Pakistan — Country profile

South Asia

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.

Economy

Budget: revenues:
$40.774 billion (2015 est.)
expenditures:
$49.558 billion (2015 est.)
note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Exports: Exports 2022:
$38.967 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023:
$36.215 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024:
$40.219 billion (2024 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports: Imports 2022:
$76.594 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023:
$58.069 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024:
$66.844 billion (2024 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Industries: textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp
Labor force: 83.644 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt: Public debt 2016:
67.6% of GDP (2016 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.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
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.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023:
$89.148 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
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
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022:
5.5% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023:
5.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024:
5.5% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Exports - partners: USA 14%, UAE 10%, China 9%, Germany 7%, UK 6% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners: China 25%, Qatar 11%, UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Indonesia 6% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
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.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
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.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Agricultural products: sugarcane, bison milk, wheat, milk, rice, maize, potatoes, cotton, mangoes/guavas, chicken (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Exports - commodities: garments, fabric, refined petroleum, rice, cotton fabric (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - commodities: natural gas, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, palm oil, plastics (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
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.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $373.072 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption:
85.2% (2024 est.)
government consumption:
8.5% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories:
1.7% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital:
11.2% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services:
10.4% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services:
-17.1% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Population below poverty line: 21.9% (2018 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Average household expenditures: on food:
37.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco:
1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
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.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Industrial production growth rate: -1.7% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
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.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male:
9.8% (2024 est.)
total:
9.9% (2024 est.)
female:
10.1% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
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.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry:
20% (2024 est.)
services:
50.5% (2024 est.)
agriculture:
23.5% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%:
4.2% (2018 est.)
highest 10%:
25.5% (2018 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018:
29.6 (2018 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Energy

Coal: exports:
900 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports:
16.185 million metric tons (2023 est.)
production:
13.765 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption:
30.191 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves:
2.857 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production:
91,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves:
540 million barrels (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption:
645,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity: imports:
481.25 million kWh (2023 est.)
consumption:
145.357 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity:
43.512 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses:
25.811 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural gas: imports:
8.847 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
production:
27.476 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption:
36.323 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves:
592.219 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Nuclear energy: Number of operational nuclear reactors:
6 (2025)
Percent of total electricity production:
17.4% (2023 est.)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors:
3.26GW (2025 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction:
1 (2025)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down:
1 (2025)
Electricity access: electrification - rural areas:
93%
electrification - urban areas:
100%
electrification - total population:
95% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023:
14.076 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: wind:
3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar:
0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear:
14.1% 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.)
biomass and waste:
1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

More about Pakistan

People and Society

Literacy: male:
69.1% (2021 est.)
female:
48.5% (2021 est.)
total population:
58.9% (2021 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.
note: data represent population by mother tongue; English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries)
Religions: Muslim 96.4%, Hindu 1.6%, Christian 1.4%; less than 1%: scheduled castes, Qadiani/Ahmadi, other, Sikh. (2020 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
total population:
1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over:
0.87 male(s)/female
Birth rate: 25.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 5.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age: male:
22.8 years
total:
23.2 years (2025 est.)
female:
23 years
Population: male:
130,727,015
total:
257,047,044 (2025 est.)
female:
126,320,029
Nationality: noun:
Pakistani(s)
adjective:
Pakistani
Tobacco use: male:
25.7% (2025 est.)
total:
15.5% (2025 est.)
female:
5.4% (2025 est.)
Urbanization: urban population:
38% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization:
2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
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)
Ethnic groups: Punjabi 44.7%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.4%, Sindhi 14.1%, Saraiki 8.4%, Muhajirs 7.6%, Baloch 3.6%, other 6.3%
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)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio:
64 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio:
55.8 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio:
12.1 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio:
8.2 (2025 est.)
Physician density: 1.16 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
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.)
Net migration rate: -1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density: 0.5 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.25 children born/woman (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.)
Infant mortality rate: male:
56 deaths/1,000 live births
total:
50.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female:
46.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate: 1.82% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.59 (2025 est.)
Population distribution: the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated
Life expectancy at birth: male:
68.2 years
female:
72.5 years
total population:
70.3 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 155 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 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.)
Alcohol consumption per capita: beer:
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine:
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total:
0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits:
0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols:
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 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)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 8.6% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 22.8 years (2017/18 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 63.4% (2018 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 23.1% (2018 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male:
8 years (2022 est.)
total:
8 years (2022 est.)
female:
7 years (2022 est.)

Government

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
Capital: name:
Islamabad
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"
time difference:
UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates:
33 41 N, 73 03 E
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
note: women and non-Muslims have joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats
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: history:
several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times)
amendment process:
proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses
Country name: former:
West 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"
local long form:
Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan
local short form:
Pakistan
conventional long form:
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form:
Pakistan
Independence: 14 August 1947 (from British India)
Legal system: common law system with Islamic law influence
Government type: federal parliamentary republic
Judicial branch: highest court(s):
Supreme Court of Pakistan (consists of the chief justice and 16 judges)
subordinate courts:
High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues, such as taxation, banking, and customs
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
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
head of government:
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz SHARIF (since 3 March 2024)
most recent election date:
9 March 2024
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
National holiday: Pakistan Day, 23 March, also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day (1940) or Republic Day (1956)
note: commemorates the adoption of the Lahore Resolution on 23 March 1940, which called for the creation of independent Muslim states, and also the adoption of Pakistan's first constitution on 23 March 1956, during the transition to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
National color(s): green, white
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites:
6 (all cultural)
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
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
Legislative branch: legislature name:
Parliament (Majlis-E-Shoora)
legislative structure:
bicameral
National anthem(s): title:
"Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem)
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
National symbol(s): five-pointed star between the horns of a waxing crescent moon, jasmine
Administrative divisions: 4 provinces, 2 Pakistan-administered areas*, and 1 capital territory**; Azad Kashmir*, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name:
National Assembly
term in office:
5 years
number of seats:
336 (all directly elected)
electoral system:
plurality/majority
scope of elections:
full renewal
most recent election date:
2/8/2024
expected date of next election:
February 2029
percentage of women in chamber:
17%
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)
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name:
Senate
term in office:
6 years
number of seats:
96 (all indirectly elected)
scope of elections:
partial renewal
most recent election date:
4/2/2024
expected date of next election:
March 2027
percentage of women in chamber:
18.8%
Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX:
[1] (202) 686-1534
chancery:
3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 243-6500
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/
Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX:
[92] 51-2338071
embassy:
Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
telephone:
[92] 051-201-4000
mailing address:
8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100
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/
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
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Communications

Internet users: percent of population:
27% (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
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions:
2.573 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
1 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions:
193 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
77 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total:
3.36 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
1 (2023 est.)

Transportation

Ports: large:
0
small:
1
medium:
2
key ports:
Gwadar, Karachi, Muhamamad Bin Qasim
very small:
0
total ports:
3 (2024)
ports with oil terminals:
2
Airports: 117 (2025)
Railways: total:
11,881 km (2021)
broad gauge:
11,492 km (2021) 1.676-m gauge (286 km electrified)
narrow gauge:
389 km (2021) 1.000-m gauge
Heliports: 48 (2025)
Merchant marine: total:
60 (2023)
by type:
bulk carrier 5, oil tanker 9, other 46
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: AP

Geography

Area: land:
770,875 sq km
water:
25,220 sq km
total :
796,095 sq km
Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north
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
Land use: other:
49.2% (2023 est.)
forest:
4.1% (2023 est.)
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.)
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north
Coastline: 1,046 km
Elevation: lowest point:
Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point:
K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m
mean elevation:
900 m
Irrigated land: 194,200 sq km (2022)
Major aquifers: Indus Basin
Map references: Asia
Land boundaries: total:
7,257 km
border countries:
Afghanistan 2,670 km; China 438 km; India 3,190 km; Iran 959 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone:
24 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)
Geography - note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and India
Natural resources: arable land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
Area - comparative: slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California
Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E
Population distribution: the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated
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)
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

Environment

Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north
Land use: other:
49.2% (2023 est.)
forest:
4.1% (2023 est.)
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.)
Urbanization: urban population:
38% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization:
2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane emissions: other:
128.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste:
700.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
energy:
1,625.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture:
5,381.3 kt (2019-2021 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.)
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
Total water withdrawal: municipal:
9.65 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial:
1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural:
172.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions:
212.655 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas:
59.006 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke:
59.937 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids:
93.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 50.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 246.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
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

Military and Security

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 deployments: 1,400 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 300 MONUSCO; 300 South Sudan (UNMISS); 575 Sudan (UNISFA) (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 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)
note: the National Guard is a paramilitary force and one of the Army's reserve forces; other Army reserves include the Pakistan Army Reserve, the Frontier Corps, and the Pakistan Rangers
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)
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 and security service personnel strengths: approximately 650,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

Space

Space launch site(s): none; missile test sites at Somiani (Balochistan) and Tilla Jogian (Punjab) (2025)
Space agency/agencies: Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO; established 1961) (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)
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

Transnational Issues

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.)

Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain).

Pakistan — Country profile

Economy

Energy

More about Pakistan

Simpan ke favorit Anda