Pakistan

Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered from decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment. Between 2001-07, however, poverty levels decreased by 10%, as Islamabad steadily raised development spending. Between 2004-07, GDP growth in the 5-8% range was spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors - despite severe electricity shortfalls - but growth slowed in 2008-09 and unemployment rose. Inflation remains the top concern among the public, climbing from 7.7% in 2007 to more than 13% in 2010. In addition, the Pakistani rupee has depreciated since 2007 as a result of political and economic instability. The government agreed to an International Monetary Fund Standby Arrangement in November 2008 in response to a balance of payments crisis, but during 2009-10 its current account strengthened and foreign exchange reserves stabilized - largely because of lower oil prices and record remittances from workers abroad. Record floods in July-August 2010 lowered agricultural output and contributed to a jump in inflation, and reconstruction costs will strain the limited resources of the government. Textiles account for most of Pakistan’s export earnings, but Pakistan’s failure to expand a viable export base for other manufactures has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Other long term challenges include expanding investment in education, healthcare, and electricity production, and reducing dependence on foreign donors.

$451.2 billion (2010 est.)

$439.4 billion (2009 est.)

$421.2 billion (2008 est.)

$174.8 billion (2010 est.)

2.7% (2010 est.)

4.3% (2009 est.)

3.6% (2008 est.)

$2,400 (2010 est.)

$2,400 (2009 est.)

$2,400 (2008 est.)

55.77 million

15% (2010 est.)

14% (2009 est.)

24% (FY05/06 est.)

30.6 (FY07/08)

41 (FY98/99)

15% of GDP (2010 est.)

49.9% of GDP (2010 est.)

49.3% of GDP (2009 est.)

13.4% (2010 est.)

13.6% (2009 est.)

12.5% (31 December 2009)

15% (31 December 2008)

NA%

$59.75 billion (31 December 2010 est)

$47.23 billion (31 December 2009 est)

$85.22 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$65.13 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$71.45 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$63.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$33.24 billion (31 December 2009)

$23.49 billion (31 December 2008)

$70.26 billion (31 December 2007)

cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs

textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

4.9% (2010 est.)

90.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)

72.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

59,140 bbl/day (2009 est.)

373,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

30,090 bbl/day (2007 est.)

319,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)

436.2 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

37.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

37.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

840.2 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

-$2.641 billion (2010 est.)

-$3.583 billion (2009 est.)

$20.29 billion (2010 est.)

$18.33 billion (2009 est.)

textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and rugs

US 15.87%, UAE 12.35%, Afghanistan 8.48%, UK 4.7%, China 4.44% (2009)

$32.71 billion (2010 est.)

$28.53 billion (2009 est.)

petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea

China 15.35%, Saudi Arabia 10.54%, UAE 9.8%, US 4.81%, Kuwait 4.73%, Malaysia 4.43%, India 4.02% (2009)

$16.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$13.77 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$57.21 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$53.62 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$30.09 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$28.09 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.047 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.017 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 85.27 (2010), 81.7129 (2009), 70.64 (2008), 60.6295 (2007), 60.35 (2006)