Pakistan

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief and drainage
  - The Himalayan and Karakoram ranges
  - The Hindu Kush and the western mountains
  - The Balochistan plateau
  - The submontane plateau
  - The Indus River plain
  - The desert areas
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic composition
- Linguistic composition
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
  - Traditional regions
  - Rural settlement
  - Urban settlement
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
  - Minerals
  - Hydrocarbons and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labour and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Background to partition
  - The Muslim League and Mohammed Ali Jinnah
  - Birth of the new state
- The early republic
  - Liaquat Ali Khan
  - Political decline and bureaucratic ascendancy
  - Military government
- From disunion through the Zia-ul-Haq era
  - Civil war
  - Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
  - Zia-ul-Haq
- Political and social fragmentation
  - The first administration of Benazir Bhutto
  - The first administration of Nawaz Sharif
  - The caretaker government of Moeen Qureshi
  - The second administration of Benazir Bhutto
  - The second administration of Nawaz Sharif
    - Continuing challenges: conflict, a stalled economy, and nuclear tests
    - Growing unrest, tension with the military, and Sharif’s ouster
  - The Pervez Musharraf government
    - Relations with the United States, consolidation of Musharraf’s rule, and meetings with India
    - Hesitant rejection of Islamist militants
    - Reinstated constitution
    - Electoral losses and resignation
  - Pakistan under Zardari
    - U.S. drone strikes, floods of 2010, and religious tensions
    - Osama bin Laden discovered and killed
    - Defeat at the polls
  - The third administration of Nawaz Sharif
    - Domestic and foreign policy
    - Disqualification from office
    - Arrest and party defeat
  - The government of Imran Khan
  - The government of Shehbaz Sharif

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images

Mohammed Ali Jinnah

tomb of Mohammed Ali Jinnah

Gilgit-Baltistan: Hunza River valley

Physical features of Pakistan

Karakoram Range: K2 (Mount Godwin Austen)

For Students

Pakistan summary

Discover

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Pakistan: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	Islamic Republic of Pakistan • Islām-ī Jamhūrīya-e Pākistān • Pakstan
Head Of Government	Prime Minister: Shehbaz Sharif
Capital	Islamabad
Population	(2024 est.) 236,939,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 278.392 Pakistani rupee
Head Of State	President: Asif Ali Zardari
Form Of Government	federal republic with two legislative houses (Senate [100]; National Assembly [336])
Official Languages	English; Urdu
Official Religion	Islam
Official Name	Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Total Area (Sq Km)	796,096
Total Area (Sq Mi)	307,373
Monetary Unit	Pakistani rupee (PKR)
Population Rank	(2023) 5
Population Projection 2030	242,564,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2024) 770.9
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2024) 297.6
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2020) 36.8% • Rural: (2020) 63.2%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2020) 64.5 years • Female: (2020) 65.5 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2019) 69% • Female: (2019) 46%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 360,729
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 1,500

Photos

Mohammed Ali Jinnah

tomb of Mohammed Ali Jinnah

Gilgit-Baltistan: Hunza River valley

Physical features of Pakistan

Karakoram Range: K2 (Mount Godwin Austen)

Pakistan: Hindu Kush

National anthem of Pakistan

See All Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

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