LAND AND RESOURCES
Pakistan is mostly a dry region characterized by
great extremes of elevation and temperature. Its topography is partly divided by
the Indus River, which enters the country in the northeast and flows south into
the Arabian Sea. The Indus forms in general the line of demarcation between the
two main landforms of the country, namely, the Indus Valley, which extends
principally along the eastern side of the river, and the Baluchistan Highlands,
which lie to the west. Three lesser landforms of Pakistan are the coastal plain,
which is a narrow strip of land bordering the Arabian Sea; the Kharan Basin,
which is west of the Baluchistan Highlands; and the Thar Desert, which straddles
the border with India in the southeast.
The Indus Valley in Pakistan varies in width from
about 80 to 320 km (about 50 to 200 mi); from north to south it includes
portions of two main regions, namely, the Punjab Plain and the Sind Plain. The
Punjab region is drained by the Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers, which
are tributaries of the Indus; these rivers supply the irrigation system that
waters the Indus Valley.
The Baluchistan Highlands contain a series of
mountain ranges; among these are the Tobakakar Range, the Siahan Range, the
Sulaiman Range, and the Kirthar Range. The highest peak in the highlands is
Tirich Mir (7,690 m/25,230 ft), located in the Hindu Kush mountains in the
north. The Safed Koh is pierced by the Khybar Pass on the Pakistan-Afghanistan
border.
The highest peak in Pakistan is K2 (also known as
Mount Godwin Austen). Rising 8,611 m (28,251 ft) above sea level in the
Karakoram Range, the peak is located in the region of Kashmir that Pakistan
controls. K2 is the second highest mountain in the world, behind Mount Everest.
The climate of Pakistan varies widely from place
to place. In the mountain regions of the north and west, temperatures fall below
freezing during winter; in the Indus Valley area, temperatures range between
about 32° and 49°C (about 90° and 120°F) in summer, and the average in
winter is about 13°C (about 55°F). Throughout most of Pakistan rainfall is
scarce. The Punjab region receives the most precipitation, more than 500 mm (20
in) per year. The arid regions of the southeast and southwest receive less than
125 mm (5 in) annually. Most rain falls in July and August.
The resources of Pakistan are primarily
agricultural. The country's mineral resources include salt, chromite, coal,
gypsum, limestone, manganese, sulfur, clay, graphite, copper, petroleum, and
natural gas.
Vegetation in Pakistan varies according to
elevation. Alpine flora grows on the higher slopes. Forests of spruce, evergreen
oak, chir or cheer pine, and a cedar known as the deodar are found at lower
elevations.
Animal life abounds in Pakistan, including deer,
boar, bear, crocodile, and waterfowl. In the freshwater and saltwater areas,
fish of many varieties are found. Marine life includes herring, mackerel,
sharks, and shellfish.