Pakistan lies between the latitudes of 24 degree-N to 36 degree-N and between the longitudes of 61 degree-E to 75 degree-E. It has an area of 796096 km2 and population of 20 crores 78 lac (2017 census report, rounded to nearest lacs).
i. BOUNDARIES
In the west, Pakistan shares its longest boundary line of 2612 km, with Afghanistan. This boundary line was demarcated in the year 1893 after a mutual agreement between the Afghan and the British rulers and was named "Durand Line". In the south-west, a 909 km long border line separates Pakistan from Iran and in the east a 2100 km border is shared by Pakistan and India. Six hundred km long Pak-China boundary cuts across the high Karakorum Range in the north. This boundary line separates the Muslim majority Chinese province of Sin Kiang (Xinjiang) from Pakistan's northern areas of Gilgit and Baltistan. The coastal area of Pakistan is about 1059 km long in the South of Pakistan.
In the north-west a narrow strip of the Afghan territory named Wakhan, about 20 km at its narrowest point, separates Pakistan from Tajikistan.
ii. PHYSICAL PROFILE
Physically Pakistan is located in an area where all strata of land can be simultaneously observed. There are areas of the lowest altitude (height above sea level), on the one side, and world's highest mountain peaks on the other. Pakistan is divided into three major land forms:
i. Mountainous Regions
ii. Plateau Area
iii. Plains
Mountainous region and the Plateau cover 60% and plains cover the remaining 40% area of the land of Pakistan.
iii. RAINFALL
Coastal Areas: Humidity prevails throughout the year, but rainfall is scanty.
Average rainfall in these areas is 175mm per year.
Plains with Lowland Continental Climate: These areas are generally dry. Excepting a few limited piedmont areas in the north these areas receive poor rainfall.
Mountainous Region with Highland Continental Climate: Northern and north-western mountainous regions received rainfall during summers. Central region of the Western Mountains receives more rainfall, for example Waziristan and Kohistan areas receive 250 mm per year. Moving farther north and south the air carrying water vapors gets gradually drained off. This causes low rainfall in these areas; for example, Skardu in the north, receives only 93 mm per year and Makran in the south, less than 125 mm per year.
Continental Climate Area of the Balochistan Plateau: This division includes north- western part of the Balochistan province. This is a desert area which receives less than 125 mm rainfall per year.
