Facts of Pakistan

Land & people

Area: 796,095 sq km
Population (July 2006 est.): 165,803,560
Capital: Islamabad
Languages: Urdu (national language) and English (official language). Regional languages include Sindhi in Sindh, Balochi in Balochistan, Punjabi in Punjab and Pushto in the North West Frontier Province.
GDP per capita (ppp) (2006 est.): $2,600

Pakistan is located in South Asia with the Arabian Sea on the country's south. The country borders Iran on the west, India on the east, Afghanistan in the northwest and China in the north. The country has four provinces - Balochistan, North West Frontier Province, Punjab and Sindh, one territory — Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and one capital territory — Islamabad Capital Territory.

The great mountain ranges of the Himalayas, the Karakoram and the Hindukush form Pakistan's northern highlands of North West Frontier Province and the Northern Area; Punjab province is a flat, alluvial plain with five major rivers dominating the upper region eventually joining the Indus River flowing south to the Arabian Sea; Sindh is bounded on the east by the Thar Desert and the Rann of Kutch and on the west by the Kirthar range; the Balochistan plateau is an arid tableland encircled by dry mountains.

Pakistan's landscape ranges from lofty mountains in the north, the Karakoram and the Himalayas, through dissected plateaus to the rich alluvial plains of Punjab. Then follows desolate barrenness of Balochistan and the deserts of Sindh blending into miles and miles of golden beaches of Mekran coast.

The country's main waterway is the Indus River that begins in China and runs nearly the entire length of Pakistan, flowing through all of its provinces except Balochistan.

Pakistan offers visitors plenty of outdoor activities, including trekking, mountaineering, white water rafting, wild boar hunting, mountain and desert jeep safaris, camel and yak safaris, trout fishing and bird watching.

Useful addresses

- Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, P.O. Box 846, Abu Dhabi. Tel: 02-4447800; Fax: 02-4447172
- Consulate General of Pakistan, P.O. Box 340, Dubai. Tel: 04-3973600; Fax: 04-3971975
- Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), Head office, 22-A, Saeed Plaza, Blue Area, Jinnah Avenue, Islamabad - 44000.
-Tel: +92-51-9203772;
-Fax: +92-51-9207427;
-Email: info@tourism.gov.pk;
-Website: www.tourism.gov.pk

Passport/visa

Visitors to Pakistan need a valid passport and visa to enter the country.

Credit cards/cash

American Express is the most widely accepted card in the country. MasterCard and Visa are also good, but Diners Club and other cards have more limited use.

When to go

The best time to visit southern Pakistan is between November and March, when the days are cool and clear. The ideal time to visit northern Pakistan is from April to October.

Getting there

Pakistan International (PIA) is the country's official flag carrier. Quaid-e-Azam International Airport in Karachi is served by several international airlines. Islamabad and Lahore are the other major gateways to Pakistan by air. Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad, Multan and Gawadar also have international airports.

Accommodation

A wide range of accommodation is available in the country. Modern, well-appointed hotel chains offer good services and facilities. Official dak bungalows and rest houses —usually maintained by the Provincial Forest Department, Public Works Department or by the local administration — are available at most of the hill stations and valleys.

GETTING AROUND

Extensive network
Air transport is the quickest and best means of domestic travel. PIA and some private airlines fly extensively within the country.

Pakistan Railway provides an efficient service network with several classes of fares depending on amenities. Faster trains such as Shalimar Express, Karakoram Express, (Lahore-Karachi), Karachi Express, Buraq Express (Rawalpindi-Karachi) and Railcar (Lahore-Rawalpindi) offer more comfortable air-conditioned compartments. The extensive network of roads and highways in the country links every town.