Election Results

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 4 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on 17 August 2018

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Imran KHAN (since 18 August 2018)

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 parliamentary 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 (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

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

Legal System

common law system with Islamic law influence

Legislative Branch

Description

bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shueera consists of: Senate (104 seats; members indirectly elected by the 4 provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) National Assembly (342 seats; 272 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)and the Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (85 seats; members directly elected in single- and 2-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve renewable 4-year terms)

Election Results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML-N 15, PPP 12, PTI 6, PkMAP 2, NP 2, JUI-F 2, JI 1, MQM-P 1, PML-F 1, independent 10 National Assembly - percent of votes by party - PTI 31.9%, PML-N 24.4%, PPP 13.1%, MMA 4.8%, MQM 1.4%, PML-Q 1%, BAP 0.6%, BNP 0.4%, other 11.1%,independent 11.4%; seats by party - PTI 157, PML-N 84, PPP 54, MMA 16, MQM 7, BAP 5, PML-Q 5, BNP 4, other 5, independent 4; 1 seat vacant

Elections

Senate - last held on 3 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2021) National Assembly - last held on 25 July 2018 (next to be held on 25 July 2023)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA

Name

"Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem)

National Holiday

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

National Symbol S

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

Political Parties And Leaders

Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN] Awami Muslim League or AML [Sheikh Rashid AHMED] Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Mir Israr Ullah ZEHRI] Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Akhtar Jan MENGAL] Grand Democratic Alliance or GDA (alliance of several parties) Jamhoori Wattan Party or JWP [Shahzain BUGTI] Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Sirajul HAQ] Jamiat-i Ulema-i Islam Fazl-ur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN] Muttahida Quami Movement-London or MQM-L [Altaf HUSSAIN] (MQM split into two factions in 2016) Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan or MQM-P [Dr. Khalid Maqbool SIDDIQUI] (MQM split into two factions in 2016) Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal or MMA [Fazl-ur- REHMAN] (alliance of several parties) National Party or NP [Mir Hasil Khan BIZENJO] Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party or PMAP or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI] Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO or Syed Shah Mardan SHAH-II] Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N [Shehbaz SHARIF] Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid-e-Azam Group or PML-Q [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN] Pakistan Peoples Party or PPP [Bilawal BHUTTO ZARDARI, Asif Ali ZARDARI] Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) [Imran KHAN]Pak Sarzameen Party or PSP [Mustafa KAMAL] Quami Watan Party or QWP [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]

Suffrage

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

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

64.49 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

46.81 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

15 November 2015

6%

15 November 2016

5.75%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

6.94%

31 December 2017

6.98%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$4.867 billion

2017

-$12.44 billion

Debt External

31 December 2016

$70.45 billion

31 December 2017

$82.19 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

FY2011

30.9

FY2013

30.7

Economy Overview

Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to underdevelopment in Pakistan. Pakistan has a large English-speaking population, with English-language skills less prevalent outside urban centers. Despite some progress in recent years in both security and energy, a challenging security environment, electricity shortages, and a burdensome investment climate have traditionally deterred investors. Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles and apparel account for more than half of Pakistan's export earnings; Pakistan's failure to diversify its exports has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Pakistan’s GDP growth has gradually increased since 2012, and was 5.3% in 2017. Official unemployment was 6% in 2017, but this fails to capture the true picture, because much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high. Human development continues to lag behind most of the region.In 2013, Pakistan embarked on a $6.3 billion IMF Extended Fund Facility, which focused on reducing energy shortages, stabilizing public finances, increasing revenue collection, and improving its balance of payments position. The program concluded in September 2016. Although Pakistan missed several structural reform criteria, it restored macroeconomic stability, improved its credit rating, and boosted growth. The Pakistani rupee has remained relatively stable against the US dollar since 2015, though it declined about 10% between November 2017 and March 2018. Balance of payments concerns have reemerged, however, as a result of a significant increase in imports and weak export and remittance growth.Pakistan must continue to address several longstanding issues, including expanding investment in education, healthcare, and sanitation; adapting to the effects of climate change and natural disasters; improving the country’s business environment; and widening the country’s tax base. Given demographic challenges, Pakistan’s leadership will be pressed to implement economic reforms, promote further development of the energy sector, and attract foreign investment to support sufficient economic growth necessary to employ its growing and rapidly urbanizing population, much of which is under the age of 25.In an effort to boost development, Pakistan and China are implementing the "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor" (CPEC) with $60 billion in investments targeted towards energy and other infrastructure projects. Pakistan believes CPEC investments will enable growth rates of over 6% of GDP by laying the groundwork for increased exports. CPEC-related obligations, however, have raised IMF concern about Pakistan’s capital outflows and external financing needs over the medium term.

Exchange Rates

2013

101.1

2014

102.769

2015

104.769

2016

104.769

2017

105.1

Currency

Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$21.97 billion

2017

$32.88 billion

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

US 17.7%, UK 7.7%, China 6%, Germany 5.8%, Afghanistan 5.2%, UAE 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

8.2% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

11.3% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

82% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-17.6% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

14.5% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

1.6% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

24.4% (2016 est.)

Industry

19.1% (2016 est.)

Services

56.5% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$305 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$5,100

2016

$5,200

2017

$5,400

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$962.8 billion

2016

$1.007 trillion

2017

$1.061 trillion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

4.1%

2016

4.6%

2017

5.4%

Gross National Saving

2015

14.7% of GDP

2016

13.9% of GDP

2017

12% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

26.1% (FY2013)

Lowest 10

4%

Imports

2016

$42.69 billion

2017

$53.11 billion

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

China 27.4%, UAE 13.7%, US 4.9%, Indonesia 4.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.2% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

5.4% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

2.9%

2017

4.1%

Labor Force

63.89 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

42.3%

Industry

22.6%

Services

35.1% (FY2015 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2010

$38.17 billion

31 December 2011

$32.76 billion

31 December 2012

$43.68 billion

Population Below Poverty Line

29.5% (FY2013 est.)

Public Debt

2016

67.6% of GDP

2017

67% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$22.05 billion

31 December 2017

$18.46 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$103.5 billion

31 December 2017

$109.9 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 December 2016

$2.094 billion

31 December 2017

$1.983 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2016

$39.06 billion

31 December 2017

$43.21 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$145.2 billion

31 December 2017

$155.9 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$103.5 billion

31 December 2017

$109.9 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

15.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

6%

2017

6%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

179.5 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

13,150 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

168,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

90,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

332.2 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification Rural Areas

64% (2017)

Electrification Total Population

74% (2017)

Electrification Urban Areas

90% (2017)

Population Without Electricity

52 million (2017)

Electricity Consumption

92.33 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

62% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

5% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

490 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

26.9 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

109.7 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

45.05 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

6.003 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

39.05 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

588.8 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

557,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

25,510 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

264,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

291,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

1 (2017 est.)

Total

1,829,673

Broadcast Media

media is government regulated; 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), operates a network consisting of 8 channels; private TV broadcasters are permitted; to date 69 foreign satellite channels are operational; the state-owned radio network operates more than 30 stations; nearly 200 commercially licensed, privately owned radio stations provide programming mostly limited to music and talk shows (2019)

Internet Country Code

.pk

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

15.5% (July 2016 est.)

Total

31,338,715

Telephone System

Domestic

mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed; 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, though broadband penetration in Pakistan is still relatively low; fixed-line 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 71 per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

the telecommunications infrastructure is improving, with investments in mobile-cellular networks increasing, but 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 not before 2030; mobile platform and mobile broadband doing well (2018)

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)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

1 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

2,940,243

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

71 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

144,525,637

Airports

151 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

43 (2017)

2 438 To 3 047 M

20 (2017)

914 To 1 523 M

20 (2017)

Over 3 047 M

15 (2017)

Total

108 (2017)

Under 914 M

10 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

9 (2013)

2 438 To 3 047 M

1 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

9 (2013)

Total

43 (2013)

Under 914 M

24 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

AP (2016)

Heliports

23 (2013)

Merchant Marine

By Type

bulk carrier 5, oil tanker 7, other 41 (2018)

Total

53

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

183,177,313 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

8,467,827 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

67 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

4 (2015)

Pipelines

12,984 km gas, 3,470 km oil, 1,170 km refined products (2019)

Ports And Terminals

Container Port's Teus

Karachi (2,224,000) (2017)

Lng Terminal's Import

Port Qasim

Major Seaport S

Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim

Railways

Broad Gauge

11,492 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) (2019)

Narrow Gauge

389 km 1.000-m gauge (2019)

Total

11,881 km (2019)

Roadways

Paved

185,063 km (includes 708 km of expressways) (2019)

Total

263,775 km (2019)

Unpaved

78,712 km (2019)

Military And Security Forces

Pakistan Army (includes National Guard), Pakistan Navy (includes marines, Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fizaia); Ministry of Interior paramilitary forces: Frontier Corps, Pakistan Rangers (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

3.48% of GDP

2015

3.55% of GDP

2016

3.59% of GDP

2017

3.77% of GDP

2018

4.03% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

16-23 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 (2019)

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 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 standoff 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; since 2002, with UN assistance, Pakistan has repatriated 3.8 million Afghan refugees, leaving about 2.6 million; 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 930 hectares in 2015; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that utilizes forced eradication, fines, and arrests

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

Idps

119,000 (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) (2018)

Refugees Country Of Origin

2.58-2.68 million (1.4 million registered, 1.18-1.28 million undocumented) (Afghanistan) (2017)

Trafficking In Persons

Current Situation

Pakistan is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the largest human trafficking problem is bonded labor in agriculture, brickmaking and, to a lesser extent, fishing, mining and carpet-making; children are bought, sold, rented, and placed in forced begging rings, domestic service, small shops, brick-making factories, or prostitution; militant groups also force children to spy, fight, or die as suicide bombers, kidnapping the children or getting them from poor parents through sale or coercion; women and girls are forced into prostitution or marriages; Pakistani adults migrate to the Gulf States and African and European states for low-skilled jobs and sometimes become victims of forced labor, debt bondage, or prostitution; foreign adults and children, particularly from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, may be subject to forced labor, and foreign women may be sex trafficked in Pakistan, with refugees and ethnic minorities being most vulnerable

Tier Rating

Tier 2 Watch List – Pakistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government lacks political will and capacity to fully address human trafficking, as evidenced by ineffective law enforcement efforts, official complicity, penalization of victims, and the continued conflation of migrant smuggling and human trafficking by many officials; not all forms of trafficking are prohibited; an anti-trafficking bill drafted in 2013 to address gaps in existing legislation remains pending, and a national action plan drafted in 2014 is not finalized; feudal landlords and brick kiln owners use their political influence to protect their involvement in bonded labor, while some police personnel have taken bribes to ignore prostitution that may have included sex trafficking; authorities began to use standard procedures for the identification and referral of trafficking victims, but it is not clear how widely these methods were practiced; in other instances, police were reluctant to assist NGOs with rescues and even punished victims for crimes committed as a direct result of being trafficked (2015)

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

Indian Mujahedeen Im

aim(s): stated goal is to carry out terrorist attacks against Indians for perceived atrocities against Indian Muslims following the 2002 Gujarat riots area(s) of operation: Punjab and Sindh Provinces and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir (2018)

Islamic State Of Iraq And Ash Sham Khorasan Isis K

aim(s): establish an Islamic caliphate in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region; oppose Pakistan Government and Westerners; oppose Shia Muslim population area(s) of operation: maintains an operational and recruitment presence throughout the country, primarily along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to stage attacks inside Afghanistan and Pakistan note: recruits from among the local population and other militant groups such as Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban, and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (2018)

Tehrik E Taliban Pakistan Ttp

aim(s): remove Pakistani forces from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region; overthrow the Pakistan Government to implement TTP's strict interpretation of sharia area(s) of operation: maintains a large presence in Karachi, the capital of Sindh Province; trains and deploys fighters in the tribal belt in the Pashtun areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, especially in Kunar and Paktika provinces where TTP has established sanctuaries; operationally active in the North Waziristan, South Waziristan, and Balochistan regions; targets Pakistan Government officials and military, security, and police personnel, as well as Westerners, pro-government tribal elders, Shia Muslims, and education figures and advocates (2018)

Terrorist Groups Home Based

Al Qa Ida Aq

aim(s): eject Western influence from the Islamic world, unite the worldwide Muslim community, overthrow governments perceived as un-Islamic and, ultimately, establish a pan-Islamic caliphate under a strict Salafi Muslim interpretation of sharia area(s) of operation: presence in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border (2018)

Al Qa Ida In The Indian Subcontinent Aqis

aim(s): establish an Islamic caliphate in the Indian subcontinent area(s) of operation: operational throughout the country, targeting military and security personnel; responsible for numerous attacks in Karachi; stages attacks in Afghanistan, India, and Bangladesh, where the group is the most active (2018)

Haqqani Network Hqn

aim(s): enhance its operational networks and capabilities for staging cross-border attacks in Afghanistan; replace the Afghan Government with an Islamic state operating according to a strict Salafi Muslim interpretation of sharia area(s) of operation: headquartered in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region located across from Afghanistan's southeastern border; fighters have staged numerous cross-border operations from Kurram and North Waziristan Agency in the FATA into Afghanistan, targeting Afghan, US, and NATO forces and other Afghan Government personnel and Westerners for attack or kidnappings for ransom (2018)

Harakat Ul Jihad I Islami Huji

aim(s): overthrow the Pakistan Government and implement sharia throughout the country area(s) of operation: headquartered in Pakistan, where the group operates several camps; remains heavily active in the southern area of Azad Kashmir (2018)

Harakat Ul Mujahidin Hum

aim(s): annex Kashmir to Pakistan and establish an Islamic state in Kashmir area(s) of operation: headquartered in Islamabad, with an operational presence in Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir, where operatives stage attacks against India; maintains training and paramilitary camps in the country's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region (2018)

Jaish E Mohammed Jem

aim(s): unite Kashmir with Pakistan, install sharia in Pakistan, and drive foreign forces from Afghanistan area(s) of operation: headquartered in Punjab Province; stages attacks against Indian forces, primarily in Jammu and Kashmir State (2018)

Jaysh Al Adl

aim(s): seeks greater autonomy for Balochis in Pakistan and Iran area(s) of operation: headquartered in Balochistan Province, where operatives stage attacks inside Iran against Shia Muslims, primarily targets Iranian soldiers and security personnel note: formerly known as Jundallah (2018)

Lashkar E Tayyiba Lt

aim(s): return the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan and foment Islamic insurgency in India; enhance its recruitment networks and paramilitary training in South Asia; and, ultimately, implement Islamic rule throughout South Asia area(s) of operation: headquartered in Lahore, Punjab Province, with an operational presence throughout the country; active in both the Pakistan-administered and India-administered Kashmir regions note: does not conduct attacks within Pakistan; often operates under the guise of its charitable affiliates, including Jamaat-ud-Dawa (2018)

Lashkar I Jhangvi Lj

aim(s): exterminate Shia Muslims, rid the region of Western influence and, ultimately, establish an Islamic state in Pakistan under sharia area(s) of operation: has a growing presence in Karachi, the capital of Sindh Province; loosely coordinated cells are spread across the country, primarily in Punjab and Balochistan provinces, Karachi, and in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region; majority of attacks are against local and foreign Shia Muslims and government personnel and facilities (2018)