Pakistan has an area of 7,96,096 square kilometers. It is situated in the South Asia in between 23.5° to 37° north latitudes and 61° to 77° east longitudes. India lies in its east, Afghanistan lies in the northwest, Iran in the southwest, China in the north and northeast and Arabian sea lies in the south. the 20 kilometer wide "Wakhan Strip" of Afghanistan separates Pakistan from the South Asian States.
Pakistan, officially called the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is located in the Middle East near the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. It is bordered by Afghanistan, Iran, India, and China. Pakistan is also very close to Tajikistan, but the two countries are separated by the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan. The country has the sixth largest population in the world and the second largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia. The country is divided into four provinces, one territory, and one capital territory for local administration.
Pakistan Basic Facts
First, here are the basics:
Population: 204,924,861 (July 2017 estimate)
Capital: Islamabad
Bordering Countries: Afghanistan, Iran, India, and China
Land Area: 307,374 square miles (796,095 sq km)
Coastline: 650 miles (1,046 km)
Highest Point: K2 at 28,251 feet (8,611 m)
Largest cities: Karachi (15.4 million), Lahore (11.7 million), Faisalabad (3.3 million), Rawalpindi (2.2 million), and Gujranwala (2.1 million)
Language: Urdu (official language) but English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Baloch, Hindko, Barhui, and Saraiki are also spoken
Life expectancy: 66 years for men and 70 years for women
Geography and Climate of Pakistan
Pakistan has a varied topography that consists of the flat, Indus plain in the east and the Balochistan plateau in the west. In addition, the Karakoram Range, one of the world's highest mountain ranges, is in the north and northwest part of the country. The world's second highest mountain, K2, is also within Pakistan's borders, as is the famous 38-mile (62 km) Baltoro Glacier. This glacier is considered one of the longest glaciers outside of the Earth's polar regions.
The climate of Pakistan varies with its topography, but most of it consists of hot, dry desert, while the northwest is temperate. In the mountainous north, though, the climate is harsh and considered Arctic.
Economics and Land Use in Pakistan
Pakistan is considered a developing nation and as such it has a highly underdeveloped economy. This is largely because of its decades of political instability and a lack of foreign investment. Textiles are Pakistan's main export, but it also has industries that include food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, and shrimp. Agriculture in Pakistan includes cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables, milk, beef, mutton, and eggs. Resources include natural gas reserves and limited petroleum.