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
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: Islamabad
geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E
Administrative divisions:
4 provinces, 1 territory, and 1 capital territory;
Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Islamabad Capital Territory,
North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir
region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas
Independence:
14 August 1947 (from British India)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 23 March (1956)
Legal system
based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan’s status as an Islamic state;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Shari’a Court
Flag description:
green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side;
a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green
are traditional symbols of Islam
Population:
167,762,040 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.3% (male 31,316,803/female 29,567,622)
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 51,000,863/female 48,648,480)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 3,409,246/female 3,819,026) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.2 years
male: 21 years
female: 21.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate :
1.805% (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.13 years
male: 63.07 years
female: 65.24 years (2008 est.)
Nationality
noun: Pakistani(s)
adjective: Pakistani
Ethnic groups:
Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants)
Religions:
Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi’a 20%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3%
Languages:
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%,
Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries),
Burushaski and other 8%
