Pakistan Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Islamabad

Population

257,047,044 (2025 est.)

Area

796,095 sq km

Location

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

🧭 Background

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of modern-day Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The partition in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India created lasting tension between the two countries. They have fought two wars and a limited conflict -- in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 respectively -- over the Kashmir territory, a dispute that continues to this day. A third war in 1971 -- in which India assisted an indigenous movement reacting to Bengali marginalization in Pakistani politics -- resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. Pakistan has been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict with militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks that target government institutions and civilians.

🗺️ Geography

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

796,095 sq km

Area — land

770,875 sq km

Area — water

25,220 sq km

Area - comparative

Slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries — total

7,257 km

Land boundaries — border countries

Afghanistan 2,670 km; China 438 km; India 3,190 km; Iran 959 km

Coastline

1,046 km

Maritime claims — territorial sea

12 nm

Maritime claims — contiguous zone

24 nm

Maritime claims — exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Maritime claims — continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

Mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Terrain

Divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain in the center and east, and the Balochistan Plateau in the south and west

Elevation — highest point

K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Elevation — lowest point

Arabian Sea 0 m

Elevation — mean elevation

900 m

Natural resources

Arable land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use — agricultural land

46.7% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 39.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 6.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

4.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

49.2% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

194,200 sq km (2022)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Indus river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,610 km; Sutlej river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 1,372 km; Chenab river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 1,086 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km) — Indian Ocean drainage

Indus (1,081,718 sq km)

Major watersheds (area sq km) — Internal (endorheic basin) drainage

Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)

Major aquifers

Indus Basin

Population distribution

The Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated

Natural hazards

Frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Geography - note

Controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and India

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

257,047,044 (2025 est.)

Population — male

130,727,015

Population — female

126,320,029

Nationality — noun

Pakistani(s)

Nationality — adjective

Pakistani

Ethnic groups

Punjabi 44.7%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.4%, Sindhi 14.1%, Saraiki 8.4%, Muhajirs 7.6%, Baloch 3.6%, other 6.3%

Languages — Languages

Punjabi 38.8%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 18.2%, Sindhi 14.6%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 12.2%, Urdu 7.1%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2.4%, Brahui 1.2%, other 2.4%

Languages — major-language sample(s)

دنیا کا قاموس، ایک لازمی زریہ بنیادی معلومات کا (Urdu) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Muslim 96.4%, Hindu 1.6%, Christian 1.4%; less than 1%: scheduled castes, Qadiani/Ahmadi, other, Sikh. (2020 est.)

Age structure — 0-14 years

34.4% (male 44,330,669/female 42,529,007)

Age structure — 15-64 years

60.7% (male 78,321,834/female 74,833,003)

Age structure — 65 years and over

4.9% (2024 est.) (male 5,735,294/female 6,613,764)

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

64 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

55.8 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

8.2 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

12.1 (2025 est.)

Median age — total

23.2 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

22.8 years

Median age — female

23 years

Population growth rate

1.82% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

25.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

5.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

The Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated

Urbanization — urban population

38% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

17.236 million Karachi, 13.979 million Lahore, 3.711 million Faisalabad, 2.415 million Gujranwala, 2.412 million Peshawar, 1.232 million ISLAMABAD (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio — at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

22.8 years (2017/18 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

155 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate — total

50.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate — male

56 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

46.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

70.3 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

68.2 years

Life expectancy at birth — female

72.5 years

Total fertility rate

3.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.59 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: urban

Urban: 92.9% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: rural

Rural: 89.3% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: total

Total: 90.6% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 7.1% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: rural

Rural: 10.7% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: 9.4% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

2.9% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

5.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

1.16 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Hospital bed density

0.5 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: urban

Urban: 90.5% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: rural

Rural: 76.1% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: total

Total: 81.5% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: urban

Urban: 9.5% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: rural

Rural: 23.9% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: total

Total: 18.5% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita — total

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use — total

15.5% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — male

25.7% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — female

5.4% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

23.1% (2018 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

63.4% (2018 est.)

Child marriage — women married by age 15

3.6% (2018)

Child marriage — women married by age 18

18.3% (2018)

Child marriage — men married by age 18

4.7% (2018)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% GDP)

1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% national budget)

9.8% national budget (2023 est.)

Literacy — total population

58.9% (2021 est.)

Literacy — male

69.1% (2021 est.)

Literacy — female

48.5% (2021 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — total

8 years (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — male

8 years (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — female

7 years (2022 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

Environmental issues

Water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural freshwater resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution and noise pollution in urban areas

International environmental agreements — party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

Marine Life Conservation

Climate

Mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Land use — agricultural land

46.7% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 39.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 6.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

4.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

49.2% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

38% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — total emissions

212.655 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from coal and metallurgical coke

59.937 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

93.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from consumed natural gas

59.006 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

50.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Methane emissions — energy

1,625.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Methane emissions — agriculture

5,381.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — waste

700.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — other

128.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

30.76 million tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

13.8% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

9.65 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — industrial

1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

172.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

246.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Country name — conventional short form

Pakistan

Country name — local long form

Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan

Country name — local short form

Pakistan

Country name — former

West Pakistan

Country name — etymology

The name is said to have been proposed in the early 1930s by Muslim students at Cambridge University, created from the initials of Punjab, Afghanistan, and Kashmir; the word pak also means "pure" in Persian or Pashto, and the Persian suffix -stan means "place of" or "country," so Pakistan literally means "Land of the Pure"

Government type

Federal parliamentary republic

Capital — name

Islamabad

Capital — geographic coordinates

33 41 N, 73 03 E

Capital — time difference

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Capital — etymology

The name means "city of Islam" and derives from the Arabic islam, referring to the Islamic faith, and the Persian suffix -abad, meaning "inhabited place" or "city"

Administrative divisions

4 provinces, 2 Pakistan-administered areas*, and 1 capital territory**; Azad Kashmir*, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh

Legal system

Common law system with Islamic law influence

Constitution — history

Several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times)

Constitution — amendment process

Proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses

International law organization participation

Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship — citizenship by birth

Yes

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

At least one parent must be a citizen of Pakistan

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

Yes, but limited to select countries

Citizenship — residency requirement for naturalization

4 out of the previous 7 years and including the 12 months preceding application

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch — chief of state

President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 10 March 2024)

Executive branch — head of government

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz SHARIF (since 3 March 2024)

Executive branch — cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Executive branch — election/appointment process

President indirectly elected for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms) by the Electoral College, which consists of members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies; prime minister elected for a 5-year term by the National Assembly

Executive branch — most recent election date

9 March 2024

Executive branch — election results

2024: Asif Ali ZARDARI elected president; National Assembly vote - Asif Ali ZARDARI (PPP) 411 votes, Mehmood Khan ACHAKZALI (PMAP) 181 votes; Shehbaz SHARIF elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - Shehbaz SHARIF (PML-N) 201, Omar AYUB (PTI) 92

Executive branch — expected date of next election

2029

Legislative branch — legislature name

Parliament (Majlis-E-Shoora)

Legislative branch — legislative structure

Bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber — chamber name

National Assembly

Legislative branch - lower chamber — number of seats

336 (all directly elected)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — electoral system

Plurality/majority

Legislative branch - lower chamber — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch - lower chamber — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - lower chamber — most recent election date

2/8/2024

Legislative branch - lower chamber — parties elected and seats per party

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) (75); Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) (54); Muttahida Quami Movement Pakistan (MQMP) (17); Independents (101); Other (16)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — percentage of women in chamber

17%

Legislative branch - lower chamber — expected date of next election

February 2029

Legislative branch - upper chamber — chamber name

Senate

Legislative branch - upper chamber — number of seats

96 (all indirectly elected)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — scope of elections

Partial renewal

Legislative branch - upper chamber — term in office

6 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber — most recent election date

4/2/2024

Legislative branch - upper chamber — percentage of women in chamber

18.8%

Legislative branch - upper chamber — expected date of next election

March 2027

Judicial branch — highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Pakistan (consists of the chief justice and 16 judges)

Judicial branch — judge selection and term of office

Justices nominated by an 8-member parliamentary committee on the recommendation of the Judicial Commission, a 9-member body of judges and other judicial professionals, and appointed by the president; justices can serve until age 65

Judicial branch — subordinate courts

High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues, such as taxation, banking, and customs

Political parties

Awami National Party or ANP Awami Muslim League or AML Balochistan Awami Party or BAP Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M Grand Democratic Alliance or GDA (alliance of several parties) Hazara Democratic Party or HDP Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party Jamaat-e-Islami or JI Jamhoori Wattan Party or JWP Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl or JUI-F Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan or MWM Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal or MMA (alliance of several parties) Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan or MQM-P National Party or NP Pakistan Muslim League or PML-Z Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam or PML-Q Pakistan Peoples Party or PPP Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party or PRHP Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party or PMAP or PKMAP Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan or TLP

Diplomatic representation in the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Rizwan Saeed SHEIKH (since 18 September 2024)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 243-6500

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 686-1534

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Consularsection@embassyofpakistanusa.org https://embassyofpakistanusa.org/

Diplomatic representation in the US — consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US — chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. BAKER (since January 2025)

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad

Diplomatic representation from the US — mailing address

8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100

Diplomatic representation from the US — telephone

[92] 051-201-4000

Diplomatic representation from the US — FAX

[92] 51-2338071

Diplomatic representation from the US — email address and website

ACSIslamabad@state.gov https://pk.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation from the US — consulate(s) general

Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

International organization participation

ADB, AIIB, ARF, ASEAN (sectoral dialogue partner), C, CERN (associate member), CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-11, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNSOS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

14 August 1947 (from British India)

National holiday

Pakistan Day, 23 March, also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day (1940) or Republic Day (1956)

Flag

Description: green with a vertical white band on the left side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field meaning: the crescent, star, and color green are all traditional Islamic symbols; the white band symbolizes the role of religious minorities

National symbol(s)

Five-pointed star between the horns of a waxing crescent moon, jasmine

National color(s)

Green, white

National anthem(s) — title

"Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem)

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA

National anthem(s) — history

Adopted 1954; also known as "Pak sarzamin shad bad" (Blessed Be the Sacred Land)

National heritage — total World Heritage Sites

6 (all cultural)

National heritage — selected World Heritage Site locales

Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro; Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi; Taxila; Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore; Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta; Rohtas Fort

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

Economic overview

Lower middle-income South Asian economy; extremely high debt; endemic corruption; regional disputes with India and Afghanistan hinder investment; falling inflation, IMF relief programs, and strong agricultural output slowly contributing to economic recovery

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.39 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.346 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.347 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.2% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2023

0% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2024

$5,500 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2023

$5,400 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2022

$5,500 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$373.072 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

12.6% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

30.8% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

19.9% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

23.5% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

20% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

50.5% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — household consumption

85.2% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — government consumption

8.5% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in fixed capital

11.2% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in inventories

1.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — exports of goods and services

10.4% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — imports of goods and services

-17.1% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

Sugarcane, bison milk, wheat, milk, rice, maize, potatoes, cotton, mangoes/guavas, chicken (2023)

Industries

Textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate

-1.7% (2024 est.)

Labor force

83.644 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2024

5.5% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2023

5.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2022

5.5% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — total

9.9% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — male

9.8% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — female

10.1% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

21.9% (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income — Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

29.6 (2018 est.)

Average household expenditures — on food

37.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Average household expenditures — on alcohol and tobacco

1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — lowest 10%

4.2% (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — highest 10%

25.5% (2018 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2024

9.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

7.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget — revenues

$40.774 billion (2015 est.)

Budget — expenditures

$49.558 billion (2015 est.)

Public debt — Public debt 2016

67.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2024

$699.22 million (2024 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2023

-$1.039 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

-$12.216 billion (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2024

$40.219 billion (2024 est.)

Exports — Exports 2023

$36.215 billion (2023 est.)

Exports — Exports 2022

$38.967 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

USA 14%, UAE 10%, China 9%, Germany 7%, UK 6% (2023)

Exports - commodities

Garments, fabric, refined petroleum, rice, cotton fabric (2023)

Imports — Imports 2024

$66.844 billion (2024 est.)

Imports — Imports 2023

$58.069 billion (2023 est.)

Imports — Imports 2022

$76.594 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

China 25%, Qatar 11%, UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Indonesia 6% (2023)

Imports - commodities

Natural gas, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, palm oil, plastics (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$18.408 billion (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$13.73 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$9.927 billion (2022 est.)

Debt - external — Debt - external 2023

$89.148 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2024

278.581 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2023

280.356 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

204.867 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

162.906 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

161.838 (2020 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

95% (2022 est.)

Electricity access — electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity access — electrification - rural areas

93%

Electricity — installed generating capacity

43.512 million kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

145.357 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — imports

481.25 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

25.811 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — fossil fuels

60.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — nuclear

14.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — wind

3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — hydroelectricity

19.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — biomass and waste

1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy — Number of operational nuclear reactors

6 (2025)

Nuclear energy — Number of nuclear reactors under construction

1 (2025)

Nuclear energy — Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

3.26GW (2025 est.)

Nuclear energy — Percent of total electricity production

17.4% (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy — Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

1 (2025)

Coal — production

13.765 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — consumption

30.191 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — exports

900 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

16.185 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — proven reserves

2.857 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — total petroleum production

91,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

645,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — crude oil estimated reserves

540 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas — production

27.476 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — consumption

36.323 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — imports

8.847 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — proven reserves

592.219 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita — Total energy consumption per capita 2023

14.076 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

2.573 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

193 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

77 (2024 est.)

Broadcast media

120 satellite TV stations; 42 media companies/channels; state-run Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) is the largest TV network, serves over 85 percent of the population with 9 TV channels; over 100 private cable and satellite channels; state-owned Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC or Radio Pakistan) has the largest radio audience, particularly in rural areas, with AM/SW/FM stations covering most of the country (2022)

Internet country code

.pk

Internet users — percent of population

27% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

3.36 million (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2023 est.)

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

AP

Airports

117 (2025)

Heliports

48 (2025)

Railways — total

11,881 km (2021)

Railways — narrow gauge

389 km (2021) 1.000-m gauge

Railways — broad gauge

11,492 km (2021) 1.676-m gauge (286 km electrified)

Merchant marine — total

60 (2023)

Merchant marine — by type

Bulk carrier 5, oil tanker 9, other 46

Ports — total ports

3 (2024)

Ports — large

0

Ports — medium

2

Ports — small

1

Ports — very small

0

Ports — ports with oil terminals

2

Ports — key ports

Gwadar, Karachi, Muhamamad Bin Qasim

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

Military and security forces

Pakistan Armed Forces: Pakistan Army (includes National Guard), Pakistan Navy (includes Pakistan Marines, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force Ministry of Interior: Frontier Constabulary, Frontier Corps, National Police, Pakistan Coast Guard, Punjab (Pakistan) Rangers, Sindh (Pakistan) Rangers (2025)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2024

2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2023

3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2022

4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2021

4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2020

4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

Approximately 650,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The military's inventory is a mix of mostly imported and some domestically produced armaments; the majority of its imported weapons are from China; other suppliers include France, Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine, the UK, and the US; Pakistan also has a domestic defense industry, which produces or co-produces such items as armored vehicles, aircraft, missiles, naval vessels (2025)

Military service age and obligation

16-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; lower and upper age limits vary by military branch, position, and role; personnel cannot be deployed for combat until age 18 (2025)

Military deployments

1,400 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 300 MONUSCO; 300 South Sudan (UNMISS); 575 Sudan (UNISFA) (2025)

Military - note

The Pakistan military is responsible for external defense but also has a domestic security role; its chief external focus is India; the military is the lead security agency in many areas of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and has for decades conducted operations against various internal militant groups; it is also one of the longest serving and largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions; China is its closest security partner the military operates largely independently and without effective civilian oversight; it has ruled the country for more than 30 years since independence in 1947 and continues to play a significant role in Pakistan's political arena; it also has a large stake in the country’s economic sector and is involved in a diverse array of commercial activities, including banking, construction of public projects, employment services, energy and power generation, fertilizer, food, housing, real estate, and security services Pakistan has fought four wars and several skirmishes with India; three of the wars have been over the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir, the status of which has been unsettled since the UK's 1947 withdrawal and the partition and independence of India and Pakistan; a fragile cease-fire was reached in 2003, revised in 2018, and reaffirmed in 2021, although the militarized Line of Control which serves as the border remains contested, and India has accused Pakistan of backing armed separatists and terrorist organizations in the territory New Delhi controls; in the Spring of 2025, Indian held Pakistan responsible for a terrorist attack in India-controlled Kashmir and retaliated, sparking a brief cross-border conflict involving aircraft, artillery, drone, and missile strikes the Kashmir dispute also includes the Siachen Glacier, located in the Karakoram Mountain Range, which was seized by India in 1984 with Pakistan attempting to retake the area several times between 1985 and 1995; despite the 2003 cease-fire, both sides continue to maintain a permanent military presence there with outposts at altitudes above 20,000 feet (over 6,000 meters) where most casualties are due to extreme weather and the hazards of operating in the high mountain terrain of the world’s highest conflict, including avalanches, exposure, and altitude sickness (2025)

🛰️ Space⬆️ Top

Space agency/agencies

Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO; established 1961) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

None; missile test sites at Somiani (Balochistan) and Tilla Jogian (Punjab) (2025)

Space program overview

Space program dates back to the early 1960s, but funding shortfalls and shifts in priority toward ballistic missile development in the 1980s and 1990s hampered the program’s development; now has a strengthened focus on acquiring satellites and reaching agreements with other space powers for additional capabilities; manufactures and operates satellites; researching and developing other space-related capabilities and technologies, such as satellite payloads; also conducts research in areas such as astronomy, astrophysics, environmental monitoring, and space sciences; works with China, Russia, and Turkey (cooperated with the UK and US prior to the 1990s) (2025)

Key space-program milestones

1962-1972 - launched about 200 sounding rockets with some US assistance 1990 - first domestically built experimental satellite (Badr-1) launched by China 2001 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (Badr-2) built jointly with the UK and launched by Russia 2011 - first digital communications satellite (PakSat-1R) launched by China 2017 - successfully test-launched ballistic missile system (Shaheed-III) 2023 - joined China’s International Lunar Research Station program 2024 - first lunar orbiter/satellite (iCube Qamar) launched by China and deployed from China's Chang'e-6 spacecraft 2025 - first fully domestic RS satellite (PRSC-EO1) launched by China; selected country's first astronauts to be trained by China for mission to China's space station

🚨 Terrorism⬆️ Top

Terrorist group(s)

Al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS); Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA); Haqqani Network (HQN); Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI); Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan (ISIS-K); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – India (ISI); Islamic State of ash-Sham – Pakistan (ISP); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM); Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi (LJ); Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT); The Resistance Front (TRF); Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

Refugees and internally displaced persons — refugees

1,759,332 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — IDPs

224,813 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — stateless persons

60 (2024 est.)

Illicit drugs — USG identification

Major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)