See also: Geology of Pakistan and Extreme points of Pakistan
K2 in Gilgit–Baltistan is the second-highest mountain on Earth, with a peak elevation of 8,611 metres (28,251 ft). It is part of the Karakoram range.
Pakistan covers an area of 796,095 km2 (307,374 sq mi), approximately equal to the combined land areas of France and the United Kingdom. It is the 36th largest nation by total area,
although this ranking varies depending on how the disputed territory of
Kashmir is counted. Pakistan has a 1,046 km (650 mi) coastline along
the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south
and land borders of 6,774 km (4,209 mi) in total: 2,430 km (1,510 mi)
with Afghanistan, 523 km (325 mi) with China, 2,912 km (1,809 mi) with
India and 909 km (565 mi) with Iran.It shares a marine border with Oman,and is separated from Tajikistan by the cold, narrow Wakhan Corridor.Pakistan occupies a geopolitically important location at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia.
Geologically, Pakistan overlaps the Indian tectonic plate in its Sindh and Punjab provinces; Balochistan and most of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are within the Eurasian plate, mainly on the Iranian plateau. Gilgit–Baltistan and Azad Kashmir lie along the edge of the Indian plate and hence are prone to violent earthquakes.
Ranging from the coastal areas of the south to the glaciated mountains
of the north, Pakistan's landscapes vary from plains to deserts,
forests, hills and plateaus .
Hilly terrains of Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
A lake view in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Pakistan is divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain and the Balochistan Plateau.The northern highlands contain the Karakoram, Hindu Kush and Pamir mountain ranges (see mountains of Pakistan), which contain some of the world's highest peaks, including five of the fourteen eight-thousanders (mountain peaks over 8,000 metres or 26,250 feet), which attract adventurers and mountaineers from all over the world, notably K2 (8,611 m or 28,251 ft) and Nanga Parbat (8,126 m or 26,660 ft).The Balochistan Plateau lies in the west and the Thar Desert
in the east. The 1,609 km (1,000 mi) Indus River and its tributaries
flow through the country from the Kashmir region to the Arabian Sea.
There is an expanse of alluvial plains along it in Punjab and Sindh.
The climate varies from tropical to temperate, with arid conditions in the coastal south. There is a monsoon
season with frequent flooding due to heavy rainfall, and a dry season
with significantly less rainfall or none at all. There are four distinct
seasons: a cool, dry winter from December through February; a hot, dry
spring from March through May; the summer rainy season, or southwest
monsoon period, from June through September; and the retreating monsoon
period of October and November.Rainfall varies greatly from year to year, and patterns of alternate flooding and drought are common.Flora and fauna
Main articles: Flora of Pakistan and Fauna of Pakistan
Cedrus deodara, Pakistan's national tree
The diversity of landscapes and climates in Pakistan allows a wide
variety of trees and plants to flourish. The forests range from
coniferous alpine and subalpine trees such as spruce, pine and deodar cedar in the extreme northern mountains, through deciduous trees in most of the country (for example the mulberry-like shisham found in the Sulaiman Mountains), to palms such as coconut and date in southern Punjab, southern Balochistan and all of Sindh. The western hills are home to juniper, tamarisk, coarse grasses and scrub plants. Mangrove forests form much of the coastal wetlands along the coast in the south.
Coniferous forests are found at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 4,000
metres in most of the northern and northwestern highlands. In the xeric regions of Balochistan, date palm and Ephedra
are common. In most of Punjab and Sindh, the Indus plains support
tropical and subtropical dry and moist broadleaf forestry as well as
tropical and xeric shrublands. These forests are mostly of mulberry, acacia, and eucalyptus.About 2.2% or 1,687,000 hectares (16,870 km) of Pakistan was forested in 2010.
The fauna of Pakistan reflects its varied climates too. Around 668 bird species are found: crows, sparrows, mynas, hawks, falcons, and eagles commonly occur. Palas, Kohistan, has a significant population of Western Tragopan.Many birds sighted in Pakistan are migratory, coming from Europe, Central Asia and India.
Markhor, Pakistan's national animal
The southern plains are home to mongooses, civets, hares, the Asiatic jackal, the Indian pangolin, the jungle cat and the desert cat. There are mugger crocodiles in the Indus, and wild boar, deer, porcupines and small rodents are common in the surrounding areas. The sandy scrublands of central Pakistan are home to Asiatic jackals, striped hyenas, wildcats and leopards.The lack of vegetative cover, the severe climate and the impact of
grazing on the deserts have left wild animals in a precarious position.
The chinkara is the only animal that can still be found in significant numbers in Cholistan. A small number of nilgai are found along the Pakistan-India border and in some parts of Cholistan.A wide variety of animals live in the mountainous north, including the Marco Polo sheep, the urial (a subspecies of wild sheep), Markhor and Ibex goats, the Asian black bear and the Himalayan brown bear.Among the rare animals found in the area are the snow leopard,the Asiatic cheetah and the blind Indus river dolphin, of which there are believed to be about 1,100 remaining, protected at the Indus River Dolphin Reserve in Sindh.In total, 174 mammals, 177 reptiles, 22 amphibians, 198 freshwater fish
species and 5,000 species of invertebrates (including insects) have
been recorded in Pakistan.
The flora and fauna of Pakistan suffer from a number of problems.
Pakistan has the second-highest rate of deforestation in the world.
This, along with hunting and pollution, is causing adverse effects on
the ecosystem. The government has established a large number of
protected areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and game reserves to deal with
these issues.
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