Pakistan is a sovereign country in Southern Asia, in the wider region of Asia. In formal use it is Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The capital is Islamabad.
Its territory runs to 881,912 km², which ranks it 35th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Venezuela and just ahead of Namibia. Put next to a country most people can picture, it is a fraction smaller than Venezuela.
Some 251.3 million people call it home, placing it 5th of 250 by population — between Indonesia above it and Nigeria below. Within Southern Asia alone it is the 3rd largest of 9 and the 2nd most populous.
How Pakistan sits on the globe
Its reference point sits at 30.0° north and 70.0° east, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 3,340 km from the equator, in what geographers would call subtropical latitudes.
Countries on the same parallel, far away in longitude, include Algeria and Morocco.
Its land neighbours number 4: Afghanistan, China, India and Iran. The largest of them by area is China, while the most populous is India. Together those neighbours hold about 2.99 billion people.
Unlike its landlocked neighbours it reaches the sea directly, while also sharing land frontiers.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Population, density and language
Spread across 881,912 km², that works out at about 285 people per square kilometre, which makes it densely populated. The median across all 250 entries here is about 90 per square kilometre.
The demonym is Pakistani, so residents are Pakistanis.
Officially it is multilingual, listing English and Urdu. Urdu is listed for no other entry in this dataset, which makes it effectively unique to Pakistan. English, the first listed, is shared with 90 other entries worldwide.
Inside Asia it places 4th of 50 by population, and it accounts for 12% of everyone living in Southern Asia.
Money, internet and phone codes
The currency is the Pakistani rupee (₨, PKR). It is issued for Pakistan alone.
Islamabad is the city to remember for this country.
Its internet country code is .pk. The international dialling code is +92. In ISO terms it is pk in two letters and PAK in three.
As a sovereign state it is among the 193 UN members listed here. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.
Neighbouring countries
Pakistan shares borders with 4 countries:
Fun facts about Pakistan
- Population density works out at roughly 285 people per square kilometre.
- Websites based there use the .pk domain.
- Ranked by land area, Pakistan is 35th out of the 250 countries and territories on this site.
- Its capital city is Islamabad.
- In land area it is a fraction smaller than Venezuela.
- Algeria and Morocco sit at almost the same latitude, on the far side of the globe.
- Urdu is listed as an official language for no other entry in this dataset.
Pakistan — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Pakistan?
- The capital of Pakistan is Islamabad.
- What currency does Pakistan use?
- Pakistan uses the Pakistani rupee, written ₨ (currency code PKR). No other entry in this dataset uses it.
- How big is Pakistan?
- Pakistan covers 881,912 km², ranking 35th of 250 by land area. That makes it a fraction smaller than Venezuela.
- Which countries border Pakistan?
- Pakistan borders 4 countries: Afghanistan, China, India and Iran. China is the largest of them by area.
- Where is Pakistan located?
- Pakistan is in Southern Asia, part of Asia. Its reference coordinates are 30.0° north and 70.0° east, roughly 3,340 km from the equator in subtropical latitudes.
- What is the population of Pakistan?
- Pakistan has a population of about 251.3 million, which makes it the 5th most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Indonesia sits just above it and Nigeria just below.
- Is Pakistan a country?
- Yes. Pakistan is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.
- What language is spoken in Pakistan?
- Pakistan lists 2 official languages: English and Urdu. Urdu does not appear as an official language anywhere else in this dataset.
