FACTS

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Area (only Total) total: 803,940 sq km

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

Population: 167,762,040 (July 2008 est.)

Main Language (only first): Punjabi

Government type: federal republic

Capital (Name): Islamabad

Capital (Time Difference): UTC+5

Independence: 14 August 1947 (from British India)

National holiday: Republic Day, 23 March (1956)