Pakistan (2001) | Belgium (2006) | |
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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 includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas |
10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles), Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
40.47% (male 30,131,400; female 28,391,891) 15-64 years: 55.42% (male 40,977,543; female 39,164,663) 65 years and over: 4.11% (male 2,918,872; female 3,032,270) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 883,254/female 846,099)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 3,450,879/female 3,389,565) 65 years and over: 17.4% (male 746,569/female 1,062,701) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs | sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk |
Airports | 117 (2000 est.) | 43 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
82 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 32 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 17 (2000 est.) |
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2006) |
Area | total:
803,940 sq km land: 778,720 sq km water: 25,220 sq km |
total: 30,528 sq km
land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of California | about the size of Maryland |
Background | The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved. A third war between these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. | Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. |
Birth rate | 31.21 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 10.38 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$8.9 billion expenditures: $11.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
revenues: $180.4 billion
expenditures: $180.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2005 est.) |
Capital | Islamabad | name: Brussels
geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy |
Coastline | 1,046 km | 66.5 km |
Constitution | 10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999 | 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state |
Country name | conventional long form:
Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie |
Currency | Pakistani rupee (PKR) | - |
Death rate | 9.26 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 10.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $38 billion (2000 est.) | $980.1 billion (30 June 2005 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador William B. MILAM embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200 telephone: [92] (51) 2080-0000 FAX: [92] (51) 2276427 consulate(s) general: Karachi consulate(s): Lahore, Peshawar |
chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS
embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Maleeha LODHI chancery: 2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6200 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0484 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Atlanta |
Disputes - international | status of Kashmir with India; water-sharing problems with India over the Indus River (Wular Barrage) | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $1.072 billion (2002) |
Economic aid - recipient | $2 billion (FY99/00) | - |
Economy - overview | Pakistan is a poor, heavily populated country, suffering from internal political disputes, lack of foreign investment, and a costly confrontation with neighboring India. Pakistan's economic outlook continues to be marred by its weak foreign exchange position, which relies on international creditors for hard currency inflows. The MUSHARRAF government will face an estimated $21 billion in foreign debt coming due in 2000-03, despite having rescheduled nearly $2 billion in debt with Paris Club members. Foreign loans and grants provide approximately 25% of government revenue, but debt service obligations total nearly 50% of government expenditure. Although Pakistan successfully negotiated a $600 million IMF Stand-By Arrangement, future loan installments will be jeopardized if Pakistan misses critical IMF benchmarks on revenue collection and the fiscal deficit. MUSHARRAF has complied largely with IMF recommendations to raise petroleum prices, widen the tax net, privatize public sector assets, and improve the balance of trade. However, Pakistan's economic prospects remain uncertain; too little has changed despite the new administration's intentions. Foreign exchange reserves hover at roughly $1 billion, GDP growth hinges on crop performance, the import bill has been hammered by high oil prices, and both foreign and domestic investors remain wary of committing to projects in Pakistan. | This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-05. |
Electricity - consumption | 57.732 billion kWh (1999) | 79.66 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 8.3 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 14.7 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 62.078 billion kWh (1999) | 78.77 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
63.38% hydro: 36.51% nuclear: 0.11% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m |
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification | the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
Ethnic groups | Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants) | Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% |
Exchange rates | Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 59.152 (January 2001), 52.814 (2000), 49.118 (1999), 44.943 (1998), 40.918 (1997), 35.909 (1996) | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) |
Executive branch | note:
following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF suspended Pakistan's constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; exercising the powers of the head of the government, he appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body; President Mohammad Rafiq TARAR remains the ceremonial chief of state; on 12 May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three years from the coup date chief of state: President Mohammad Rafiq TARAR (since 31 December 1997) head of government: Chief Executive Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 12 October 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the chief executive elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 31 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the National Assembly; election last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA); note - Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF overthrew the government of Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF in the military takeover of 12 October 1999; in May 2000, the Supreme Court validated the October 1999 coup and set a three-year limit in office for Chief Executive MUSHARRAF election results: Rafiq TARAR elected president; percent of Parliament and provincial vote - NA%; results are for the last election for prime minister prior to the military takeover of 12 October 1999 - Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA% |
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit |
Exports | $8.6 billion (f.o.b., FY99/00) | 450,000 bbl/day (2001) |
Exports - commodities | textiles (garments, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, other agricultural products | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs |
Exports - partners | US 24%, Hong Kong 7%, UK 7%, Germany 6%, UAE 6% (FY99/00) | Germany 19.4%, France 17.3%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 8.2%, US 6.4%, Italy 5.3% (2005) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
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 | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $282 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
25.4% industry: 24.9% services: 49.7% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 24% services: 74.9% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.8% (2000 est.) | 1.5% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 30 00 N, 70 00 E | 50 50 N, 4 00 E |
Geography - note | controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent | crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO |
Heliports | 8 (2000 est.) | 1 (2006) |
Highways | total:
247,811 km paved: 141,252 km (including 339 km of expressways) unpaved: 106,559 km (1998) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
4.1% highest 10%: 27.7% (1996) |
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 23% (1996) |
Illicit drugs | key transit area for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western markets; narcotics still move from Afghanistan into Balochistan Province | growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco |
Imports | $9.6 billion (f.o.b., FY99/00) | 1.042 million bbl/day (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals, transportation equipment, edible oils, grains, pulses, flour | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products |
Imports - partners | Saudi Arabia 8%, UAE 8%, US 6%, Japan 6%, Malaysia 4% (FY99/00) | Netherlands 17.8%, Germany 17.2%, France 11.4%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.5%, US 5.4% (2005) |
Independence | 14 August 1947 (from UK) | 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.8% (1999 est.) | -0.2% (2005 est.) |
Industries | textiles, food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, paper products, shrimp | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum |
Infant mortality rate | 80.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.2% (2000 est.) | 2.8% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | AsDB, C (suspended), CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 30 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 171,100 sq km (1993 est.) | 400 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court | Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council) |
Labor force | 40 million
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2000 est.) |
4.77 million (2005 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 44%, industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.) | agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 24.5% services: 74.2% (2003 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
6,774 km border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km |
total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km |
Land use | arable land:
27% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 5% other: 61% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 27.42%
permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% note: includes Luxembourg (2005) |
Languages | Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8% | Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) |
Legal system | based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | note - Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF dissolved Parliament following the military takeover of 12 October 1999; bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (87 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve six-year terms; one-third of the members up for election every two years) and the National Assembly (217 seats - 10 represent non-Muslims; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 March 1997 (next to be held NA); National Assembly - last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA); note - no timetable has yet been given for elections following the military takeover election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/N 30, PPP 17, ANP 7, MQM/A 6, JWP 5, BNP 4, JUI/F 2, PML/J 2, BNM/M 1, PKMAP 1, TJP 1, independents 6, vacant 5; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/N 137, PPP 18, MQM/A 12, ANP 10, BNP 3, JWP 2, JUI/F 2, PPP/SB 1, NPP 1, independents 21, minorities 10; note - Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF dismissed Parliament 15 October 1999 |
bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003 (next to be held no later than May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit 15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH 5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5, VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR 11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit 23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8, Ecolo 4, other 2 note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
61.45 years male: 60.61 years female: 62.32 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 78.77 years
male: 75.59 years female: 82.09 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.7% male: 55.3% female: 29% (1998) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands |
Map references | Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors |
Merchant marine | total:
17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 240,605 GRT/367,040 DWT ships by type: cargo 13, container 3, petroleum tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 66 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,952,159 GRT/6,521,645 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 4, chemical tanker 2, container 10, liquefied gas 15, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 4, Greece 4, UK 2) registered in other countries: 113 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas 13, Bermuda 4, Cyprus 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 6, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 2, Greece 12, Hong Kong 3, Luxembourg 9, Malta 10, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 4, Panama 11, Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 12, Sweden 2) (2006) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces, National Guard | Belgian Armed Forces: Land, Naval, and Air Operations Commands (2005) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $2.435 billion (FY99/00) | $3.999 billion (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.9% (FY99/00) | 1.3% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
35,770,928 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
21,897,366 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
1,657,723 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Republic Day, 23 March (1956) | 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I |
Nationality | noun:
Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani |
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian |
Natural hazards | frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) | flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes |
Natural resources | land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone | construction materials, silica sand, carbonates |
Net migration rate | -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 885 km; natural gas 4,044 km (1987) | gas 1,561 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | note:
Gen. Pervez MUSHARRAF dissolved Parliament following the military takeover of 12 October 1999, however, political parties have been allowed to operate; Awami National Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H [Dr. HAYEE Baluch]; Baluch National Party or BNP [Sardar Akhtar MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP [Akbar Khan BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Niazi faction or JUP/NI [Abdul Sattar Khan NIAZI]; Millat Party [Farooq LEGHARI]; Milli Yakjheti Council or MYC is an umbrella organization which includes Jamaat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED], Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-Haq faction or JUI/S [Sami ul-HAQ], Tehrik-I-Jafria Pakistan or TJP [Allama Sajid NAQVI], and Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Noorani faction or JUP/NO [Shah Ahmad NOORANI]; Mutahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National People's Party or NPP [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI]; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PKMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakhtun Quami Party or PQP [Mohammed AFZAL Khan]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League, Junejo faction or PML/J [Hamid Nasir CHATTHA]; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan National Party or PNP [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan People's Party/Shaheed Bhutto or PPP/SB [Ghinva BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN] note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently |
Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [Johan Vande LANOTTE]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank VANHECKE]
Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Isabelle DURANT, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Reform Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties |
Political pressure groups and leaders | military remains important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential | Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants |
Population | 144,616,639 (July 2001 est.) | 10,379,067 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 40% (2000 est.) | 4% (1989 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.11% (2001 est.) | 0.13% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998) | FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 13.5 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
8,163 km broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified; 1,037 km double track) narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (1996 est.) (2000) |
total: 3,521 km
standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2005) |
Religions | Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3% | Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal; separate electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for non-Muslims | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment:
the domestic system is mediocre, but improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in part because major businesses have established their own private systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the national telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily available to the majority of the rural population domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999) |
general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: country code - 32; submarine cables - 5; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2005) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2.861 million (March 1999) | 4.801 million (2004) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 158,000 (1998) | 9.46 million (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997) | 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast |
Total fertility rate | 4.41 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.64 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6% (FY99/00 est.) | 8.4% (2005 est.) |
Waterways | none | 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003) |