Republic in
south Asia, south of Afghanistan, west of India, and east of Iran. Pakistan’s area is
796,095 sq km (307,374 sq mi), excluding the section of the disputed territory of Jammu
and Kashmir (commonly known as Kashmir) that is under its control. The capital of Pakistan
is Islamabad; the largest city is Karachi. (Click here to see Pakistan's Map)
Land and
Resources
Pakistan is a mostly dry
region characterized by great extremes of altitude and temperature. The Indus River runs
between the two main landforms of the country: the Indus Plain, along the eastern side of
the river, and the Baluchistan Highlands, which lie to the west. Other landforms are a
narrow coastal plain, bordering the Arabian Sea; the Kharan Basin, west of the Baluchistan
Highlands; and the Thar Desert, straddling the border with India.
Pakistan’s resources
are primarily agricultural. The country’s mineral resources include salt, chromite,
coal, gypsum, limestone, manganese, sulphur, clay, graphite, copper, oil, and natural gas.
Vegetation varies with elevation. Alpine flora grows on the higher slopes, and forests are
found at lower elevations. Animal life abounds, including deer, boar, bear, crocodile, and
waterfowl.
Population
Pakistan’s population
of 129,275,600 (1996 estimate) is ethnically varied, including groups from Dravidian,
Indo-Aryan, Greek, Scythian, Hun, Arab, Mongol, Persian, and Afghan backgrounds. About 35
per cent of the people live in urban areas. Islam is the faith of about 97 per cent of the
people of Pakistan, and the country is constitutionally defined as an Islamic nation.
However, freedom of religion is guaranteed, and Hinduism and Christianity form the leading
minority religions. Urdu is the official language, but Punjabi and English are spoken
widely.
Economy
Despite a growing economy,
Pakistan’s high rate of population increase and internal civil strife keep many of
the people poor and heavily dependent on the agricultural sector for employment.
Agricultural activities involve about half of the workforce. Principal crops include sugar
cane, rice, cotton lint, and maize. Cotton is also important, as textile yarn, and fabrics
produce more than one-half of export earnings. Livestock include cattle, water buffalo,
sheep, goat, and chicken.
About 4 per cent of
Pakistan is forested, and most of the wood harvested is used as fuel. Pakistan’s
fishing resources, although underdeveloped, are extensive. The fish caught include
sardine, shark, and anchovy; shrimp are also important to the seafood industry.
Pakistan’s manufacturing capacity is small, and largely based on agricultural
processing but production is expanding. The basic monetary unit is the Pakistani rupee.
Government
Pakistan’s head of
state is an elected president (Mr.
Rafeeq Tarrar) . The Chief
executive official (Gen. Pervaiz
Musharraf) is the prime minister,
who is responsible to the legislature. Legislative power is vested in the bicameral
Federal Legislature, made up of a 217-member National Assembly and an 87-member Senate.
The highest court in Pakistan is the Supreme Court, while a Federal Shar’viah
Court administers Islamic law, the supreme law of the land.
Thanx to Microsoft® Bookshelf
|
