Exporting

All the tools and resources you need to export your goods across the world

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars and a limited conflict - in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 respectively - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in mid-1998. India-Pakistan relations improved in the mid-2000s but have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and have been further strained by attacks in India by militants suspected of being based in Pakistan. Nawaz SHARIF took office as prime minister in 2013, marking the first time in Pakistani history that a democratically elected government completed a full term and transitioned to a successive democratically elected government. Pakistan has been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict with militant groups that target government institutions and civilians, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks.

Location

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

Natural Resources

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

Population - distribution

the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated

184404791
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Karachi 16.618 million; Lahore 8.741 million; Faisalabad 3.567 million; Rawalpindi 2.506 million; Multan 1.921 million; ISLAMABAD (capital) 1.365 million (2015)
Conventional long form
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Conventional short form
Pakistan
Local long form
Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan
Local short form
Pakistan
federal parliamentary republic
Name
Islamabad
Geographic coordinates
33 41 N, 73 03 E
Time difference
UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to slow growth and underdevelopment in Pakistan. Pakistan has a large English-speaking population. Nevertheless, a challenging security environment, electricity shortages, and a burdensome investment climate have deterred investors. Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles and apparel account for most of Pakistan's export earnings; Pakistan's failure to diversify its exports has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Pakistan’s GDP growth has gradually increased since 2012. Official unemployment was 6.1% in 2016, but this fails to capture the true picture, because much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high. Human development continues to lag behind most of the region.
Inflation
3.753%
External debt stocks
US$ 65,481,878,000
Total tax rate (% of commercial profits)
33.3%
Real Interest Rate
4.271%
Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP)
12.732%
Current Account Balance
US$ -1,602,800,000
Labor Force, Total
68,044,573
Employment in Agriculture
43.50%
Employment in Industry
22.50%
Employment in Services
34%
Unemployment Rate
5.87%
Imports of goods and services
US$ 44,878,836,988
Exports of goods and services
US$ 24,662,875,960
Total Merchandise Trade
23.83%
FDI, net inflows
US$ 979,000,000
Commercial Service Exports
US$ 3,344,000,000
cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs
textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp
Commodities
textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sporting goods, chemicals, manufactures, surgical instruments, carpets and rugs
Partners
US 13%, UAE 9%, Afghanistan 9%, China 8.7%, UK 5.3%, Germany 4.9% (2015)
Commodities
petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea
Partners
China 28.3%, Saudi Arabia 11%, UAE 10.9%, Kuwait 5.7% (2015)
Country Risk Rating
C
A very uncertain political and economic outlook and a business environment with many troublesome weaknesses can have a significant impact on corporate payment behavior. Corporate default probability is high.
Business Climate Rating
C
The business environment is difficult. Corporate financial information is often unavailable and when available often unreliable. Debt collection is unpredictable. The institutional framework has many troublesome weaknesses. Intercompany transactions run major risks in the difficult environments rated C.
  • Large domestic market, with dynamic population growth
  • Significant remittances from abroad
  • Cheap and plentiful labor
  • Positive outlook for economic corridor with China
  • Extremely tense geopolitical climate and serious domestic insecurity (terrorism)
  • Inadequacy of healthcare, agriculture, and educational infrastructure
  • Energy dependency
  • Frequent electricity and water outages
  • Poor sector diversification and concentration on a few low added value sectors

Our site saves small pieces of text information (cookies) on your device in order to deliver better content and for statistical purposes. By browsing our website you grant us permission to store that information on your device. For more information check our Terms and Conditions.