Pakistan

Broadcast media

media is government regulated; 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), operates a network consisting of 5 channels; private TV broadcasters are permitted; to date 69 foreign satellite channels are operational; the state-owned radio network operates more than 40 stations; nearly 100 commercially-licensed privately-owned radio stations provide programming mostly limited to music and talk shows (2007)

Internet country code

.pk

Internet hosts

365,813 (2012) country comparison to the world: 57

Internet users

20.431 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 20

Telephone system

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; domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, exceeding 110 million by the end of 2011, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; more than 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 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

Telephones - main lines in use

5.722 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 30

Telephones - mobile cellular

111 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 9

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $29.51 billion expenditures: $44.19 billion (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-6.4% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Central bank discount rate

12% (31 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 14% (31 December 2010 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.2% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 14.12% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

-$4.632 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $268 million (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$55.98 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 $58.27 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

30.6 (FY07/08) country comparison to the world: 114 41 (FY98/99)

Economy - overview

Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to slow growth and underdevelopment in Pakistan. Agriculture accounts for more than one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles account for most of Pakistan's export earnings, and Pakistan's failure to expand a viable export base for other manufactures has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Official unemployment is under 6%, but this fails to capture the true picture, because much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high. Over the past few years, low growth and high inflation, led by a spurt in food prices, have increased the amount of poverty - the UN Human Development Report estimated poverty in 2011 at almost 50% of the population. Inflation has worsened the situation, climbing from 7.7% in 2007 to almost 12% for 2011, before declining to 10% in 2012. As a result of political and economic instability, the Pakistani rupee has depreciated more than 40% since 2007. The government agreed to an International Monetary Fund Standby Arrangement in November 2008 in response to a balance of payments crisis. Although the economy has stabilized since the crisis, it has failed to recover. Foreign investment has not returned, due to investor concerns related to governance, energy, security, and a slow-down in the global economy. Remittances from overseas workers, averaging about $1 billion a month since March 2011, remain a bright spot for Pakistan. However, after a small current account surplus in fiscal year 2011 (July 2010/June 2011), Pakistan's current account turned to deficit in fiscal year 2012, spurred by higher prices for imported oil and lower prices for exported cotton. Pakistan remains stuck in a low-income, low-growth trap, with growth averaging about 3% per year from 2008 to 2012. Pakistan must address long standing issues related to government revenues and energy production in order to spur the amount of economic growth that will be necessary to employ its growing population. Other long term challenges include expanding investment in education and healthcare, and reducing dependence on foreign donors.

Exchange rates

Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 95.1 (2012 est.) 86.3434 (2011 est.) 85.194 (2010 est.) 81.71 (2009) 70.64 (2008)

Exports

$24.66 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $26.3 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 15%, UAE 9.7%, Afghanistan 9.5%, China 9.2%, UK 5%, Germany 4.5% (2012 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP (official exchange rate)

$230.5 billion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$514.6 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $496.3 billion (2011 est.) $481.7 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 20.1% industry: 25.5% services: 54.4% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,900 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 $2,800 (2011 est.) $2,800 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 3% (2011 est.) 3.1% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 9.9% highest 10%: 39.3% (FY07/08)

Imports

$40.82 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 61 $38.93 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

UAE 17.2%, China 15%, Saudi Arabia 11.2%, Kuwait 8.9%, Malaysia 5.4%, Japan 4.3% (2012 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.3% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 201 11.9% (2011 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

10.9% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Labor force

60.36 million country comparison to the world: 10 note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2012 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 45.1% industry: 20.7% services: 34.2% (2010 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$32.76 billion (31 December 2011) country comparison to the world: 54 $38.17 billion (31 December 2010) $33.24 billion (31 December 2009)

Population below poverty line

22.3% (FY05/06 est.)

Public debt

50.4% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 60.1% of GDP (2011 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$13.5 billion (30 November 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $18.09 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$76.16 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 $71.36 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$1.482 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 $1.432 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$22.38 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $21.88 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$92.06 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 $86.19 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$60.68 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $56.34 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

12.8% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Unemployment rate

5.6% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 5.6% (2011 est.) note: substantial underemployment exists

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

151.6 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Crude oil - imports

183,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Crude oil - production

63,080 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Crude oil - proved reserves

480.9 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity - consumption

70.1 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Electricity - from fossil fuels

65.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

32.5% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

2.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Electricity - installed generating capacity

20.2 million kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Electricity - production

94.65 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Natural gas - consumption

42.9 billion cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

Natural gas - production

42.9 billion cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Natural gas - proved reserves

753.8 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Refined petroleum products - consumption

426,700 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Refined petroleum products - exports

26,830 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Refined petroleum products - imports

195,700 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Refined petroleum products - production

215,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Area

total: 796,095 sq km country comparison to the world: 36 land: 770,875 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

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 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

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)

total: 169.39 cu km/yr (2%/2%/96%) per capita: 1,072 cu m/yr (2000)

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 (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 6,774 km border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km

Land use

arable land: 24.44% permanent crops: 0.84% other: 74.72% (2005)

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

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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)

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 note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan

Capital

name: Islamabad geographic coordinates: 33 41 N, 73 03 E 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; last amended 28 February 2012

Country name

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan local short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Olson embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: 8100 Islamabad Pl., Washington, DC 20521-8100 telephone: [92] (51) 208-0000 FAX: [92] (51) 227-6427 consulate(s) general: Karachi consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Sheherbano "Sherry" REHMAN chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 686-1544 consulate(s) general: Boston (Honorary Consulate General), Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Chicago, Houston

Executive branch

chief of state: President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 9 September 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz ASHRAF (since 22 June 2012); Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhry Pervais ELAHI (since 25 June 2012) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the prime minister (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) 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 qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly can contest the presidential election; the prime minister selected by the National Assembly 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; Prime Minister Raja Pervais ASHRAF elected by Parliament - ASHRAF 211 votes, Sardar Mehtab ABBASI 89 votes

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 (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), 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, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), 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 (104 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) elections: Senate - last held on 2 March 2012 (next to be held in March 2015); National Assembly - last held on 18 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPPP 41, PML-N 14, ANP 12, JUI-F 7, MQM 7, PML-Q 5, BNP-A 4, NPP 1, PML-F 1, independents 12; National Assembly - percent of votes by party - NA; seats by party as of November 2012 - PPPP 125, PML-N 92, PML 50, MQM 24, ANP 13, JUI-F 8, PML-F 5, BNP-A 1, NPP 1, PPP-S 1, independents 18, unfilled seats - 4

National anthem

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

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-i Ulema-i Islam Fazl-ur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazl-ur REHMAN]; Jamiat-i Ulema-i Islam Sami-ul HAQ or JUI-S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat-i Ulema-i Pakistan or JUP [Abul Khair ZUBAIR]; Millat-e-Jafferia [Allama Sajid NAQVI]; 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-Quaid-i Azam or PML-Q [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]; Quami Watan Party or QWP [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN] note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Suffrage

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

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. In January 2012, Pakistan assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2012-13 term.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 48,453,305 females age 16-49: 44,898,096 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 37,945,440 females age 16-49: 37,381,549 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 2,237,723 female: 2,104,906 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Pakistan Army (includes National Guard), Pakistan Navy (includes Marines and Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza'ya) (2010)

Military expenditures

3% of GDP (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

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; service obligation (Navy) 10-18 years; retirement required after 18-30 years service or age 40-52 (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.7% (male 33,941,828/ female 32,130,001) 15-64 years: 61% (male 59,994,942/ female 56,149,664) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 3,808,536/ female 4,266,158) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

24.3 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

31.3% (2001) country comparison to the world: 17

Death rate

6.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Education expenditures

2.7% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 142

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

HIV/AIDS - deaths

5,800 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

98,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Health expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 182

Hospital bed density

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

total: 61.27 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 25 male: 64.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 57.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

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

total population: 66.35 years country comparison to the world: 166 male: 64.52 years female: 68.28 years (2012 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 54.9% male: 68.6% female: 40.3% (2009 est.)

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

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria animal contact disease: rabies note: 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)

Maternal mortality rate

260 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 43

Median age

total: 21.9 years male: 21.9 years female: 22 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani

Net migration rate

-2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Physicians density

0.813 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

190,291,129 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Population growth rate

1.551% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 72% of population rural: 29% of population total: 45% of population unimproved: urban: 28% of population rural: 71% of population total: 55% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 7 years male: 8 years female: 6 years (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.07 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 7.7% country comparison to the world: 114 male: 7% female: 10.5% (2008)

Urbanization

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

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; 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

refugees (country of origin): 1,701,945 (Afghanistan) (2011) IDPs: 774,594 (figure only includes IDPs in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Khyber-Pakhtunkwa; fighting in the FATA, Khyber-Pakhtunkwa, and Balochistan since 2004; military operations in SWAT in 2009; earthquakes and floods) (2012)

Airports

151 (2012) country comparison to the world: 37

Airports - with paved runways

total: 107 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 42 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 10 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 24 (2012)

Heliports

24 (2012)

Merchant marine

total: 11 country comparison to the world: 111 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 3, petroleum tanker 3 registered in other countries: 11 (Comoros 5, Marshall Islands 1, Moldova 1, Panama 3, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1) (2010)

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim

Railways

total: 7,791 km country comparison to the world: 27 broad gauge: 7,479 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) narrow gauge: 312 km 1.000-m gauge (2007)

Roadways

total: 260,760 km country comparison to the world: 20 paved: 180,910 km (includes 711 km of expressways) unpaved: 79,850 km (2007)