Pakistan

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 3.36 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 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.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 2.573 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 193 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 77 (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

sugarcane, bison milk, wheat, milk, rice, maize, potatoes, cotton, mangoes/guavas, chicken (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on food: 37.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

revenues: $40.774 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $49.558 billion (2015 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

$699.22 million (2024 est.) -$1.039 billion (2023 est.) -$12.216 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$89.148 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Exchange rates

Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 278.581 (2024 est.) 280.356 (2023 est.) 204.867 (2022 est.) 162.906 (2021 est.) 161.838 (2020 est.)

Exports

$40.219 billion (2024 est.) $36.215 billion (2023 est.) $38.967 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

garments, fabric, refined petroleum, rice, cotton fabric (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

USA 14%, UAE 10%, China 9%, Germany 7%, UK 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$373.072 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 85.2% (2024 est.) government consumption: 8.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 11.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.7% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 10.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -17.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 23.5% (2024 est.) industry: 20% (2024 est.) services: 50.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

29.6 (2018 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.2% (2018 est.) highest 10%: 25.5% (2018 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$66.844 billion (2024 est.) $58.069 billion (2023 est.) $76.594 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

natural gas, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, palm oil, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 25%, Qatar 11%, UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Indonesia 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-1.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

12.6% (2024 est.) 30.8% (2023 est.) 19.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

83.644 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

21.9% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

67.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.39 trillion (2024 est.) $1.346 trillion (2023 est.) $1.347 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

3.2% (2024 est.) 0% (2023 est.) 4.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$5,500 (2024 est.) $5,400 (2023 est.) $5,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

9.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 7.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 8% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$18.408 billion (2024 est.) $13.73 billion (2023 est.) $9.927 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Unemployment rate

5.5% (2024 est.) 5.5% (2023 est.) 5.5% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 9.9% (2024 est.) male: 9.8% (2024 est.) female: 10.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Coal

production: 13.765 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 30.191 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 900 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 16.185 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.857 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 43.512 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 145.357 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 481.25 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 25.811 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 95% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 93%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 60.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) nuclear: 14.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 19.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

14.076 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

production: 27.476 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 36.323 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 8.847 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 592.219 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 6 (2025) Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2025) Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 3.26GW (2025 est.) Percent of total electricity production: 17.4% (2023 est.) Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 1 (2025)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 91,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 645,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 540 million barrels (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

212.655 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 59.937 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 93.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 59.006 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

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

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 signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Land use

agricultural land: 46.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 39.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.5% (2023 est.) forest: 4.1% (2023 est.) other: 49.2% (2023 est.)

Methane emissions

energy: 1,625.2 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 5,381.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 700.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 128.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

50.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

246.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 9.65 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 172.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 38% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 30.76 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.8% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 796,095 sq km land: 770,875 sq km water: 25,220 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Climate

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

Coastline

1,046 km

Elevation

highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m mean elevation: 900 m

Geographic coordinates

30 00 N, 70 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

194,200 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total: 7,257 km border countries (4): Afghanistan 2,670 km; China 438 km; India 3,190 km; Iran 959 km

Land use

agricultural land: 46.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 39.3% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.5% (2023 est.) forest: 4.1% (2023 est.) other: 49.2% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Indus Basin

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

Map references

Asia

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

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

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

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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Islamabad geographic coordinates: 33 41 N, 73 03 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) 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"

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Pakistan dual citizenship recognized: yes, but limited to select countries residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 7 years and including the 12 months preceding application

Constitution

history: several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times) amendment process: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses

Country name

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan local short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan 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"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d Affaires Natalie A. BAKER (since January 2025) embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: 8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100 telephone: [92] 051-201-4000 FAX: [92] 51-2338071 email address and website: ACSIslamabad@state.gov https://pk.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Rizwan Saeed SHEIKH (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534 email address and website: consularsection@embassyofpakistanusa.org https://embassyofpakistanusa.org/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 10 March 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz SHARIF (since 3 March 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister 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 most recent election date: 9 March 2024 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 expected date of next election: 2029

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

Government type

federal parliamentary republic

Independence

14 August 1947 (from British India)

International law organization participation

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

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Pakistan (consists of the chief justice and 16 judges) 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 subordinate courts: High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues, such as taxation, banking, and customs

Legal system

common law system with Islamic law influence

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament (Majlis-E-Shoora) legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 336 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/8/2024 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) percentage of women in chamber: 17% expected date of next election: February 2029

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name: Senate number of seats: 96 (all indirectly elected) scope of elections: partial renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 4/2/2024 percentage of women in chamber: 18.8% expected date of next election: March 2027

National anthem(s)

title: "Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA history: adopted 1954; also known as "Pak sarzamin shad bad" (Blessed Be the Sacred Land)

National color(s)

green, white

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 6 (all cultural) 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

National holiday

Pakistan Day, 23 March, also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day (1940) or Republic Day (1956) note: commemorates the adoption of the Lahore Resolution on 23 March 1940, which called for the creation of independent Muslim states, and also the adoption of Pakistan's first constitution on 23 March 1956, during the transition to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

National symbol(s)

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal note: women and non-Muslims have joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats

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.

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)

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) note: the National Guard is a paramilitary force and one of the Army's reserve forces; other Army reserves include the Pakistan Army Reserve, the Frontier Corps, and the Pakistan Rangers

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 650,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

Military deployments

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

2.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 4% of GDP (2022 est.) 4% of GDP (2021 est.) 4% of GDP (2020 est.)

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)

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.4% (male 44,330,669/female 42,529,007) 15-64 years: 60.7% (male 78,321,834/female 74,833,003) 65 years and over: 4.9% (2024 est.) (male 5,735,294/female 6,613,764)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

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

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 3.6% (2018) women married by age 18: 18.3% (2018) men married by age 18: 4.7% (2018)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

23.1% (2018 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

63.4% (2018 est.)

Death rate

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

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 64 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 55.8 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 12.1 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 92.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 89.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 90.6% of population (2022 est.) urban: 7.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 10.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 9.4% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 9.8% national budget (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.59 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

2.9% of GDP (2021) 5.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

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

Infant mortality rate

total: 50.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 46.8 deaths/1,000 live births

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% major-language sample(s): دنیا کا قاموس، ایک لازمی زریہ بنیادی معلومات کا (Urdu) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent population by mother tongue; English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.3 years (2024 est.) male: 68.2 years female: 72.5 years

Literacy

total population: 58.9% (2021 est.) male: 69.1% (2021 est.) female: 48.5% (2021 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)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

total: 23.2 years (2025 est.) male: 22.8 years female: 23 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

22.8 years (2017/18 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani

Net migration rate

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

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.6% (2016)

Physician density

1.16 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

total: 257,047,044 (2025 est.) male: 130,727,015 female: 126,320,029

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

1.82% (2025 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

urban: 90.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 76.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 81.5% of population (2022 est.) urban: 9.5% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 18.5% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 8 years (2022 est.) male: 8 years (2022 est.) female: 7 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 15.5% (2025 est.) male: 25.7% (2025 est.) female: 5.4% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 38% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

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)

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) note 1: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide note 2: the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an armed separatist group that targets security forces and civilians, has been active in Pakistan since the 2000s, mainly in ethnic Baloch areas of the country; in 2019, the US designated BLA as Specially Designated Global Terrorists

Illicit drugs

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 1,759,332 (2024 est.) IDPs: 224,813 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 60 (2024 est.)

Airports

117 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

AP

Heliports

48 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 60 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 5, oil tanker 9, other 46

Ports

total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Gwadar, Karachi, Muhamamad Bin Qasim

Railways

total: 11,881 km (2021) narrow gauge: 389 km (2021) 1.000-m gauge broad gauge: 11,492 km (2021) 1.676-m gauge (286 km electrified)