Pakistan
sovereign state in South Asia
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Pakistan is a country located in Asia[1]. It has an area of 882k and a population of 223.8M as of 2021[2]. The nation operates in the UTC+05:00 time zone under the Asia/Karachi designation[3].
Its official languages are English and Urdu[4], and its currency is the Pakistani rupee[5].
World Factbook
CIA reference data · 4 sections
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
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
Natural resources
arable land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
People & Society
Religions
Muslim 96.4%, Hindu 1.6%, Christian 1.4%; less than 1%: scheduled castes, Qadiani/Ahmadi, other, Sikh. (2020 est.)
Government
Government type
federal parliamentary republic
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)
Legal system
common law system with Islamic law influence
Economy
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1.39 trillion (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$5,500 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
3.2% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
12.6% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
5.5% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
USA 14%, UAE 10%, China 9%, Germany 7%, UK 6% (2023)
Imports - partners
China 25%, Qatar 11%, UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Indonesia 6% (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook · public domain (US gov work, 17 USC §105) · fetched 2026-05-06
Key Facts
- Ethnic group: Punjabis[3], Pashtuns[4], Sindhis[5], Saraiki people[6], Muhajir[7], Baloch[8]
- Member of: United Nations[9]
- Religion or worldview: Islam[10], Christianity[11], Hinduism[12], Ahmadiyya[13]
- Country: Pakistan[14]
- Head of government: Shehbaz Sharif[15]
- Continent: Asia[16]
- Instance of: country[17]
- Head of state: Asif Ali Zardari[18]
- Capital: Islamabad[19]
- Official language: English[20], Urdu[21]
- Currency: Pakistani rupee[22]
- Shares border with: Afghanistan[23], India[24], People's Republic of China[25], Iran[26]
- Top-level Internet domain: .pk[27]
- Anthem: Qaumi Taranah[28]
- Basic form of government: federal republic[29], parliamentary republic[30]
- Named after: sincerity in Islam[31], Punjab[32], Khyber Pakhtunkhwa[33], Azad Kashmir[34], Sindh[35], Balochistan[36]
- Contains the administrative territorial entity: Balochistan[37], Khyber Pakhtunkhwa[38], Punjab[39], Sindh[40], Islamabad Capital Territory[41], Gilgit-Baltistan[42], Azad Kashmir[43], Junagadh and Manavadar[44]
- Follows: Dominion of Pakistan[45]
- Flag: flag of Pakistan[46]
- Twinned administrative body: Tsushima[47]
- Legislative body: Parliament of Pakistan[48]
- Executive body: Government of Pakistan[49]
- Highest judicial authority: Supreme Court of Pakistan[50], Supreme Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir[51], Supreme Appellate Court Gilgit-Baltistan[52]
- Coat of arms: Coat of Arms of Pakistan[53]
- Commons category: Pakistan[54]
Body
Cultural Significance
Things named for Pakistan include Pakistanis[55], a human population[56].
Why It Matters
Pakistan has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[57] Pakistan is known by 54 alternative names across languages and contexts.[58]
Entities named for Pakistan include Pakistanis[55], a human population[56].