Pakistan

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.

The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens Reconsider Travel to Pakistan due to terrorism. Some areas have increased risk. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws, and special circumstances in this country. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html

US citizens should make sure their passport will not expire for at least 6 months after they enter the country even if they do not intend to stay that long. They should also make sure they have at least 2 blank pages in their passport for any entry stamp and or visa that will be required. A visa is required. US citizens will need to get in touch with the country’s embassy or nearest consulate to obtain a visa prior to visiting the country.

[92] (51) 201-5000/ [92] (51) 201-4000; US Embassy in Islamabad, Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad, Pakistan; ACSIslamabad@state.gov; https://pk.usembassy.gov/

92

15

An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Polio vaccination within one year before travel may be required to exit Pakistan. See WHO recommendations. Note: Pakistan is one of two countries with endemic wild polio virus and considered high risk for international spread of the disease. Before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; in addition, before travel to any high-risk destination, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine. http://www.who.int/

Mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Pakistani rupees (PKR)

230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, D

Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Urdu, Balochi, Hindko, English

Muslim (official) 96.5% (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.5%

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Opt for bottled water

Suggested

Left

Islamabad (includes Pakistan Monument Museum, Faisal Mosque); Naltar Valley & Lakes; Neelum Valley; Skardu; Gojal Valley; Deosai National Park; Lahore (includes Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens); Hunza Valley (includes Baltit Fort); Mohenjo daro

Cricket, field hockey, squash, soccer, polo

Pakistani culture is very hierarchical, with age being one of the most important aspects, if not the most important. When interacting with Pakistanis, greet and show deference to the eldest person. It is impolite to start eating before the eldest member at the table has begun to eat.

Tipping about 30-50 rupees at local restaurants is greatly appreciated. It is best to tip hotel staff directly or leave small change on the table of your hotel room. Taxis do not usually expect a tip.

Shawls, carpets, onyx and other gemstones and jewelry, inlaid wood furniture and crafts

Chicken Biryani — a rice dish layered with curried chicken, herbs, biryani spices (including curry, turmeric, allspice, and cardamom), and sometimes potatoes or eggs

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

30 00 N, 70 00 E

Asia

796,095 sq km

770,875 sq km

25,220 sq km

slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California

7,257 km

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

1,046 km

12 nm

24 nm

200 nm

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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

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

K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Arabian Sea 0 m

900 m

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

46.7% (2023 est.)

arable land: 39.3% (2023 est.)

permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.)

permanent pasture: 6.5% (2023 est.)

4.1% (2023 est.)

49.2% (2023 est.)

194,200 sq km (2022)

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

Indus (1,081,718 sq km)

Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)

Indus Basin

the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated

frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

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

257,047,044 (2025 est.)

130,727,015

126,320,029

Pakistani(s)

Pakistani

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

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%

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)

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

34.4% (male 44,330,669/female 42,529,007)

60.7% (male 78,321,834/female 74,833,003)

4.9% (2024 est.) (male 5,735,294/female 6,613,764)

64 (2025 est.)

55.8 (2025 est.)

8.2 (2025 est.)

12.1 (2025 est.)

23.2 years (2025 est.)

22.8 years

23 years

1.82% (2025 est.)

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

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

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

the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated

38% of total population (2023)

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

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)

1.05 male(s)/female

1.04 male(s)/female

1.05 male(s)/female

0.87 male(s)/female

1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

22.8 years (2017/18 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

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

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

56 deaths/1,000 live births

46.8 deaths/1,000 live births

70.3 years (2024 est.)

68.2 years

72.5 years

3.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)

1.59 (2025 est.)

urban: 92.9% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 89.3% of population (2022 est.)

total: 90.6% of population (2022 est.)

urban: 7.1% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 10.7% of population (2022 est.)

total: 9.4% of population (2022 est.)

2.9% of GDP (2021)

5.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

1.16 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

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

urban: 90.5% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 76.1% of population (2022 est.)

total: 81.5% of population (2022 est.)

urban: 9.5% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 23.9% of population (2022 est.)

total: 18.5% of population (2022 est.)

8.6% (2016)

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

15.5% (2025 est.)

25.7% (2025 est.)

5.4% (2025 est.)

23.1% (2018 est.)

63.4% (2018 est.)

3.6% (2018)

18.3% (2018)

4.7% (2018)

1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

9.8% national budget (2023 est.)

58.9% (2021 est.)

69.1% (2021 est.)

48.5% (2021 est.)

8 years (2022 est.)

8 years (2022 est.)

7 years (2022 est.)

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Pakistan

Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan

Pakistan

West Pakistan

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"

federal parliamentary republic

Islamabad

33 41 N, 73 03 E

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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"

4 provinces, 2 Pakistan-administered areas*, and 1 capital territory**; Azad Kashmir*, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh

common law system with Islamic law influence

several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times)

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

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

yes

at least one parent must be a citizen of Pakistan

yes, but limited to select countries

4 out of the previous 7 years and including the 12 months preceding application

18 years of age; universal

note: women and non-Muslims have joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats

President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 10 March 2024)

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz SHARIF (since 3 March 2024)

Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

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

9 March 2024

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

2029

Parliament (Majlis-E-Shoora)

bicameral

National Assembly

336 (all directly elected)

plurality/majority

full renewal

5 years

2/8/2024

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

17%

February 2029

Senate

96 (all indirectly elected)

partial renewal

6 years

4/2/2024

18.8%

March 2027

Supreme Court of Pakistan (consists of the chief justice and 16 judges)

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

High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues, such as taxation, banking, and customs

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

Ambassador Rizwan Saeed SHEIKH (since 18 September 2024)

3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

[1] (202) 243-6500

[1] (202) 686-1534

consularsection@embassyofpakistanusa.org https://embassyofpakistanusa.org/

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. BAKER (since January 2025)

Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad

8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100

[92] 051-201-4000

[92] 51-2338071

ACSIslamabad@state.gov https://pk.usembassy.gov/

Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

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

14 August 1947 (from British India)

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

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

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

green, white

"Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem)

Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA

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

6 (all cultural)

Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro; Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi; Taxila; Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore; Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta; Rohtas Fort

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

$1.39 trillion (2024 est.)

$1.346 trillion (2023 est.)

$1.347 trillion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

3.2% (2024 est.)

0% (2023 est.)

4.8% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$5,500 (2024 est.)

$5,400 (2023 est.)

$5,500 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$373.072 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

12.6% (2024 est.)

30.8% (2023 est.)

19.9% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

23.5% (2024 est.)

20% (2024 est.)

50.5% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

85.2% (2024 est.)

8.5% (2024 est.)

11.2% (2024 est.)

1.7% (2024 est.)

10.4% (2024 est.)

-17.1% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

-1.7% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

83.644 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

5.5% (2024 est.)

5.5% (2023 est.)

5.5% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

9.9% (2024 est.)

9.8% (2024 est.)

10.1% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

21.9% (2018 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

29.6 (2018 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

37.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

4.2% (2018 est.)

25.5% (2018 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

9.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

7.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

8% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$40.774 billion (2015 est.)

$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

67.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

$699.22 million (2024 est.)

-$1.039 billion (2023 est.)

-$12.216 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$40.219 billion (2024 est.)

$36.215 billion (2023 est.)

$38.967 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

$66.844 billion (2024 est.)

$58.069 billion (2023 est.)

$76.594 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

$18.408 billion (2024 est.)

$13.73 billion (2023 est.)

$9.927 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

$89.148 billion (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar -

278.581 (2024 est.)

280.356 (2023 est.)

204.867 (2022 est.)

162.906 (2021 est.)

161.838 (2020 est.)

95% (2022 est.)

100%

93%

43.512 million kW (2023 est.)

145.357 billion kWh (2023 est.)

481.25 million kWh (2023 est.)

25.811 billion kWh (2023 est.)

60.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

14.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

19.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

6 (2025)

1 (2025)

3.26GW (2025 est.)

17.4% (2023 est.)

1 (2025)

13.765 million metric tons (2023 est.)

30.191 million metric tons (2023 est.)

900 metric tons (2023 est.)

16.185 million metric tons (2023 est.)

2.857 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

91,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

645,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

540 million barrels (2021 est.)

27.476 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

36.323 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

8.847 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

592.219 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

14.076 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

2.573 million (2023 est.)

1 (2023 est.)

193 million (2024 est.)

77 (2024 est.)

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)

.pk

27% (2023 est.)

3.36 million (2023 est.)

1 (2023 est.)

AP

117 (2025)

48 (2025)

11,881 km (2021)

389 km (2021) 1.000-m gauge

11,492 km (2021) 1.676-m gauge (286 km electrified)

60 (2023)

bulk carrier 5, oil tanker 9, other 46

3 (2024)

0

2

1

0

2

Gwadar, Karachi, Muhamamad Bin Qasim

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

2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

3% of GDP (2023 est.)

4% of GDP (2022 est.)

4% of GDP (2021 est.)

4% of GDP (2020 est.)

approximately 650,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

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)

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)

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

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)

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)

note 1: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide note 2: the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an armed separatist group that targets security forces and civilians, has been active in Pakistan since the 2000s, mainly in ethnic Baloch areas of the country; in 2019, the US designated BLA as Specially Designated Global Terrorists

1,759,332 (2024 est.)

224,813 (2024 est.)

60 (2024 est.)

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

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

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

Marine Life Conservation

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

46.7% (2023 est.)

arable land: 39.3% (2023 est.)

permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.)

permanent pasture: 6.5% (2023 est.)

4.1% (2023 est.)

49.2% (2023 est.)

38% of total population (2023)

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

212.655 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

59.937 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

93.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

59.006 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

50.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

1,625.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)

5,381.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

700.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

128.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

30.76 million tons (2024 est.)

13.8% (2022 est.)

9.65 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

172.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

246.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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

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

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)

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