The Islamic republic of Pakistan emerged on the map of the world as an independent sovereign state on 14th August 1947, as a result of the division of the former British India. It lies between 23-35 to 37- 05 north latitude and 60-50 to 77- 50 east longitude. It touches the Hindukush mountains in the north and extends from the Pamirs to the Arabian Sea. It is bounded by Iran in the west, Afghanistan in the north-west, India in the east and south east and Arabian Sea in the south. There is a common border with China alongside Gilgit and Baltistan in the north.

The total area of the country is 796,095 sq.km with a population of 130.6 million according to population census 1988. It is divided into four provinces viz. Sindh, Punjab, North West Frontier Province and Balochistan. It consists of such physical regions as a) the western offshoots of Himalayas which cover its northern and north western parts of which the highest peak K-2 rises to 8611 meters above sea level; b) the Balochistan plateau c) The Potohar Plateau and salt range and d) The Indus plain, the most fertile and densely populated area of the country. It gets its sustenance from the Indus river and its tributaries.

Climatically, Pakistan enjoys a considerable measure of variety. North and north western high mountainous ranges are extremely cold in winter while the summer months of April to September are very pleasant. The plains of the Indus valley are extremely hot in summer with a cold and dry weather i...