Part 569

@Pakistan --------

Map ---

Location: 30 00 N, 70 00 E -- Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India and Iran

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

Geography ---------

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India and Iran

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total area: 803,940 sq km land area: 778,720 sq km comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of California

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

Coastline: 1,046 km

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

International disputes: status of Kashmir with India; border dispute with Afghanistan (Durand Line); water-sharing problems over the Indus (Wular Barrage) with upstream riparian India

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

Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

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

Land use: arable land: 23% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 4% other: 67% (1993)

Irrigated land: 170,000 sq km (1992)

Environment: current issues: water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People ------

Population: 129,275,660 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 28,286,823; female 26,640,019) 15-64 years: 53% (male 35,396,281; female 33,733,798) 65 years and over: 5% (male 2,621,721; female 2,597,018) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.24% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 36.16 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 11.22 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)