NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
former: West Pakistan
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved. A third war between these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north |
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Geographic coordinates:
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30 00 N, 70 00 E |
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Map references:
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Asia |
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Area:
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total: 803,940 sq km
land: 778,720 sq km water: 25,220 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than twice the size of California |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 6,774 km
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km |
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Coastline:
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1,046 km |
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Maritime claims:
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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 |
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Climate:
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mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north |
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Terrain:
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flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m |
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Natural resources:
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land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone |
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Land use:
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arable land: 27.81%
permanent crops: 0.79% other: 71.4% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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180,000 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban |
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Geography - note:
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controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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147,663,429 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 39.9% (male 30,321,217; female 28,581,334)
15-64 years: 56% (male 42,254,996; female 40,392,092) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 2,984,391; female 3,129,399) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.06% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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30.4 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.02 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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78.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 61.82 years
female: 62.73 years (2002 est.) male: 60.96 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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4.25 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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74,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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6,500 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Pakistani(s)
adjective: Pakistani |
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Ethnic groups:
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Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants) |
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Religions:
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Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3% |
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Languages:
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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% |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.7% male: 55.3% female: 29% (1998) |