Pakistan
Basic Information
| Official name | Islamic Republic of Pakistan |
| Other names in use | Pakistan |
| Area (1) | Total: 796,096 sq.km HKH Part: 404,195 sq.km (51%) |
| Population (mid 2007) (2) | Total: 169.30 millions HKH Part: 39.36 millions (23%) |
| Capital city | Islamabad |
| Major cities | Islamabad, Karachi, Quetta, Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Hyderabad |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Currency | Rupee |
| Official languages | Urdu and English |
| National day | 14th August |
| International dialling code | 92 |
Major Mountain peaks
- K2 (8,611 m)
- Nanga Parbat (8,125 m)
- Gasherbrum I (8,068 m)
- Broad Peak (8,047 m)
- Gasherbrum II (8,035 m)
Selected international agreements and conventions related to climate and environment
| Agreement/Convention | Status -Date |
| Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (Vienna Convention) -1988 | Accession - 18 December 1992 |
| Convention on Biological Diversity | Signed - 05 June 1992 Ratified - 26 July 1994 |
| The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety | Signed - 04 June 2001 |
| Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) | Accession - 20 April 1976 Entry into force - 19 July 1976 |
| Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals | Entry into force - 01 December 1987 |
| Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention) - 1992 | Accession - 26 July 1994 |
| Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) | Entry into force - 23 November 1976 |
| Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa - 1994 | Signed - 15 October 1994 Ratified - 24 February 1997 Entry into force - 25 May 1997 |
| International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture -2001 | Accession - 02 September 2003 |
| International Plant Protection Convention - 1952 | Ratified - 10 November 1954 |
| Plant protection Agreement for the Asia and the Pacific Region - 1956 | Adherence - 08 January 1958 |
| United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea | Signed - 10 December 1982 Ratified - 26 February 1997 |
| Male Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia | Endorsed - April 1998 |
| United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) | Signed - 13 June 1992 Ratified - 01 June 1994 Entry into force - 30 August 1994 |
| Kyoto Protocol | Accession - 11 January 2005 Entry into force - 11 April 2005 |
Economy
| GDP per capita | US $ 2,370 (2007) |
Major agricultural products
Cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, maize, tobacco, fruits, and vegetables, in addition to milk, beef, mutton, and eggs
Major Industries
Chemical, electrical, machinery, fertilisers, steel, sugar, textile, tobacco
Geography / Geopolitics
Altitude range
Lowest point: 0 m (Indian Ocean)
Highest point: 8,611 m [K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen)]
Major agro-climatic zones
Pakistan has a continental panorama with magnificent mountain ranges, plateaus (Potohar), deserts (Thar and Thal), plains (Punjab), rivers, lakes and the Arabian Sea. The Himalayan, Karakoram, Hindukush, Suleman and Salt ranges are some of the most renowned mountain ranges in the world with K-2 (second to Mount Everest), Nanga Parbat and Tirich Meer as some of the highest peaks in the world. FIve of the 14 highest peaks in the world are situated in Pakistan. Pakistan boasts the densest concentration of high mountains in the world, with 82 peaks over 7000 m (23,000 feet) within a radius of 180 km (112 miles). The Himalayas and Karakoram rose to the heights when the northward drifting Indian geological plate collided with the Asia plate, its northern edge nosing under the Asian plate and pushing up the mountains, still causing the mountains to rise 7 millimeters a year.
Climate
Pakistan enjoys a considerable measure of variety. The north and north-western high mountain ranges are extremely cold in winter while the summer months from April to September are very pleasant. The vast plains of the Indus Valley are extremely hot in summer and have cold weather in winter. The coastal strip in the south has a temperate climate. There is general deficiency in rainfall. In the plains the annual average rainfall ranges from 13 cm in the northern parts of the lower Indus plains to 89 cm in the Himalayan region. Rains are monsoonal in origin and fall late in summer. Average rainfall is 76 cm per annum.
Natural hazards
Frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)
Major environmental issues
Water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification
Culture
Major ethnic groups
Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir
Major religions
Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Parsi
Major languages
Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto, Balochi
Major festivals
Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha, Sibe Festival, Basant Mela, Chiraghan, Nauroze
Country Office
ICIMOD-Pakistan Country OfficeWRRI/NARC Premises
Park Road, Islamabad, Pakistan
Abdul Wahid Jasra
Country Representative
Phone: 92-51-9255003, 8443660, 8443661
Fax: 92-51-9255005
ajasra@icimod.org
Focal Ministry/Institution
Ministry of National Food Security and ResearchIslamabad, Pakistan
- Securing Livelihoods Phase II
- MAPPA
- FAO-Pakistan SIDA Project, OSRO/PAK/701/SWE: Project to assist ERRA and its Partners in Restoring Livelihoods in the Earthquake affected areas of Pakistan. Component 3: Watershed management
- Regional Rangeland Programme III
- Capacity Building for Improved Monitoring of Snow, Ice and Water Resources in the INDUS Basin
- Flash Floods