2020 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 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.

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

Geographic coordinates

30 00 N, 70 00 E

Geography - note

controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and India

Irrigated land

194,200 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

7,257 km

Land use

agricultural land

46.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 39.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.5% (2023 est.)

forest

4.1% (2023 est.)

other

49.2% (2023 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

Major aquifers

Indus Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

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 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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)

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

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

25.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

4.7% (2018)

women married by age 15

3.6% (2018)

women married by age 18

18.3% (2018)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

23.1% (2018 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

63.4% (2018 est.)

Death rate

5.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.2 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

12.1 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

64 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

55.8 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 89.3% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 90.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 92.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 10.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 9.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 7.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

9.8% national budget (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.59 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

2.9% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

5.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.5 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

46.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

56 deaths/1,000 live births

total

50.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.5 years

male

68.2 years

total population

70.3 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

48.5% (2021 est.)

male

69.1% (2021 est.)

total population

58.9% (2021 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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)

Maternal mortality ratio

155 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

23 years

male

22.8 years

total

23.2 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

22.8 years (2017/18 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Pakistani

noun

Pakistani(s)

Net migration rate

-1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.6% (2016)

Physician density

1.16 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

female

126,320,029

male

130,727,015

total

257,047,044 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

1.82% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim 96.4%, Hindu 1.6%, Christian 1.4%; less than 1%: scheduled castes, Qadiani/Ahmadi, other, Sikh. (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 76.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 81.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 90.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 23.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 18.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 9.5% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

7 years (2022 est.)

male

8 years (2022 est.)

total

8 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

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.)

Tobacco use

female

5.4% (2025 est.)

male

25.7% (2025 est.)

total

15.5% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

38% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

the name means "city of Islam" and derives from the Arabic islam, referring to the Islamic faith, and the Persian suffix -abad, meaning "inhabited place" or "city"

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

amendment process

proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses

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 name is said to have been proposed in the early 1930s by Muslim students at Cambridge University, created from the initials of Punjab, Afghanistan, and Kashmir; the word pak also means "pure" in Persian or Pashto, and the Persian suffix -stan means "place of" or "country," so 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); Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. BAKER (since January 2025)

consulate(s) general

Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

email address and website

ACSIslamabad@state.gov https://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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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.org https://embassyofpakistanusa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 686-1534

telephone

[1] (202) 243-6500

Executive branch

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; Shehbaz SHARIF elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - Shehbaz SHARIF (PML-N) 201, Omar AYUB (PTI) 92

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms) by the Electoral College, which consists of members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies; prime minister elected for a 5-year term by the National Assembly

expected date of next election

2029

head of government

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz SHARIF (since 3 March 2024)

most recent election date

9 March 2024

Flag

description: green with a vertical white band on the left side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field meaning: the crescent, star, and color green are all traditional Islamic symbols; the white band symbolizes the role of religious minorities

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, 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

Judicial branch

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 on 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

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

Parliament (Majlis-E-Shoora)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

National Assembly

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

February 2029

most recent election date

2/8/2024

number of seats

336 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) (75); Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) (54); Muttahida Quami Movement Pakistan (MQMP) (17); Independents (101); Other (16)

percentage of women in chamber

17%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate

expected date of next election

March 2027

most recent election date

4/2/2024

number of seats

96 (all indirectly elected)

percentage of women in chamber

18.8%

scope of elections

partial renewal

term in office

6 years

National anthem(s)

history

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

lyrics/music

Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA

title

"Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem)

National color(s)

green, white

National heritage

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)

National holiday

Pakistan Day, 23 March, also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day (1940) or Republic Day (1956)

National symbol(s)

five-pointed star between the horns of a waxing crescent moon, jasmine

Political parties

Awami National Party or ANP Awami Muslim League or AML Balochistan Awami Party or BAP Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M Grand Democratic Alliance or GDA (alliance of several parties) Hazara Democratic Party or HDP Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party Jamaat-e-Islami or JI Jamhoori Wattan Party or JWP Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl or JUI-F Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan or MWM Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal or MMA (alliance of several parties) Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan or MQM-P National Party or NP Pakistan Muslim League or PML-Z Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam or PML-Q Pakistan Peoples Party or PPP Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party or PRHP Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party or PMAP or PKMAP Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan or TLP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugarcane, bison milk, wheat, milk, rice, maize, potatoes, cotton, mangoes/guavas, chicken (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

37.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$49.558 billion (2015 est.)

revenues

$40.774 billion (2015 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$12.216 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$1.039 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$699.22 million (2024 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$89.148 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

lower middle-income South Asian economy; extremely high debt; endemic corruption; regional disputes with India and Afghanistan hinder investment; falling inflation, IMF relief programs, and strong agricultural output slowly contributing to economic recovery

Exchange rates

Currency

Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar -

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.)

Exchange rates 2024

278.581 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$38.967 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$36.215 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$40.219 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

garments, fabric, refined petroleum, rice, cotton fabric (2023)

Exports - partners

USA 14%, UAE 10%, China 9%, Germany 7%, UK 6% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

10.4% (2024 est.)

government consumption

8.5% (2024 est.)

household consumption

85.2% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-17.1% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

11.2% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

1.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

23.5% (2024 est.)

industry

20% (2024 est.)

services

50.5% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$373.072 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

29.6 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.5% (2018 est.)

lowest 10%

4.2% (2018 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$76.594 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$58.069 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$66.844 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

natural gas, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, palm oil, plastics (2023)

Imports - partners

China 25%, Qatar 11%, UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Indonesia 6% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-1.7% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

19.9% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

30.8% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

12.6% (2024 est.)

Labor force

83.644 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

21.9% (2018 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

67.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.347 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.346 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.39 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.2% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$5,500 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$5,400 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$5,500 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

7.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

9.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$9.927 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$13.73 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$18.408 billion (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

5.5% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

5.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

5.5% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

10.1% (2024 est.)

male

9.8% (2024 est.)

total

9.9% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

30.191 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

900 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

16.185 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

13.765 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

2.857 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

145.357 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

481.25 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

43.512 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

25.811 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

93%

electrification - total population

95% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

60.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

19.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

14.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

14.076 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

36.323 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

8.847 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

27.476 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

592.219 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

3.26GW (2025 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

1 (2025)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

1 (2025)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

6 (2025)

Percent of total electricity production

17.4% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

540 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

645,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

91,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2023 est.)

total

3.36 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

120 satellite TV stations; 42 media companies/channels; state-run Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) is the largest TV network, serves over 85 percent of the population with 9 TV channels; over 100 private cable and satellite channels; state-owned Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC or Radio Pakistan) has the largest radio audience, particularly in rural areas, with AM/SW/FM stations covering most of the country (2022)

Internet country code

.pk

Internet users

percent of population

27% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

2.573 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

77 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

193 million (2024 est.)

Airports

117 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

AP

Heliports

48 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 5, oil tanker 9, other 46

total

60 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Gwadar, Karachi, Muhamamad Bin Qasim

large

0

medium

2

ports with oil terminals

2

small

1

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

0

Railways

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)

Military - note

the Pakistan military is responsible for external defense but also has a domestic security role; its chief external focus is India; the military is the lead security agency in many areas of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and has for decades conducted operations 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 partner the 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 services Pakistan has fought four wars and several skirmishes with India; three of the wars have been over the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir, the status of which has been unsettled since the UK's 1947 withdrawal and the partition and independence of India and Pakistan; a fragile cease-fire was reached in 2003, revised in 2018, and reaffirmed in 2021, although the militarized Line of Control which serves as the border remains contested, and India has accused Pakistan of backing armed separatists and terrorist organizations in the territory New Delhi controls; in the Spring of 2025, Indian held Pakistan responsible for a terrorist attack in India-controlled Kashmir and retaliated, sparking a brief cross-border conflict involving aircraft, artillery, drone, and missile strikes the Kashmir dispute also includes the Siachen Glacier, located in the Karakoram Mountain Range, which was seized by India in 1984 with Pakistan attempting to retake the area several times between 1985 and 1995; despite the 2003 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 and the hazards of operating in the high mountain terrain of the world’s highest conflict, including avalanches, exposure, and altitude sickness (2025)

Military and security forces

Pakistan Armed Forces: Pakistan Army (includes National Guard), Pakistan Navy (includes Pakistan Marines, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force Ministry of Interior: Frontier Constabulary, Frontier Corps, National Police, Pakistan Coast Guard, Punjab (Pakistan) Rangers, Sindh (Pakistan) Rangers (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 650,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

Military deployments

1,400 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 300 MONUSCO; 300 South Sudan (UNMISS); 575 Sudan (UNISFA) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory is a mix of mostly imported and some domestically produced armaments; the majority of its imported weapons are from China; other suppliers include France, Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine, the UK, and the US; Pakistan also has a domestic defense industry, which produces or co-produces such items as armored vehicles, aircraft, missiles, naval vessels (2025)

Military expenditures

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.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

16-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; lower and upper age limits vary by military branch, position, and role; personnel cannot be deployed for combat until age 18 (2025)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

224,813 (2024 est.)

refugees

1,759,332 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

60 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

1962-1972 - launched about 200 sounding rockets with some US assistance  1990 - first domestically built experimental satellite (Badr-1) launched by China 2001 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (Badr-2) built jointly with the UK and launched by Russia 2011 - first digital communications satellite (PakSat-1R) launched by China 2017 - successfully test-launched ballistic missile system (Shaheed-III) 2023 - joined China’s International Lunar Research Station program 2024 - first lunar orbiter/satellite (iCube Qamar) launched by China and deployed from China's Chang'e-6 spacecraft 2025 - first fully domestic RS satellite (PRSC-EO1) launched by China; selected country's first astronauts to be trained by China for mission to China's space station

Space agency/agencies

Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO; established 1961) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

none; missile test sites at Somiani (Balochistan) and Tilla Jogian (Punjab) (2025)

Space program overview

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; now has a strengthened focus on 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; also conducts research in areas such as astronomy, astrophysics, environmental monitoring, and space sciences; works with China, Russia, and Turkey (cooperated with the UK and US prior to the 1990s) (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS); Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA); Haqqani Network (HQN); Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI); Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan (ISIS-K); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – India (ISI); Islamic State of ash-Sham – Pakistan (ISP); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM); Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi (LJ); Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT); The Resistance Front (TRF); Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

59.937 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

59.006 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

93.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

212.655 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental 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

International environmental agreements

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

Methane emissions

agriculture

5,381.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

1,625.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

128.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

700.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

50.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

246.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

172.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

9.65 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

30.76 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

13.8% (2022 est.)