Pakistan

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• Geography

Veterinarians:

Dr. Faisal KahnPets and VetsTel: +92 51 287 0666Fax: +92 51 229 9959pets_vets2@hotmail.com orpets_vets2@yahoo.com

Geography

Pakistan covers an area of 796,095 sq km lying between latitude 24 degree and 37 degree North and longitude 62 degree and 75 degree East. The country borders Iran on the west, India in the east, Afghanistan in the north and north-west and the People's Republic of China in the north-west to north-east. The Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E .It has the total area of803,940 sq km including land area of778,720 sq km and water of: 25,220 sq km .

Pakistan is a land of many splendours. The scenery changes northward from coastal beaches, lagoons and mangrove swamps in the south to sandy deserts, desolate plateaus, fertile plains, and dissected upland in the middle and high mountains with beautiful valleys, snow-covered peaks and eternal glaciers in the north. The variety of landscape divides Pakistan into six major regions: the North High Mountainous Region, the Western Low Mountainous Region, the Balochistan Plateau, the Potohar Upland, the Punjab and the Sindh Plains.

Stretching in the north, from east to west, are a series of high mountain ranges, which separate Pakistan from China, Russia and Afghanistan. They include the Himalayas, the Karakoram and Hindukush. With the assemblage of 35 giant peaks over 24,000 ft (7,315 m) high, the region is the climber's paradise. Many peaks are higher than 26,000 ft. The world's second highest peak K 2 (the "K" is the initial letter of the name of mountain Karakoram) tops at 28,250 ft. Inhospitable and technically more difficult to climb than even "Everest" they have taken the biggest toll of human lives in the annals of mountaineering. This region is home not only to some of the world's highest peaks but also some of the longest glaciers- huge solidified rivers of ice sliding ponderously down into the valleys where they melt, adding to the flood of the mighty Indus and its tributaries. Baltoro and Pasu - both over 50 km long, are two famous glaciers. Besides these peaks and glaciers the region abounds in large lakes, and green valleys, which have combined at places to produce beautiful resorts such as Gilgit, Hunza, Chitral, Kaghan and Swat. Due to numerous streams and rivulets, thick forests of pine and junipers, and, a vast variety of fauna and flora, the Chitral, Kaghan and Swat have particularly earned the reputation of being the most enchanting tourist resorts of Pakistan.

South of the high mountains, the ranges lose their height gradually and settle down finally in the Margalla hills (2,000 - 3,000 ft) in the vicinity of Islamabad.

The Western Low Mountain Region spreads from the Swat and Chitral hills in a north-south direction, and covers a large portion of the North-West Frontier Province. North of the river Kabul their altitude ranges from 5,000 to 6,000 ft in Mohmand and Malakand hills. South of the river Kabul spreads the Koh-e-Sofed Range with a general height of 10,000 ft. Its highest peak, Skaram, being 15,620 ft. South of Koh-e-Sofed are the Kohat and Waziristan hills (5,000 ft) which are traversed by the Kurram and Tochi rivers, and are bounded on south by Gomal river. South of the Gomal river, the Sulaiman mountains run for a distance of about 483 km in a north-south direction. At 11,295 ft is the highest peak called Tahkt-e-Sulaiman.

The Western Mountains have a number of passes, which are special geographical and historical interest. For centuries, they have been watching numerous kings, generals and preachers passing through them and the events that followed brought about momentous changes in the annals of mankind. Khyber Pass, the largest and the most renowned of these, is 56 km long and connects Kabul in Afghanistan with the fertile vale of Peshawar in the NWFP. The Tochi pass connects Ghazni in Afghanistan with Bannu in Pakistan and the Gomal Pass provides a route from Afghanistan to Dera Ismail Khan, which overlooks the Punjab Plain. The Bolan Pass connects the Sindh Plain with Quetta in Balochistan and onward through Chaman with Afghanistan.

Balochistan Plateau lies in the East of Sulaiman range. The average altitude is about 2,000 ft. The physical features of the plateau are very varied but mountains, plateaus and basins predominate the scene. The mountains are carved off by innumerable channels and hill torrents, which contain water only after rains. Very little water, however, reaches the basins lying on their foot. Comparatively more important rivers are Zhob, Bolan, and Mulla located in the northeastern portion of Balochistan. Kalat Plateau at 7,000 -8,000 ft, in the center of Balochistan is the most important plateau. The largest desert is found in Balochistan. Border countries are: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km.

Capital         Islamabad

Languages    Urdu, Sindhi, English

Currency      Rupee (RS.) (PKR)

Climate

Pakistan has a continental type of climate characterized by extreme variations of temperatures. The areas close to the snow-covered mountains are cold. Temperatures on the Balochistan Plateau are comparatively high. Along the coastal strip, the climate is modified by sea breezes. In the rest of the country, temperature rises steeply in the summer and hot winds called "loo" blow across the plains during the day. The temperature soars to 40 degree centigrade and beyond. The highest recorded temperature at Jaccobabad is 53 degree centigrade. Winters are cold with average minimum and maximum temperature 4 degree and 18 degree centigrade respectively. Pakistan experiences a general deficiency of rainfall. In the plains the annual average ranges from 13 cm, in the northern parts of the lower Indus Plains to 89 cm in the Himalayan Region. Rains are of monsoon origin and fall late in Summer.