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Map
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Location: 30 00 N, 70 00 E -- Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian
Sea, between India and Iran

Flag
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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

Geography
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Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India
and Iran

Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total area: 803,940 sq km
land area: 778,720 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
total: 6,774 km
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
km, Iran 909 km

Coastline: 1,046 km

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

International disputes: status of Kashmir with India; border
dispute with Afghanistan (Durand Line); water-sharing problems over
the Indus (Wular Barrage) with upstream riparian India

Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in
north

Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and
northwest; Balochistan plateau in west
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources: land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited
petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 23%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 6%
forest and woodland: 4%
other: 67% (1993)

Irrigated land: 170,000 sq km (1992)

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
natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe
especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy
rains (July and August)
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Desertificatio