Pakistan is mostly a dry country characterized by extremes of altitude and temperature. It is divided by the River Indus, which enters the country in the north-east and flows south into the Arabian Sea. The Indus forms the demarcation line between two of Pakistan's main topographic areas�the Indus Plain, which extends principally along the eastern side of the river, and the Baluchistan Plateau, which lies to the south-west. Four other topographic areas are the coastal plain, a narrow strip of land bordering the Arabian Sea; the Kharan Basin, to the west of the Baluchistan Plateau; and the Thar Desert (or Great Indian Desert), which straddles the border with India in the south-east; and the mountains of the north and north-west, including the Hindu Kush.
The Indus Plain in Pakistan varies in width from about 80 to 320 km (50 to 200 mi) and covers an area of about 518,000 sq km (200,000 sq mi). From north to south it includes portions of two main regions, namely, the Punjab Plain and the Sind Plain. The Punjab region is drained by the Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers, which are tributaries of the Indus; and supply the irrigation system that waters the Indus Plain.
The upland Baluchistan Plateau is bordered by a series of mountain ranges; among these are the Tobakakar Range, the Siahan Range, the Sulaiman Range, and the Kirthar Range. The highest peak in the northern mountains is Tirich Mir (7,690 m/25,230 ft) in the Hindu Kush. The Safed Koh Range is pierced by the Khyber Pass on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The highest peak in Pakistan is K2 (also known as Mount Godwin-Austen). Rising 8,611 m (28,250 ft) above sea level in the Karakorum Range, the peak is located in the region of Jammu and Kashmir controlled by Pakistan. K2 is the second-highest mountain in the world, after Mount Everest.
A range of natural hazards disrupt or claim life: these include frequent earthquakes, which may be severe especially in the north and west, and flooding along the Indus after heavy rains in July and August. The country overall has limited natural fresh water resources and many people do not have access to clean drinking water. As in many developing countries, deforestation, soil erosion, and desertification are also major problems. |
