Pakistan is a geographically diverse nation divided into 3 major geographic areas: the northern highlands; the Indus River plain; and the Balochistan Plateau (Pakistan Mission to the UN n.d.). It covers 796,095 square kilometres and shares borders with Afghanistan, Iran, China and India and a coastline along the Arabian Sea (UN Data 2008). The northern highlands of Pakistan include the Karakoram Range, the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas, which are home to several famous peaks such as K2, the world’s second highest peak. While the mountain regions remain relatively infertile, the Indus River plain carries the fertile soil needed to feed the country’s growing population (U.S. Library of Congress 2011). The Balochistan Plateau region contains the Thar Desert and plains (Central Intelligence Agency n.d.).
Pakistan’s population is roughly 173.5 million people (2010). The youngest age group, 0-14 years old, makes up 35.3% of the population while the 65 and over group is only 4.3%. The population growth rate for the years 2010-15 rests at 1.8%, down from its peak of 3.4% during the 1980s. With a high fertility rate (3.6%), Pakistan has been struggling to keep up with its growing and increasingly urbanized population. Additionally, Pakistan suffers from a high infant mortality rate at 7% and a low life expectancy at 64 for both sexes, as reported in 2010 (UN DESA n.d.). The country has managed to maintain a low prevalence of HIV and AIDS among adults (UNESCO 2007). Pakistan is a culturally diverse country with over 60 languages spoken, with English being the official language. These numbers do not include the rising number of Afghan refugees, estimated at 1.3 million living in refugee settlements and throughout the country (UNHCR 2011).
In the years between 2003 and 2007, Pakistan achieved an impressive average economic growth rate of 7% per annum (UNESCO 2007). However, this growth slowed during the economic crisis of 2008 to 4.7%. The economy of Pakistan has evolved from an agriculture-based economy to a service-based one. There have also been significant foreign investments in areas including energy, telecommunications and real estate. Pakistan’s top export industries include cotton, textile goods, rice, leather items, carpets, sports goods, handicrafts, fish and fish preparation, and fruits (Pakistan Mission to the UN n.d.). The devastating floods in mid-2010 severely affected the economic positioning of Pakistan. With an estimated damage of over US$ 10 billion, the floods put a halt to the progress of economic recovery and added to the country’s inflationary pressures (World Bank 2011).
Officially named the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the government gained its independence from British India in 1947 (MoIB n.d.). The split came after years of political divide between the Indian nation and its Muslim population. The rise of Muslim political leaders calling for 2 nations led to the Lahore Resolution (Pakistan Resolution) of 1940. Pakistan has been ruled by both democratic and military governments (Central Intelligence Agency n.d.). Today the country is a federal republic government led by a President acting as head of the state and commander in chief of the military. The President is elected by an electoral college. Additionally, Pakistan has a Prime Minister who is the leader of the largest party in the National Assembly and is the head of government. Pakistan’s parliament is made up of 2 houses, the Senate (upper house) and the National Assembly (lower house) (Pakistan Mission to the UN n.d.).
Pakistan is a federal republic government with a bicameral parliament. The country is divided into 4 provinces; Punjab, Sindh, Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) and Balochistan, a capital territory of Islamabad and a group of federally administered tribal areas (FATA.s) and northern areas (FANAs) (MoIB n.d.). The Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas have their own respective political and administrative machinery, yet a certain number of their subjects are taken care of by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas. In 2001, a new 3-tiered system of government made up of provinces, districts and divisions was established (Pakistan Mission to the UN n.d.).
Despite impressive economic growth rates as well as decline in poverty, progress in human development has been slow for Pakistan (UNESCO 2007). The country has improved their gender-related development index, however gender disparity remains a hurdle for Pakistan’s population. In 2008, women accounted for only 21.6% of the country’s labour force participation while men led with 84.7% (UN Data n.d.). Additionally, literacy rates remain lower for female, with a rate of 69.2% for females aged 15-24 compared to 79.4% for males (UIS 2009). Pakistan’s leaders have made efforts to balance this gap by increasing the proportion of female representatives in the national and provincial parliaments (2002). In addition, Pakistan has faced a number of natural disasters (earthquake in 2005; flooding in 2010) that have severely affected the development of the country (Pakistan Mission to the UN n.d.).
