Geography

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

Area: total: 803,940 sq km

         land: 778,720 sq km

         water: 25,220 sq km

Area-comparitive: slightly less than twice the size of California.

Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north.

Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest; Balochistan plateau in west.

Elevation Extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean (0 m)

                               highest point: K2 (8,611 m)

Natural Resources: land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, iron ore, copper, salt, and limestone.

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