Transportation in Pakistan is extensive and varied but still in its developing stages and serving a population of over 160 million people. Construction of new airports, roads, and railway are providing a massive employment boost in Pakistan.
History
Much of Pakistan's road network (National Highways) and railway network were built before 1947, during the British Raj. In recent years, new national highways have been built, with the addition of motorways. Airports and seaports have been built recently within the last 30 years.
Rail
Rail services in Pakistan are provided by the state-run Pakistan Railways, under the supervision of the Ministry of Railways. Pakistan Railways provides an important mode of transportation to the farthest corners of the country, catering to the large-scale movement of people and freight. The railway network comprises 8,163 km[1] of which broad gauge (1.676-m) forms 7,718 km including 293 km of electrified track. Narrow gauge (1-metre) tracks form the remaining 445 km. Passenger earnings comprise 50% of the Railways total revenue. During 1999-2000 this amounted to Rs. 4.8 billion.[citation needed] Pakistan Railways carry 65 million passengers annually and daily operates 228 mail, express and passenger trains.[citation needed] Pakistan Railways also operate special trains for various occasions. The Freight Business Unit syama syama with 12000 personnel operates over 200 freight stations on the railway network. The Unit serves the two major ports of Karachi and Qasim as well as the four provinces of the country and generates revenue from the movement of agricultural, industrial and imported products such as wheat, coal, fertilizer, cement, and sugar. About 39% of the revenue is generated from the transportation of petroleum oil (lubricated) (POL) products, 19% from imported wheat, fertilizer and rock phosphate. The remaining 42% is earned from domestic traffic.[citation needed] The freight rates structure is based on market trends in road transport which is the main competitor to rail transport.
International
Pakistan has active rail links only with the Indian railway network which operate the same gauges as Pakistan. The rail link with Iran has been suspended since March 2006 because of a missing link between Bam and Zahedan.
There is no railway link to Afghanistan because that country has no railway network, but a link is proposed. An initial 10.5 km stretch of track will be laid from the Pakistan border town of Chaman to Spin Boldak in Afghanistan at cost of USD 11.5m. A second phase envisages extending line to Kandahar for eventual connection via the western city of Herat to Khushka in Turkmenistan. The final phase would link 1676mm gauge with Central Asian 1524mm gauge. It is not clear where the break of gauge station(s) will be.[2] The proposed line may link Gwadar with Dalbadin, Taftan and the Central Asian states[citation needed].
There is no link with China, but on February 28, 2007 contracts were awarded for feasibility studies on a proposed line from Havelian via the Khunjerab pass at 4730m above sea level, to the Chinese railhead at Kashgar, a distance of about 750 km.[3]
Metros
The Karachi Circular Railway, which opened in the early 1940s, is the only functioning metro in Pakistan as of date. In 1976, Karachi was slated to begin work on an underground metro system, but plans have been put on hold. The Lahore Metro is another proposal still in planning and is scheduled to be opened in 2020. syama
Roads
During the 1990s, Pakistan began an ongoing project to rebuild all national highways throughout the country specifically to important financial, cargo and textile centres. The National Highway Authority or NHA is responsible for the maintenance of all national highways in Pakistan.

[edit] Makran Coastal Highway
The Coastal Highway or N75 follows the coast of the Sindh and Balochistan provinces, linking Karachi and Gwadar. It was constructed to replace a muddy coastal track, which had forced most travellers to undertake an inland journey of several days, as the safest route was by way of Quetta in the far north of Balochistan. The journey time has now been reduced to six hours. The highway was built as part of an overall plan to improve transport facilities in southern Balochistan; other parts of the plan include the new seaport and international airport at Gwadar and the construction of a road linking Gwadar to Khuzdar.

[edit] Motorways
Main article: Motorways of Pakistan
The construction of motorways began in the early 1990s with the idea building a world class road network and to reduce the load off the heavily used national highways throughout the country. The M2 was the first motorway completed in 1998, linking the cities of Islamabad and Lahore. In the past 5 years, many new motorways have opened up including the M1, M3 and others.
Local Transports
In urban areas there are several means of transport available, catering to a wide range of budgets, including motorbikes, rickshaws, and buses. Motorbikes and scooters are popular vehicles used by many people to move around cities. They are easy to travel on and less stressful compared to cars and buses. The law requires motorbike or scooter riders to wear a helmet. Over the last few years, the number of brands and varieties of motorbikes and scooters has substantially increased to suit all budgets and sizes.

[edit] Auto Rickshaws
Auto rickshaws are very similar to ones used in India, however the Pakistan version come in many different colours instead of the black/yellow versions India uses. The fare is usually negotiable before commencing a journey. Due to the level of pollution contributed by the auto-rickshaws, the government has planned with a Chicago based company and developed a CNG auto-rickshaw to lower the levels of pollution in the city. The government decided in 2005 to replace two-stroke three-wheelers with CNG-fitted four-stroke rickshaws in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala by the end of 2007. Three manufacturers were ordered to produce 60,000 four-stroke vehicles, but they reportedly supplied 2,000 to the government which were now plying on city roads. Many cities in Pakistan have placed restrictions on auto-rickshaws, preventing them from travelling on certain roads in the city to cut levels of pollution.
There are many different types of auto-rickshaws in Pakistan ranging from two passengers to six-seaters. There are also cargo versions that are purely used to transport cargo and parcels around the city for businesses. A new form of transport in Pakistan is the Qing-Qi (pronounced "ching-chee"), which is a cross between a motorcycle and auto-rickshaw. It runs just like a motorcycle but comes with three wheels instead of two and carries a much heavier load on its back. It is an urban transport vehicle and is used mostly for short distances, because of safety problems.

[edit] Taxi cabs
Another very common sight seen at hotels and airports in Pakistan are yellow taxi cabs, which are like the black cabs of London. The drivers charge according to a meter located on the dashboard of the car, but fares can be negotiated if there is no meter. The cab drivers are reliable and will take passengers to any destination required. There are also numerous privately run services that use cars and minibuses of various types throughout Pakistan, providing a reliable and quick means of transport.
The government had also allowed a consortium of three domestic investors and one Arab investor, to introduce the Black Cab, that is commonly seen on the streets of London. However the decision soon became embroiled in controversy when the awarding of the license was challenged in the Supreme Court on grounds of corruption.

[edit] Buses

Daewoo City Bus
See also: Customised buses and trucks in Pakistan
This is a relatively cheap and easy method of transport, with services run by both public and private companies. The Daewoo Bus Company runs many of the inner city buses with very modern air-conditioned buses, which ease travel during the high summer temperatures, and which operate constantly throughout the day. From 2000, the government has banned old, excessively polluting, poorly run buses from cities, to deal with the pollution levels that have become a problem in many Pakistani cities. The buses are given numbers according to which routes they are travelling or if in doubt there is usually a conductor who can be consulted for directions and fares. Bus times are affected during the chaotic early morning and early evening rush hours, when commuters try to get to or from work.
Inter City Buses
For long distance journeys from city to city (e.g. Lahore to Islamabad), the Sammi Daewoo Express coaches[4] have proven to be a great success in intercity travel as well as in the cities. The Sammi Daewoo express bus service provides services on more than 18 routes and operates more than 325 departures per day in Pakistan. The service is available in most cities including Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Sialkot, Murree and many others destinations. However, for the local or more low classes there is a range of other private companies that operate between cites including Ravi Express,
On 7 April 2005, bus services started across the Line of Control in Kashmir, from the Kashmiri city of Srinagar to the 'Free Kashmir' city of Muzaffarabad with buses running every two weeks.
Cars
In the cities many people prefer compact cars such as the Suzuki Mehran, Daihatsu Coure and Toyota Vitz. Moreover, the most popular vehicle in Pakistan is Toyota Corolla, which has been dominating the Pakistan Market for over 8 years. Due to an increase in demand, the Adam Motor Company developed Pakistan's first indigenous car called the Revo, of which production has stopped.
In late 2005, Suzuki introduced the APV (All-Purpose Vehicle) the first luxury family van in Pakistan. Manufactured in Indonesia, the 1.5 litre petrol manual-transmission became an instant hit. It was large, affordable (at one million PK Rupees) and above all 'luxurious'. By the middle of 2006, Suzuki had announced an automatic-transmission version.
Utility vehicles (SUVs or 4x4s) are also a familiar sight in Pakistan. This type of car is very multi functional as it allows long distance and off road travel, within cities as well as city to city travel. The most popular models are the Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Prado, Mitsubishi Pajero, Kia Sportage can also be sighted.
Water ways
Waterways network in Pakistan is in its infancy with Karachi being the only major city situated next to the Arabian Sea.Still plans are being proposed for the development of the waterways in the country as it would also boost up the employment opportunities other than the economic and social development of Pakistan.
Ports and harboursThere are currently three main ports of Pakistan (including two located in Karachi), and one minor port.
Gwadar
Port of Karachi (western Karachi)
Port Qasim (eastern Karachi)
Pasni mini-port
The Pakistani merchant fleet comprises sixteen vessels (1000 gross register tons (GRT) or over) totalling 397,740 GRT/(657,656 gross register tons (GRT). The fleet includes one bulk carrier, ten cargo vessels, one container ship, and four petroleum tankers. There are also eleven other Pakistani ships registered in other countries.[1]
Air ports
In the 1980s Jinnah International Airport (Quaid-e-Azam International Airport), in Karachi was one of the busiest airports in the world. The airport was served by nearly every major airline in the world. The airport was also used as a stop-over for passengers travelling to the Far East. There were also several domestic airlines to meet increasing passenger demands. However due to the political instability in the country during the 1990s, many airlines stopped serving Pakistan. Slowly even the airlines in Pakistan started to become bankrupt as passenger numbers dropped and the air travel industry reached a situation where even the national airline, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Recently however, there has been a rise in passenger traffic after the Civil Aviation Authority introduced new policies to increase the demand for air travel, leading to more investment in the industry. The investment saw the construction of the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore that now has become the second busiest airport in Pakistan today, with many flights every hour. The continued high demand has brought new airlines into the industry with more airlines on the way including Safe Air and Pearl Air, bringing technological changes in travel including e-tickets and chauffeuring services to the airport. Today, there are five airlines in Pakistan in heavy competition amid high fuel prices. Also, as the demands of passengers increases, PIA, the national flag carrier, has begun to order brand new aircraft from Boeing and ATR to introduce more specialised services and provide a more efficient and comfortable service to its passengers. Airblue, the latest airline to enter the industry, is now one year old and has made a $1 billion order with Airbus to supply the airline with ten brand new aircraft including Airbus A330 and A320 so it can provide services to the United Kingdom and United States. The Civil Aviation Authority also introduced an "open sky policy" allowing Pakistani airlines access to the lucrative UK and United States markets, whilst allowing foreign airlines to increase their use of Pakistani airspace. This has allowed the return of many airlines to Pakistan including British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and many gulf airlines, with many more indicating plans to return.
Pakistan has 139 airports[1] including Jinnah International Airport (Karachi), Allama Iqbal International Airport (Lahore), Islamabad International Airport (Islamabad-Rawalpindi), Peshawar International Airport, Quetta International Airport and Sialkot International Airport. There are also several smaller airports which have flights to and from the Gulf because of the large Pakistani diaspora working in the region. There are 91 airports with paved runways of which 14 have runways longer than 3,047 metres. The remaining 48 airports have unpaved runways including one airport with a runway longer than 3,047 metres. Pakistan also has eighteen heliports.[1]

Animals

A country's demography gives a detailed information about the country. Likewise information about Pakistan includes the population, flora and fauna, attractions and other important details. Pakistan is home to varied species of threatened and tender wildlife carefully protected by the government of Pakistan. Some of the endangered species are otters, whales, crocodiles, black bucks, musk, the Himalayan tahr. Pakistan wildlife also comprises of various species of birds, which also form a part of the Pakistan tourism or the wildlife safari. Hingol National Park in Baluchistan, is an abode of Pakistan's flora and fauna. Among all the animals in Pakistan the notables are the Pakistani Siberian ibex, the musk cat, the porcupines and the wolves. The Pakistani Siberian ibex are mainly of the Alpine descent. It prefers rocky home grounds and is a fabulous climber. The Pakistani musk cats are also among the endangered species. Various types of pythons are found in Pakistan and mainly in the vegetation areas that is near the lakes and rivers. The porcupines and the wolves are also found. Among the endangered animals in Pakistan are:
Indus River Dolphin
Snow Leopard
Woolly Flying Squirrel
Fin Whale
blue Whale
Markhor
Hotson's Mouse like Hamster The tender species found in Pakistan duly protected by the government of Pakistan are:
Blackbuck
Fishing Cat
Argali
Dugong
Wild Goat
Sind Bat
Eurasian Otter
Mouflon
Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat
Humpback Whale
Asiatic Black Bear The Animals in Pakistan also attract wildlife lovers from across the country unfolding the variety of fauna tenderly protected by the government. For more information log on to the following links:-
Pakistani Siberian Ibex
Porcupine of Pakistan
Pythons in Pakistan
Wild Sheep of Pakistan
Pakistani Wolf
Pakistan Boars
Hyena of Pakistan
Gazelle of Pakistan

Tourism

Tourism is a growing industry in Pakistan, based on its diverse cultures, peoples and landscapes.[92] The variety of attractions range from the ruins of ancient civilisations such as Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and Taxila, to the Himalayan hill stations, which attract those interested in field and winter sports. Pakistan is home to several mountain peaks over 7,000 metres (22,970 ft), which attracts adventurers and mountaineers from around the world, especially K2.[93] The people of northern areas depend on tourism also. From April to September tourist of domestic and international type visited these areas which became the earn of living for local people. The northern parts of Pakistan have many old fortresses, towers and other architecture as well as the Hunza and Chitral valleys, the latter being home to the Kalash, a small pre-Islamic Animist community, who claim descent from the army of Alexander the Great. In the Punjab is the site of Alexander's battle on the Jhelum River and the historic city Lahore, Pakistan's cultural capital with many examples of Mughal architecture such as the Badshahi Masjid, Shalimar Gardens, Tomb of Jahangir and the Lahore Fort. To promote Pakistan's unique and various cultural heritage, the prime minister launched "Visit Pakistan 2007".[94][95]
In Pakistan's economy tourism can pay a vital role due to its majestic landscape and diversity of cultures within Pakistan, but due to lack of proper infrastructure in certain areas and worsening security situation are the major reason it still faces a set back. Other wise according to some international companies if Pakistan gets better tourist infrastructure it is estimated to be a over a $10 billion industry.

Sports

The official and national sport of Pakistan is field hockey, although cricket is more popular. The national cricket team has won the Cricket World Cup once (in 1992), were runners-up once (in 1999), and co-hosted the games twice with India (in 1987 and 1996). Pakistan were runners-up in the inaugural 2007 ICC World Twenty20 held in South Africa, beaten by India. Pakistan was chosen to host the 2008 ICC Champions Trophy cricket tournament and co-host the 2011 Cricket World Cup, with India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Other popular sports in Pakistan include football, and squash. Squash is another sport that Pakistanis have excelled in, with successful world-class squash players such as Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan winning the World Open several times during their careers.
At an international level, Pakistan has competed many times at the Summer Olympics in field hockey, boxing, athletics, swimming, and shooting. Pakistan's medal tally remains at 10 medals (3 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze) while at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games it stands at 61 medals and 182 medals respectively. Hockey is the sport in which Pakistan has been most successful at the Olympics, with three gold medals in (1960, 1968, and 1984). Pakistan has also won the Hockey World Cup a record four times (1971, 1978, 1982, 1994).[91] Pakistan has also hosted several international competitions, including the SAF Games in 1989 and 2004.
The Motorsport Association of Pakistan is a member of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. The Freedom Rally is a yearly off-road race which takes place during the Independence celebrations

Culture

Pakistan has a rich and unique culture that has preserved established traditions throughout history. Many cultural practices, foods, monuments, and shrines were inherited from the rule of Muslim Mughal and Afghan emperors. The national dress of shalwar qamiz is originally of Central Asian origin derived from Turko-Iranian nomadic invaders and is today worn in all parts of Pakistan. Women wear brightly coloured shalwar qamiz, while men often wear solid-coloured ones. In cities western dress is also popular among the youth and the business sector.

Cloth market in Karachi

A sitar workshop in Islamabad
Pakistani society is largely multilingual and 96% Muslim, with high regard for traditional family values, although urban families have grown into a nuclear family system due to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system. Recent decades have seen the emergence of a middle class in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, and Peshawar that wish to move in a more liberal direction,[75] as opposed to the northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan that remain highly conservative and dominated by centuries-old regional tribal customs. Increasing globalization has increased the influence of "Western culture" with Pakistan ranking 46th on the A.T. Kearney/FP Globalization Index.[76] There are an approximated four million people of Pakistani descent living abroad,[77] with close to a half-million expatriates living in the United States,[78] around a million living in Saudi Arabia[79] and nearly one million in the United Kingdom, all providing burgeoning cultural connections.[80]
The variety of Pakistani music ranges from diverse provincial folk music and traditional styles such as Qawwali and Ghazal Gayaki to modern forms fusing traditional and western music, such as the synchronisation of Qawwali and western music by the world renowned Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. In addition Pakistan is home to many famous folk singers such as the late Alam Lohar, who is also well known in Indian Punjab. The arrival of Afghan refugees in the western provinces has rekindled Pashto and Persian music and established Peshawar as a hub for Afghan musicians and a distribution centre for Afghan music abroad.[81] State-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation were the dominant media outlets, but there are now numerous private television channels. Various American, European, and Asian television channels and films are available to the majority of the Pakistani population via private Television Networks, cable, and satellite television. There are also small indigenous film industries based in Lahore and Peshawar (often referred to as Lollywood). Although Bollywood films have been banned from being played in public cinemas since 1965,[82] Indian film stars are still generally popular in Pakistan due to the fact that Pakistanis are easily able to buy Bollywood films from local shops for private home viewing. But recently Pakistan allowed selected Bollywood films to be shown in Pakistani cinemas.

Kites being sold before the basant festival
There are many festivals celebrated annually in Pakistan - which may or may not be observed as national public holidays - e.g. Pakistan Day (23 March), Independence Day (14 August), Defence of Pakistan Day (6 September), Pakistan Air Force Day (7 September), the anniversaries of the birth (25 December, a national holiday) and death (11 September) of Quaid-e-Azam, birth of Allama Iqbal (9 November) and the birth (30 July) and death (8 July) of Madar-e-Millat. Labour Day, (also known as May Day), is also observed in Pakistan on 1 May and is a public holiday. Several important religious festivals are celebrated by Pakistani Muslims during the year; the celeberation days depend on the lunar Islamic calendar. Ramadan, the ninth month of the calendar, is characterised by daytime fasting for 29 or 30 days and is followed by the festival of Eid ul-Fitr. In a second festival, Eid ul-Adha, an animal is sacrificed in remembrance of the actions of Prophet Abraham (Arabic: Ibrahim) and the meat is shared with friends, family, and the less fortunate. Both Eid festivals are public holidays, serving as opportunities for people to visit family and friends, and for children to receive new clothes, presents, and sweets. Muslims also celebrate Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi - the birthday of the prophet Muhammad - in the third month of the calendar (Rabi' al-Awwal) and mark the Day of Ashurah on the 9th and 10th days of the first month (Muharram) to commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn bin Ali. Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Christians in Pakistan also celebrate their own festivals and holidays. Sikhs come from across the world to visit several holy sites in Punjab, including the shrine of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, at Hasan Abdal in Attock District, and his birthplace, at Nankana Sahib. There are also several regional and local festivals, such as the Punjabi festival of Basant, which marks the start of spring and is celebrated by kite flying.

An example of modern day Pakistani architecture in Karachi.

Muhammad Iqbal, the national poet of Pakistan
The architecture of the areas now constituting Pakistan can be designated to four distinct periods — pre-Islamic, Islamic, colonial and post-colonial. With the beginning of the Indus civilization around the middle of the 3rd millennium[83] B.C., an advanced urban culture developed for the first time in the region, with large structural facilities, some of which survive to this day.[84] Mohenjo Daro, Harappa and Kot Diji belong to the pre-Islamic era settlements. The rise of Buddhism and the Persian and Greek influence led to the development of the Greco-Buddhist style, starting from the 1st century CE. The high point of this era was reached with the culmination of the Gandhara style. An example of Buddhist architecture is the ruins of the Buddhist monastery Takht-i-Bahi in the northwest province. The arrival of Islam in today's Pakistan meant a sudden end of Buddhist architecture.[85] However, a smooth transition to predominantly pictureless Islamic architecture occurred. The most important of the few completely discovered buildings of Persian style is the tomb of the Shah Rukn-i-Alam in Multan. During the Mughal era design elements of Islamic-Persian architecture were fused with and often produced playful forms of the Hindustani art. Lahore, occasional residence of Mughal rulers, exhibits a multiplicity of important buildings from the empire, among them the Badshahi mosque, the fortress of Lahore with the famous Alamgiri Gate, the colourful, still strongly Persian seeming Wazir Khan Mosque as well as numerous other mosques and mausoleums. Also the Shahjahan Mosque of Thatta in Sindh originates from the epoch of the Mughals. In the British colonial period, predominantly functional buildings of the Indo-European representative style developed from a mixture of European and Indian-Islamic components. Post-colonial national identity is expressed in modern structures like the Faisal Mosque, the Minar-e-Pakistan and the Mazar-e-Quaid.
The literature of Pakistan covers the literatures of languages spread throughout the country, namely Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, Pushto, Baluchi as well as English[86] in recent times and in the past often Persian as well. Prior to the 19th century, the literature mainly consisted of lyric poetry and religious, mystical and popular materials. During the colonial age the native literary figures, under the influence of the western literature of realism, took up increasingly different topics and telling forms. Today, short stories enjoy a special popularity.[87] The national poet of Pakistan, Muhammad Iqbal, wrote mainly in the Persian language, and additionally in Urdu. His works are concerned mostly with Islamic philosophy. Iqbal's most well-known work is the Persian poem volume Asrar-i-Khudi ("the secrets of the even"). The most famous works of early Urdu literature originated in the 14th century.[88] The most well-known representative of the contemporary Urdu literature of Pakistan is Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Sufi Shah Abdul Latif is considered one of the most outstanding mystical poets.[89] Mirza Kalich Beg has been termed the father of modern Sindhi prose.[90] In Punjabi, naats and qawaalis are delivered. The Pushto literature tradition is a cultural link between Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan. Extensive lyric poetry and epic poems have been published in Pushto. In Baluchi language songs and ballads are popular.

Education

Education in Pakistan is divided into five levels: primary (grades one through five); middle (grades six through eight); high (grades nine and ten, leading to the Secondary School Certificate); intermediate (grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher Secondary School Certificate); and university programmes leading to graduate and advanced degrees.[69]
Pakistan also has a parallel secondary school education system in private schools, which is based upon the curriculum set by the University of Cambridge. Some students choose to take the O level and A level exams, which are administered by the British Council,[70] in place of government exams.
There are currently 730 technical & vocational institutions in Pakistan.[71] The minimum qualifications to enter male vocational institutions, is the completion of grade 8. The programmes are generally two to three years in length. The minimum qualifications to enter female vocational institutions, is the completion of grade 5.[72]
All academic education institutions are the responsibility of the provincial governments. The federal government mostly assists in curriculum development, accreditation and some financing of research.
English medium education is to be extended, on a phased basis, to all schools across the country.[73] Through various educational reforms, by the year 2015, the ministry of education expects to attain 100% enrolment levels amongst primary school aged children, and a literacy rate of 86% amongst people aged over 10.[74]

Geography and Climate

Pakistan covers 340,403 square miles (881,640 km2),[44] approximately equalling the combined land areas of France and the United Kingdom. Its eastern regions are located on the Indian tectonic plate and the western and northern regions on the Iranian plateau and Eurasian landplate. Apart from the 1,046 kilometre (650 mi) Arabian Sea coastline, Pakistan's land borders total 6,774 kilometres—2,430 kilometres (1,509 mi) with Afghanistan to the northwest, 523 kilometres (325 mi) with China to the northeast, 2,912 kilometres (1,809 mi) with India to the east and 909 kilometres (565 mi) with Iran to the southwest.[45]

Tilla Jogian is the highest peak in the Eastern Salt Range in Punjab, Pakistan. At 975 meters (3200ft) above sea level.
The different types of natural features range from the sandy beaches, lagoons, and mangrove swamps of the southern coast to preserved beautiful moist temperate forests and the icy peaks of the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountains in the north. There are an estimated 108 peaks above 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) high that are covered in snow and glaciers. Five of the mountains in Pakistan (including Nanga Parbat) are over 8,000 metres (26,000 ft). Indian-controlled Kashmir to the Northern Areas of Pakistan and running the length of the country is the Indus River with its many tributaries. The northern parts of Pakistan attract a large number of foreign tourists. To the west of the Indus are the dry, hilly deserts of Balochistan; to the east are the rolling sand dunes of the Thar Desert. The Tharparkar desert in the southern province of Sindh, is the only fertile desert in the world. Most areas of Punjab and parts of Sindh are fertile plains where agriculture is of great importance.
The climate varies as much as the scenery, with cold winters and hot summers in the north and a mild climate in the south, moderated by the influence of the ocean. The central parts have extremely hot summers with temperatures rising to 45 °C (113 °F), followed by very cold winters, often falling below freezing. Officially the highest temperature recorded in Pakistan is 50.55 °C (122.99 °F) at Pad Idan.[46] There is very little rainfall ranging from less than 250 millimetres to more than 1,250 millimetres (9.8–49.2 in), mostly brought by the unreliable south-westerly monsoon winds during the late summer. The construction of dams on the rivers and the drilling of water wells in many drier areas have temporarily eased water shortages at the expense of down-gradient populations.