Pakistan

Pakistan
by Sarah T.

Shannon and Cody's parents are at a refugee camp in Pakistan. They work with Doctors Without Borders and are helping to take care of the refugees.

Pakistan is located in South Asia. It borders the China to the north, Arabian Sea to the south, Iran and Afghanistan to the west, and India to the east. The total area is 803,940 sq km with 25,220 sq km of water and 778,729 sq km of land. If you compared it, it is about less than twice the size of California. Land boundaries of Pakistan make up a total of 6,774 km. The bordering countries are Afghanistan (2,430 km), China (523 km), Iran (909 km) and India (2,912). The coastline with the Arabian Sea is 1,046 km long. It's climate is mostly hot, dry desert, cool in the northwest, and cold in the north.

Pakistan is mostly flat Indus plains in the east, mountains in the north and northwest and the Balochistan plateau in the west. Frequent earthquakes (especially severe in the west and the north), flooding along the Indus plains after heavy rains in July and August.

There is much water pollution from sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff. Also there is limited natural fresh water resources. Most of the population does not have access to safe drinking water. Desertification, deforestation and soil erosion also contribute to the environmental issues.

The population is 165,803,560 as of July 2006. Median ages are 19 over all, 20 for females and 19 for males. The total life expectancy is 63 years, for females it is 64 and for males it is 62.

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