South Asia.

GMT + 6.

796,095 sq km (307,374 sq miles) excluding data for the disputed territories of Jammu and Kashmir.

164.7 million (CIA estimate 2007).

206.9 per sq km.

Islamabad. Population: 800,000 (2005).

Pakistan has borders to the north with Afghanistan, to the east with India and to the west with Iran; the Arabian Sea lies to the south. In the northeast is the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir, bounded by Afghanistan, China and India. Pakistan comprises distinct regions. The northern highlands, the Hindu Kush, are rugged and mountainous; the Indus Valley is a flat, alluvial plain with five major rivers dominating the upper region, eventually joining the Indus River and flowing south to the Makran coast; Sindh is bounded on the east by the Thar Desert and the Rann of Kutch, and on the west by the Kirthar Range; the Baluchistan Plateau is an arid tableland encircled by mountains.

Federal Islamic Republic since 1973. Gained independence from the UK in 1947.

President Asif Ali Zardari since September 2008.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani since March 2008.

Asif Ali Zardari, of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and widower of assassinated Benazir Bhutto, won a landslide victory in early September 2008 to become president of Pakistan. He took over from Pervez Musharraf, who quit his nearly nine-year rule in March, to become the 14th president in Pakistan's short and turbulent history.

The Musharraf government sought to establish its popular legitimacy by holding elections for the National Assembly, as well as a referendum on his presidency, in 2002. These returned General Musharraf, partially reinvented as a civilian president, while his supporters took control of the national assembly. However, his pro-American stance made him extremely unpopular among parts of Pakistani society and he was the target of at least a dozen assassination attempts.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani was sworn in by President Musharraf in March 2008, to head an opposition coalition government as leader of the PPP.

Urdu is the official language, though it is only used by 8% of Pakistanis. English is widely spoken. Regional languages include Punjabi, which is spoken by 48% of the population, Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki and Balochi. There are numerous local dialects.

97% Muslim (77% Sunni, 20% Shi'a), the remainder are Hindu or Christian.

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two- or three-pin plugs are in use.

The right hand is used both for shaking hands (the usual form of greeting) and for passing or receiving things. Mutual hospitality and courtesy are of great importance at all levels, whatever the social standing of the host. Visitors must remember that most Pakistanis are Muslim and should respect their customs and beliefs.

Smoking is prohibited in some public places and it is polite to ask permission before lighting a cigarette. It is common for visiting businesspeople to be entertained in hotels and restaurants. If invited to a private home, a gift or national souvenir is welcome. Informal dress is acceptable for most occasions. Women should avoid wearing tight clothing and both men and women should ensure that their arms and legs are covered. Pakistani society is divided into classes and within each group there is a subtle social grading. The Koran is the law for Muslims and it influences every aspect of daily life.

Photography: Do not take photographs at military establishments, airports or of any infrastructure, including dams and bridges or from aircraft. The penalties can be severe.