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
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
Elevation extremes: 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: 27% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 5% other : 61% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 171,100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)
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
Environment - 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
Geography - note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
@Pakistan:People
Population: 132,185,299 (July 1997 est.) note: no national census has been conducted since 1981
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 28,702,496; female 27,048,787) 15-64 years: 54% (male 36,387,329; female 34,708,803) 65 years and over : 4% (male 2,667,936; female 2,669,948) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.22% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 35.26 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 10.95 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 95.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 58.77 years male: 57.97 years female : 59.61 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.08 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun : Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani
Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India and their descendants)
Religions: Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%
Languages: Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population : 37.8% male: 50% female: 24.4% (1995 est.)
@Pakistan:Government
The 1997 Cia World Factbook · The Wunder Library — complete classics, free to read, with narration.