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

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

Contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

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

Land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

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