PakistanGeography

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 803,940 sq km
land: 778,720 sq km
water: 25,220 sq km Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total: 6,774 km
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km Coastline: 1,046 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m Natural resources: land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone Land use: arable land: 27.87%
permanent crops: 0.87%
other: 71.26% (2001) Irrigated land: 180,000 sq km (1998 est.) Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) Environment - current issues: 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 Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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 Geography - note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent More about Pakistan: Introduction People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues