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Break up biggest banks
With his chronically gravelly voice and relentlessly liberal agenda, Sherrod Brown seems to have stepped out of Les Misérables, hoarse from singing revolutionary anthems at the barricades. Today, Ohio's senior senator has a project worthy of Victor Hugo - and of conservatives' support. He wants to break up the biggest banks.
With his chronically gravelly voice and relentlessly liberal agenda, Sherrod Brown seems to have stepped out of Les Misérables, hoarse from singing revolutionary anthems at the barricades. Today, Ohio's senior senator has a project worthy of Victor Hugo - and of conservatives' support. He wants to break up the biggest banks.
He believes such banks are unhealthy for the financial system, even when they are healthy. This is because there is a silent subsidy - an unfair advantage relative to community banks - inherent in being deemed by the government, implicitly but clearly, too big to fail.
The Senate has unanimously passed a bill offered by Brown and Sen. David Vitter (R., La.) directing the Government Accountability Office to study whether banks with more than $500 billion in assets acquire an "economic benefit" because of their dangerous scale. Is their debt priced favorably because, being TBTF, they are considered especially creditworthy? Brown believes the 20 largest banks pay less - 50 to 80 basis points less - when borrowing than community banks must pay.
In a sense, TBTF began under Ronald Reagan with the 1984 rescue of Continental Illinois, then the seventh-largest bank. In 2011, the four biggest U.S. banks (JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo) had 40 percent of all federally insured deposits. Today, the 5,500 community banks have 12 percent of the banking industry's assets. The 12 banks with $250 billion to $2.3 trillion in assets total 69 percent. The 20 largest banks' assets total 84.5 percent of the nation's GDP.
Such banks, which have become bigger relative to the economy since the financial crisis began, are not the only economic entities becoming larger. Last year, the Economist reported that in the last 15 years the combined assets of the 50 largest U.S. companies had risen from about 70 percent of GDP to about 130 percent. And banks are not the only entities designated TBTF because they are "systemically important." General Motors supposedly required a bailout because a chain of parts suppliers might have failed with it.
But this just means that the pernicious practice of socializing losses while keeping profits private is not quarantined in the financial sector.
To see why TBTF also can mean TBTM - too big to manage - read "What's Inside America's Banks?" in the January/February issue of the Atlantic. Frank Partnoy and Jesse Eisinger argue that banks are not only bigger but also "more opaque than ever." And regulations partake of the opacity: The landmark Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, separating commercial from investment banking, was 37 pages long; the 848 pages of the 2010 Dodd-Frank law may eventually be supplemented by 30 times that many pages of rules. The "Volcker rule" banning banks from speculating with federally insured deposits is 298 pages long.
There is no convincing consensus about a correlation between a bank's size and supposed efficiencies of scale, and any efficiencies must be weighed against management inefficiencies associated with complexity and opacity. Thirty or so years ago, Brown says, seven of the world's 10 largest banks were Japanese, which was not an advantage sufficient to prevent Japan's descent into prolonged stagnation.
Brown is undecided about whether the proper metric for identifying a bank as "too big" should be if its assets are a certain percentage of GDP - he suggests 2 percent to 4 percent - or simply the size of its assets (Richard Fisher, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, has suggested $100 billion).
By breaking up the biggest banks, conservatives will not be putting asunder what the free market has joined together. Government nurtured these behemoths by weaving an improvident safety net, and by practicing crony capitalism. Dismantling them would be a blow against government that has become too big not to fail. Aux barricades!

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"A Subgradient Based Algorithm for Distributed Task Assignment for Heterogeneous Mobile Robots", in IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Florence, Italy, 2013, pp. 3665 - 3670. 2013_SP_CDC.pdf (290.78 KB),
"ASCARI: a component based simulator for distributed mobile robot systems", in Modelling & Simulation for Autonomous Systems - MESAS2014, Rome, 5-6 May 2014, 2014, vol. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 8906, 2014, pp. 152-163. [PDF] (987.71 KB),
"Manipulation Framework for Compliant Humanoid COMAN: Application to a Valve Turning Task", in IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (HUMANOIDS 2014), Madrid, Spain, November 18 - 20, 2014, pp. 664 - 670 [Online]. Available: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=7041434 [PDF] (2.32 MB),
"A modular approach for remote operation of humanoid robots in search and rescue scenarios ", in Modelling & Simulation for Autonomous Systems - MESAS2014, Rome, 5-6 May 2014, 2014. [PDF] (3.72 MB),
"Upper-body Impedance Control with an Intuitive Stiffness Emulation for a Door Opening Task", in IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (HUMANOIDS 2014), Madrid, Spain, November 18 - 20, 2014, pp. 713 - 719 [Online]. Available: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=7041441 [PDF] (1.87 MB),
"Yarp Based Plugins for Gazebo Simulator", in 2014 Modelling and Simulation for Autonomous Systems Workshop (MESAS), Roma, Italy, 5 -6 May 2014, 2014. [PDF] (1.07 MB),
"APRICOT: Aerospace PRototypIng COntrol Toolbox. A Modeling and Simulation Environment for Aircraft Control Design", in International Workshop on Modelling and Simulation for Autonomous Systems MESAS 2016, Rome, Italy, June 15-16, 2016, 2016, vol. 9991 of the book series Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS), pp. 139 - 157 [Online]. Available: http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-47605-6_11 [PDF] (779.15 KB),
"Motion Primitive Based Random Planning for Loco–Manipulation Tasks", in IEEE International Conference on Humanoid Robots (HUMANOIDS 2016), Cancun, Mexico, 15-17 Nov. 2016 , 2016 [Online]. Available: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7803402/ [PDF] (9.89 MB),
"Multi–object handling for robotic manufacturing", in IECON 2016: 42nd Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, Florence, Italy, October 24-27, 2016, pp. 6887 - 6893 [Online]. Available: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7793936/?reload=true [PDF] (2.11 MB),
"On the Problem of Moving Objects With Autonomous Robots: A Unifying High-Level Planning Approach", IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 469-476, 2016 [Online]. Available: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=7384694,
"The Walk-Man Robot Software Architecture", Front. Robot. AI, 2016 [Online]. Available: http://bit.ly/2jAPke2,
"WALK-MAN: A High-Performance Humanoid Platform for Realistic Environments", Journal of Field Robotics, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 1 - 34, 2017 [Online]. Available: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rob.21702/epdf [PDF] (5.74 MB),
"Humanoids at Work: The WALK-MAN Robot in a Postearthquake Scenario", IEEE Robotics Automation Magazine, pp. 1-1, 2018. paper_ram_rev2.pdf (4.06 MB),
"A Planning and Control System for Self-Driving Racing Vehicles", in 2018 IEEE 4th International Forum on Research and Technology for Society and Industry (RTSI), Palermo, Italy, 2018, pp. 1-6. roboracertsi_2018.pdf (2.63 MB),
"WALK-MAN Humanoid Platform", in The DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals: Humanoid Robots To The Rescue, vol. 121, Springer, 2018, pp. 495–548. walk-manhumanoidplatform_springer.pdf (3.5 MB),
"Learning From Humans How to Grasp: A Data-Driven Architecture for Autonomous Grasping With Anthropomorphic Soft Hands", IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 4, pp. 1533-1540, 2019. 08629968.pdf (4.01 MB),
"Towards the Design of Robotic Drivers for Full-Scale Self-Driving Racing Cars", 2019 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA). 2019. compressed_submitted.pdf (1.74 MB),
"LiDAR-Based GNSS Denied Localization for Autonomous Racing Cars", Sensors, vol. 20, no. 14 , 2020 [Online]. Available: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/14/3992#cite sensors-20-03992-v2.pdf (3.68 MB),


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Wordscapes Uncrossed is a very simple and addictive word game developed by PeopleFun, Inc. The game will be easy at the first levels but will become harder as you progress leveling up. As any word game you get a selection of letters and a grid of blank spaces where you have to fill the correct solutions. The game comes with relaxing sounds and beautiful landscapes. The game has 2688 Levels and it has a daily puzzle section and we have posted Wordscapes Uncrossed Daily Puzzle Answers here. Solving the daily puzzle will make you earn more coins. Make sure to save your game progress by connecting it to Facebook. (Do not forget)
Given letters for Wordscapes Uncrossed Level 2278 Answers or Mountain Peak Level 10 Answers are: YTCRP and the solutions are below:
If you need other level answers check the main page for Wordscapes Uncrossed Answers.


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All of these universal wall mount brackets listed on the page below are compatible with Sony KD43X720E 43" 4K Ultra HD LED Smart Displays. All Star Mounts carries various types of mounting bracket solutions such as flat (fixed position), tilting and articulating (full motion, pivot, swing).
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1.5" profile, 77 lb capacity
26" Extension, 180 deg swivel
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The Make it Glow Contest is back again! This delightful contest is open to all Instructables that include anything that emits light.
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text: Independent retailer welcomes U-turn on deregulation of Sunday trading hours In this section Leiston travel branch re-opens in response to holiday demand increase Second Cambridgeshire East of England Co-op opens its doors to customers at Cambridge North Station The East of England Co-op is coming to Chelmsford this winter First Cambridgeshire East of England Co-op opens its doors to customers in Waterbeach Five modern flats completed as part of development above Brightlingsea Co-op Duo of Silver Carbon Charter awards Funeral Services colleagues raise money for cancer charity Funeral Services colleagues collect clothing and blankets for those in need across the world Gold award for Acle supermarket Thousands of period products donated through new East of England Co-op partnership Trees gifted to members as part of The Queen's Green Canopy East of England Co-op donates £100,000 from Christmas marketing budget to keeping people warm and fe East of England Co-op Funeral Services colleagues lend a hand at Norwich child bereavement charity East of England Co-op to hold third virtual remembrance event 82% of public in East of England back raising value of Healthy Start vouchers Annual Report and Financial Statements 2021 Annual results reveal profit growth of £7.6m Appeal launched for food bank donations to support families over summer holidays Beer lovers invited to join local virtual beer tasting with Adnams and the East of England Co-op Bird's eye view of local retailer's Big Hoot owl Brightlingsea supermarket benefits from zero carbon electricity Community Cares Fund hands out a record £100K to good causes Drive to support foodbanks through ethical Christmas gifting East of England Co-op 'adopts' tortoise in support of local charity East of England Co-op adds Equal Brewkery to its Sourced Locally range East of England Co-op and Archant to host Big Hoot sticker swap events East of England Co-op announce a £1.8m dividend for members East of England Co-op brings festive cheer to people spending Christmas alone East of England Co-op coming to East Harling East of England Co-op customers raise over £33,000 for Ukraine East of England Co-op donates £1,000 to Emmaus after van was vandalised East of England Co-op donates £1,000 to north-east Essex hospice East of England Co-op donates £1,000 to support local women and girls East of England Co-op elects new President East of England Co-op grows ink cartridge recycling partnership to fundraise for local schools East of England Co-op joins national Christmas campaign to support the NHS East of England Co-op joins the Big Hoot Ipswich 2022 East of England Co-op launches campaign to clean up local towns, villages, and coastal areas East of England Co-op launches gift card to support local foodbanks this Christmas East of England Co-op launches live show to get us talking about end of life East of England Co-op launches Sourced Locally Awards to celebrate producers and colleagues going th East of England Co-op offers £100k to local community groups East of England Co-op raise over £50k for Ukraine East of England Co-op raises over £5.5k to support the NHS East of England Co-op Sourced Locally Awards winners crowned East of England Co-op to continue topping up the Government's Healthy Start vouchers East of England Co-op to host cost-of-living advice session Essex school wins competition to further green ambitions Former Co-op distribution centre back in action Joint Chief Executive awarded OBE Local community heroes set to be recognised this Christmas Mental health charity provides training to East of England Co-op colleagues More than 1,200 trees planted in Fairfields Farm Big Tree Plant New East of England Co-op food store in East Harling officially opens New East of England Co-op Supermarket opens in Chesterwell New record set as local produce sales top £1m during East of England Co-op's Sourced Locally Fortnig New, modern family home development complete near Ipswich Our pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030 Over £100,000 in grants from the East of England Co-op's Community Cares Fund awarded to 30 organisa Over £200,000 in grants available to organisations in East Anglia through East of England Co-op's Co Over £44,500 donated to foodbanks and 17,500 people supported at local warm hubs: the East of Englan Over £85,000 available to organisations across East Anglia as next round of funding from East of Eng Region's largest independent retailer launches same-day grocery delivery service A statement of solidarity from retail societies during Co-op Fortnight Budding young chocolatier's winning idea hits shelves East of England Co-op steps up 'food justice' support after shoppers donate 5 tonnes of foodbank ess East of England Co-op's community fund backs food waste reduction project Co-op donates £22,500 more to foodbanks hit by soaring demand during coronavirus pandemic Doing Suffolk Proud: Suffolk Sweet Tomatoes and Scarlett & Mustard team up! £75,000 donation in response to COVID-19 Annual Report and Financial Statements 2020 Barista Bar is back! Housing development complete despite lockdown Independent retailer welcomes U-turn on deregulation of Sunday trading hours Local charity appeals for smartphone donations to get service users online New 6,000 sqft Co-op planned for Chesterwell New community fund helps keep vital local transport service on the road New programmes set to support young unpaid carers Our community cares for young people impacted by Domestic Abuse Regional Funeral Director appoints new management team Retailer wraps-up summer of litter picks at seaside town Retailer's community fund provides essential hygiene packs to local youth foundation Romano Lounge set to open as part of Long Wyre Street development Sales of locally sourced food soars as shoppers savor home cooking Sourced Locally supplier receives top award for commitment to sustainable business practice Suffolk Libraries expands Lifeline service Two thirds of people in food poverty not accessing foodbanks - local retailer launches campaign to t Woodbridge colleagues lend a hand at local foodbank Your Co-op Live – Mental Health Matters Yum Yum Tree Fudge Awarded Silver Carbon Charter Fairfields Charity Crisps Australia Bushfire Appeal - thank you Co-op Community Cares Fund launched today 'Golden Ticket' win for Kyson Primary pupil Felixstowe Volunteer Coast Patrol Rescue Service receives 'first real home' Local retailer sees 17% growth in food profits despite challenging market Apprenticeship Programme recognised with national award Baker rises to the occasion to be named Suffolk Champion Burnham-on-Crouch celebrates a new look store after short closure Charity car wash to support Kernos Centre Colchester crowds cheer Battle of the Bangers! Colchester Funeral Bike Tour 2018 Colleagues and customers celebrate Dedham High Street store reopening Community thanked as refurbished supermarket reopens its doors County Champions tickle the taste buds of voters Cult classic raising funds for local Lifeboat Service David and Goliath battle sees little brewery beat giant Dedication service supports Help for Heroes Dedication Service supports Macmillan Coffee Morning East of England Co-op 'Best Before' scheme shortlisted for national award East of England Co-op to sell products past 'Best Before' to reduce food waste 'The Women Shaping the Future of British Produce': group portrait by renowned photographer Jenny Lew Chapel dedicated in special community service Community invited to hear more about new store Co-operation results in much needed new housing Attleborough Funeral Service's Chapel of Rest Dedication Caister Funeral Branch Supports Lifeboat Station to Raise Funds Chapel of Rest Dedication for Ely Funeral Services County Winners announced for Producer of the Year 2017 Cromer Funeral Service's Chapel of Rest Dedication East of England Co-op answers call for help from Waveney Food bank East of England Co-op becomes driving force for greener lifestyle East of England Co-op extends security services to East Anglian businesses East of England Co-op finalists in international training awards East of England Co-op Funeral Services awarded Outstanding Dementia Care Innovation Award East of England Co-op Funeral Services is announced as finalists in the National Dementia Care Award East of England Co-op gives £70k to local organisations in bid to tackle loneliness East of England Co-op helps local schools learn about Fairtrade East of England Co-op hosts first ever International Women's Day event as part of 150th birthday cel East of England Co-op house herd of Elmers East of England Co-op kick off summer holidays with a family fun day in Hadleigh for Macmillan Cance East of England Co-op lend their support to life savers in Felixstowe East of England Co-op mark national day with renewed focus on making it easier for people to use the East of England Co-op on the hunt for teams for charity 'Walking Football Tournament' East of England Co-op opens its doors to Tendring Technology College to mark Fairtrade Fortnight East of England Co-op raises a glass to Sourced Locally Fortnight East of England Co-op raises over £4,800 for Alzheimer's Society East of England Co-op supports GoodGym team with GoGoHares clean-up for Co-operatives Fortnight East of England Co-op to celebrate Norfolk Day with GoGoHares swap shop East of England Co-op to host GoGoHares 'swap shop' East of England Co-op to take on former O'Flynns Budgens store in Acle East of England Co-op Travel official ITFC travel partner East of England Co-op wins second national award for waste reduction campaign East of England Co-op wins prestigious national award for ground-breaking food waste scheme Easter egg hunt is great success énergie Fitness opening at Rosehill Centre Families invited to day of fun in aid of local Air Ambulance Family fun day for Haverhill community Family of businesses extended at Stanway store Felixstowe in Flower causes buzz in local community Felixstowe resident wins star 'eco car' prize in East of England Co-op 150th anniversary celebration Film Feast Suffolk line up is unveiled by renowned British film director Donate your divi Food fans challenged with creating new sausage flavour Fundraising Quiz Night in aid of The Royal British Legion Funeral Teams take part in 'Flip it for EACH' pancake race Haverhill Funeral Services Chapel of Rest Dedication Healthy growth in sales and profit for East of England Co-op Heat is on for students in cookery invention contest Hellesdon Funeral Service's Chapel of Rest Dedication Help fill Santa's Suitcase this Christmas Learning and Development Team named Team of the Year at TJ Awards Local businesses join forces to combat church lead theft Local charities benefit from a share of £15,500 donation Local communities mark Remembrance Day Local community advocates open new supermarket for town Local Co-op continues support for refugees Local Funeral Arrangers scaling new heights for charity Local MP Dr Thérèse Coffey backs East of England Co-op waste reduction scheme Local retailer sees over 30% growth in trading profit despite tough economic climate Local school to perform at community event M&Co comes to East of England Co-op Halstead store Masquerade ball raises over £2,000 for Newmarket charity Mayor of Ipswich opens new Multi-Faith Centre for Ipswich and the region Members set to share £2.1million in dividend Members set to share £3 million East of England Co-op Dividend Meredith Greengrass spread Easter joy to patients Most successful year to date for Santa's Suitcase campaign 90 Cub Scouts now Dementia Friends East of England Co-op announced as 'Pigsty Partner' East of England Co-op fighting food poverty this Christmas East of England Co-op Funeral Services Chapel of Rest Dedication East of England Co-op Abbots Road Supermarket to close East of England Co-op Funeral Services Invests in State-of-the-Art Funeral Cars East of England Co-op honoured by HRH The Princess Royal Dementia Friends training recognised at national awards East of England Co-op named 'Organisation of the Year' at Alzheimer's Society's Awards East of England Co-op signs all 47 funeral branches to Fair Funerals Pledge East of England Co-op supporting Emmaus Ipswich East of England Co-op wins esteemed Hermes Grand Prix Award Fairfields Farm named Producer of the Year 2016 Hamford Primary go bananas for Fairtrade Fortnight Healthy trading performance despite challenging conditions Help fill Santa's Suitcase this Christmas International ballet star goes back to his roots as a Co-op Junior It's bigger and better for local brass band Local business flying high after successful tea card revival Local construction company awarded contract Local food fortnight generates over £900,000 for the regional economy Local Volunteer Services benefit from £14,000 donation Members set to share £3million Dividend Minnie Moll takes on Ambassador role for HRH The Prince of Wales Mountain Warehouse coming to Woodbridge Thoroughfare Musical partnership with Co-op and award-winning local tech startup New Acle store now open New bereavement support service for Felixstowe New East of England Co-op Funeral Service Branch for Ely New East of England Co-op Funeral Service for Acle New East of England Co-op Funeral Service for Downham Market New East of England Co-op Funeral Service for Frinton On Sea New family homes now available in Ipswich New Funeral Service Branch for Clacton-On-Sea New Harleston supermarket opening this week New homes available at the heart of Woodbridge New homes developing in Dovercourt New homes set for New Street, Woodbridge New housing development underway in East Ipswich NHS latest tenants to join Wherstead Park Norfolk brewers offer taste test to win votes Our response to COVID-19 Over £1,000 raised for local Lifeboat Station Over 1000 people join Easter Egg Hunt to support Norfolk's bereaved children Overwhelming response of support for local charity Pigs (and kids!) Go Wild at Family Fun Day Pigs, poems, paintings and peppers! Planning submitted for Newland Street, Witham Plans submitted to give former department store new lease of life Plans to take on former Budgens Store Pop to the Bramford Cock Producers crowned County Winners Providing housing for the homeless in Ipswich Pupil creates winning design to help combat anti-social behaviour Quiz night raises over £1,000 for local RNLI Station Remembering together this Christmas New East of England Co-op Funeral Service for Cromer New Woodbridge store opens tomorrow Local community invited to hear plans for new store New Woodbridge Store now open Dementia Friends training recognised at national awards Rosehill Travel branch to relocate to Ravenswood Sale of Woodbridge store to East of England Co-op successful Sales soar to £1m during retailer's Sourced Locally Fortnight initiative Secure Response Services supporting St Mary's Church Sharing the community love at Valentines Shopworkers entitled to Freedom from Fear Songs for supper in celebration of Sourced Locally Fortnight Sourced Locally Fortnight generates nearly £1million for regional economy Stowmarket community encouraged to Meet and Mingle Suffolk businesses given advice on tackling anti-social behaviour Suffolk kids create new chocolate bar Suffolk resident's 'egged-on' to support local causes this Easter Sweet success for Essex jam producer Sweet Success for Great Tilkey Honey Taking action to tackle anti-social behaviour 'The Big Conversation' about all the little things The East of England Co-op thank Dedham community for support with makeover for Duchy Barn The Pig Reveal... Time Garden Cycle Tour Tiptree travel branch named one of the best-rated agents in UK and Ireland for second year running Tiptree Travel shortlisted for TTG Awards Transformed local pub opens doors to public United Against Dementia Unique afternoon tea secures votes for Essex producers Vote opens for food fans to choose new sausage flavour Why a visit to the optician isn't just about your vision Widow Twankey pops to the Co-op this Christmas Wivenhoe Tempest FC show-off new kit Woodbridge community come together at dedication service Woodbridge community coming together at dedication service Woodbridge feels the love for Suffolk food producers Work on restaurant and retail destination underway Work starts on £4million retail development in East Ipswich Working together to tackle anti-social behaviour The largest independent retailer in the region, the East of England Co-op, has welcomed the government's U-turn on deregulation of Sunday Trading Regulations. Roger Grosvenor Joint CEO East of England Co-op, who has spent over 48 years in retail, had written to Business Secretary Alok Sharma urging against the relaxation of Sunday trading regulations. In an email, also sent to the region's local MPs, Mr Grosvenor said: "Our nation's convenience stores have been a critical service to consumers during the pandemic. They have been a lifeline to isolated communities, and many convenience retailers are small, family-run private businesses. "While relaxing Sunday trading regulations may be of benefit to major Food retailers, it would be at the detriment of convenience stores." The East of England Co-op operates 122 Food stores, the majority of which are within the convenience sector. Over the past 3 months, the retailer has observed a significant change in customer behaviour, with fewer shopping on Sundays and evenings. A recent Populous poll also showed that 58% of the public support the current laws with regard to Sunday Trading, with only 21% in favour of a change[1]. Commenting on the news of the U-turn, Mr Grosvenor said: "I am pleased to hear that the government are no longer pursuing the deregulation of Sunday trading hours. Based on our experience and recent poll results, it is my opinion that there is no benefit to the consumer in de-regulating Sunday trading hours within the Food sector." [1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/06/england-could-suspend-sunday-trading-laws-in-push-to-boost-economy


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Pakistan Population: 207,862,5182 VISITORS FROM HERE!
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|The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars and a limited conflict - in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 respectively - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India assisted an indigenous movement reacting to the marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in mid-1998. India-Pakistan relations improved in the mid-2000s but have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and have been further strained by attacks in India by militants believed to be based in Pakistan. Imran KHAN took office as prime minister in 2018 after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party won a plurality of seats in the July 2018 general elections. Pakistan has been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict with militant groups that target government institutions and civilians, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks.
|Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north
|Geographic coordinates:
| total: 796,095 sq km
land: 770,875 sq km
water: 25,220 sq km
Size comparison: slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California
|Land Boundaries:
|total: 7,257 km border countries (4): Afghanistan 2670 km, China 438 km, India 3190 km, Iran 959 km
|1,046 km
|Maritime claims:
| territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
|mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north
|divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain in the center and east, and the Balochistan Plateau in the south and west
|Natural resources:
|arable land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
|Land use:
| agricultural land: 35.2% (2011 est.) arable land: 27.6% (2011 est.)
permanent crops: 1.1% (2011 est.) permanent pasture: 6.5% (2011 est.) forest: 2.1% (2011 est.)
other: 62.7% (2011 est.)
|Irrigated land:
|202,000 sq km (2012)
|Natural hazards:
|frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)
|Current Environment Issues:
|water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural freshwater resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution and noise pollution in urban areas
|International Environment Agreements:
| party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
|^Back to Top
| noun: Pakistani(s)
adjective: Pakistani
|Ethnic groups:
|Punjabi 44.7%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.4%, Sindhi 14.1%, Saraiki 8.4%, Muhajirs 7.6%, Balochi 3.6%, other 6.3%
|Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
|Muslim (official) 96.4% (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.6% (2010 est.)
|207,862,518 (July 2017 est.) (July 2018 est.) note: provisional results of Pakistan's 2017 national census estimate the country's total population to be 207,774,000
|Age structure:
| 0-14 years: 30.76% (male 32,828,078 /female 31,118,626)
15-24 years: 20.94% (male 22,446,320 /female 21,076,265)
25-54 years: 38.04% (male 41,021,803 /female 38,039,766)
55-64 years: 5.7% (male 5,979,712 /female 5,871,574)
65 years and over: 4.56% (male 4,399,926 /female 5,080,448) (2018 est.)
|Dependency ratios:
| total dependency ratio: 65.3 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 57.9 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 13.5 (2015 est.)
|Median age:
| total: 24.1 years
male: 24.1 years
female: 24.2 years (2018 est.)
|Population growth rate:
|1.41% (2018 est.)
|Birth rate:
|21.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
|Death rate:
|6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
|Net migration rate:
|-1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
| urban population: 36.7% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanization: 2.53% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
|Major urban areas - population:
| 15.4 million Karachi
11.738 million Lahore
3.311 million Faisalabad
2.156 million Rawalpindi
2.11 million Gujranwala
1.061 million ISLAMABAD (capital) (2018)
|Sex ratio:
| at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 23.6 years (2017/18 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
|Maternal mortality rate:
|178 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
|Infant mortality rate:
| total: 50.4 deaths/1,000 live births male: 53.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 47.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
|Life expectancy at birth:
| total population: 68.4 years male: 66.4 years
female: 70.5 years (2018 est.)
|Total fertility rate:
|2.55 children born/woman (2018 est.)
|Contraceptive prevalence rate:
|34.2% (2017/18)
|Physicians density:
|0.98 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
|Hospital bed density:
|0.6 beds/1,000 population (2014)
|Drinking water source:
| improved:
urban: 93.9% of population
rural: 89.9% of population
total: 91.4% of population
urban: 6.1% of population
rural: 10.1% of population
total: 8.6% of population (2015 est.)
|Sanitation facility access:
| improved:
urban: 83.1% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 51.1% of population (2015 est.)
total: 63.5% of population (2015 est.)
urban: 16.9% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 48.9% of population (2015 est.)
total: 36.5% of population (2015 est.)
|HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|0.1% (2017 est.)
|HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|150,000 (2017 est.)
|HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|6,200 (2017 est.)
|Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
|8.6% (2016)
|Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
|23.1% (2018)
|Education expenditures:
|2.8% of GDP (2017)
| definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
total population: 57.9%
male: 69.5%
female: 45.8% (2015 est.)
|School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
| total: 8 years male: 9 years female: 8 years (2017)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 7.8% ILO data cited at World Bank, accessed 7/25/18 male: 8.2% female: 6.8% (2018 est.)
|^Back to Top
|Country name:
| conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: Pakistan
local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan
local short form: Pakistan
former: West Pakistan
etymology: the word "pak" means "pure" in Persian or Pashto, while the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Pakistan literally means "Land of the Pure"
|Government type:
|federal parliamentary republic
| name: Islamabad
geographic coordinates: 33 41 N, 73 03 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: derived from two words: "Islam," an Urdu word referring to the religion of Islam, and "-abad," a Persian suffix indicating an "inhabited place" or "city," to render the meaning "City of Islam"
|Administrative divisions:
|4 provinces, 2 Pakistan-administered areas*, and 1 capital territory**; Azad Kashmir*, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh
|14 August 1947 (from British India)
|National holiday:
|Pakistan Day (also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day or Republic Day), 23 March (1940); note - commemorates both the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the All-India Muslim League during its 22-24 March 1940 session, which called for the creation of independent Muslim states, and the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan on 23 March 1956 during the transition to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
|history: several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times) amendments: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership of both houses; amended many times, last in 2018 (2018)
|Legal system:
|common law system with Islamic law influence
|18 years of age; universal; note - there are joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims
|Executive branch:
| chief of state: President Arif ALVI (since 9 September 2018)
head of government: Prime Minister Imran KHAN (since 18 August 2018)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the prime minister elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Electoral College consisting of members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); election last held on 4 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on 17 August 2018
election results: Arif ALVI elected president; Electoral College vote - Arif ALVI (PTI) 352, Fazl-ur-REHMAN (MMA) 184, Aitzaz AHSAN (PPP) 124; Imran KHAN elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - Imran KHAN (PTI) 176, Shehbaz SHARIF (PML-N) 96
|Legislative branch:
| description: bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shueera consists of: Senate (104 seats; members indirectly elected by the 4 provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 70 members - 60 women and 10 non-Muslims - directly elected by proportional representation vote; all members serve 5-year terms)and the Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (85 seats; members directly elected in single- and 2-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve renewable 4-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 3 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2021) National Assembly - last held on 25 July 2018 (next to be held on 25 July 2023)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML-N 15, PPP 12, PTI 6, PkMAP 2, NP 2, JUI-F 2, JI 1, MQM-P 1, PML-F 1, independent 10 National Assembly - percent of votes by party - PTI 31.9%, PML-N 24.4%, PPP 13.1%, MMA 4.8%, MQM 1.4%, PML-Q 1%, BAP 0.6%, BNP 0.4%, other 11.1%,independent 11.4%; seats by party - PTI 157, PML-N 84, PPP 54, MMA 16, MQM 7, BAP 5, PML-Q 5, BNP 4, other 5, independent 4; 1 seat vacant note: since political reforms in 2011, legislation from the Consultative Council is submitted to the Council of State for review by the Royal Court) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 70 members - 60 women and 10 non-Muslims - directly elected by proportional representation vote; all members serve 5-year terms)
|Judicial branch:
| highest courts: Supreme Court of Pakistan (consists of the chief justice and 16 judges) judge selection and term of office: justices nominated by an 8-member parliamentary committee upon the recommendation of the Judicial Commission, a 9-member body of judges and other judicial professionals, and appointed by the president; justices can serve until age 65
subordinate courts: High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues, such as taxation, banking, and customs
|Political parties and leaders:
|Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN] Awami Muslim League or AML [Sheikh Rashid AHMED] Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Mir Israr Ullah ZEHRI] Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Akhtar Jan MENGAL] Grand Democratic Alliance or GDA (alliance of several parties) Jamhoori Wattan Party or JWP [Shahzain BUGTI] Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Sirajul HAQ] Jamiat-i Ulema-i Islam Fazl-ur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN] Muttahida Quami Movement-London or MQM-L [Altaf HUSSAIN] (MQM split into two factions in 2016) Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan or MQM-P [Dr. Khalid Maqbool SIDDIQUI] (MQM split into two factions in 2016) Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal or MMA [Fazl-ur- REHMAN] (alliance of several parties) National Party or NP [Mir Hasil Khan BIZENJO] Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party or PMAP or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI] Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO or Syed Shah Mardan SHAH-II] Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N [Shehbaz SHARIF] Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid-e-Azam Group or PML-Q [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN] Pakistan Peoples Party or PPP [Bilawal BHUTTO ZARDARI, Asif Ali ZARDARI] Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) [Imran KHAN]Pak Sarzameen Party or PSP [Mustafa KAMAL] Quami Watan Party or QWP [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO] note: political alliances in Pakistan shift frequently
|International organization participation:
|ADB, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), C, CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-11, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
|National symbol(s):
| five-pointed star between the horns of a waxing crescent moon, jasmine;
national colors: green, white
|National anthem:
| name: "Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem)
lyrics/music: Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA
note: adopted 1954; also known as "Pak sarzamin shad bad" (Blessed Be the Sacred Land)
|Diplomatic representation in the US:
| chief of mission: Ambassador Asad Majeed KHAN (since 11 January 2019)
chancery: 3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Louisville (KY), San Francisco
|Diplomatic representation from the US:
| chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Paul W. JONES (since 24 September 2018)
embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
mailing address: 8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100
telephone: [92] 51-201-4000
consulate(s) general: Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar consulate(s): Peshawar
|^Back to Top
Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to underdevelopment in Pakistan. Pakistan has a large English-speaking population, with English-language skills less prevalent outside urban centers. Despite some progress in recent years in both security and energy, a challenging security environment, electricity shortages, and a burdensome investment climate have traditionally deterred investors. Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles and apparel account for more than half of Pakistan's export earnings; Pakistan's failure to diversify its exports has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Pakistan's GDP growth has gradually increased since 2012, and was 5.3% in 2017. Official unemployment was 6% in 2017, but this fails to capture the true picture, because much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high. Human development continues to lag behind most of the region. In 2013, Pakistan embarked on a $6.3 billion IMF Extended Fund Facility, which focused on reducing energy shortages, stabilizing public finances, increasing revenue collection, and improving its balance of payments position. The program concluded in September 2016. Although Pakistan missed several structural reform criteria, it restored macroeconomic stability, improved its credit rating, and boosted growth. The Pakistani rupee has remained relatively stable against the US dollar since 2015, though it declined about 10% between November 2017 and March 2018. Balance of payments concerns have reemerged, however, as a result of a significant increase in imports and weak export and remittance growth. Pakistan must continue to address several longstanding issues, including expanding investment in education, healthcare, and sanitation; adapting to the effects of climate change and natural disasters; improving the country's business environment; and widening the country's tax base. Given demographic challenges, Pakistan's leadership will be pressed to implement economic reforms, promote further development of the energy sector, and attract foreign investment to support sufficient economic growth necessary to employ its growing and rapidly urbanizing population, much of which is under the age of 25. In an effort to boost development, Pakistan and China are implementing the "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor" (CPEC) with $60 billion in investments targeted towards energy and other infrastructure projects. Pakistan believes CPEC investments will enable growth rates of over 6% of GDP by laying the groundwork for increased exports. CPEC-related obligations, however, have raised IMF concern about Pakistan's capital outflows and external financing needs over the medium term.
|GDP (purchasing power parity):
| $1.061 trillion (2017 est.) $1.007 trillion (2016 est.) $962.8 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars data are for fiscal years
|GDP (official exchange rate):
|$305 billion (2017 est.)
|GDP - real growth rate:
|5.4% (2017 est.) 4.6% (2016 est.) 4.1% (2015 est.) note: data are for fiscal years
|GDP - per capita (PPP):
| $5,400 (2017 est.) $5,200 (2016 est.) $5,100 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars data are for fiscal years
|Gross national saving:
|12% of GDP (2017 est.) 13.9% of GDP (2016 est.) 14.7% of GDP (2015 est.) note: data are for fiscal years GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 82% (2017 est.) government consumption: 11.3% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 14.5% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.6% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 8.2% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -17.6% (2017 est.) GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 24.4% (2016 est.) industry: 19.1% (2016 est.) services: 56.5% (2017 est.)
|Agriculture - products:
|cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs
|textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp
|Industrial production growth rate:
|5.4% (2017 est.)
|Labor force:
|63.89 million (2017 est.) note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor
|Labor force - by occupation:
| agriculture: 42.3%
industry: 22.6%
services: 35.1% (FY2015 est.)
|Unemployment rate:
|6% (2017 est.) 6% (2016 est.) note: Pakistan has substantial underemployment
|Population below poverty line:
|29.5% (FY2013 est.)
|Household income or consumption by percentage share:
| lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 26.1% (FY2013)
|Distribution of family income - Gini index:
| revenues: 46.81 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 64.49 billion (2017 est.)
note: data are for fiscal years
|Taxes and other revenues:
|15.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.) Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
|Public debt:
|67% of GDP (2017 est.) 67.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
|Fiscal year:
|1 July - 30 June
|Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|4.1% (2017 est.) 2.9% (2016 est.)
|Current account balance:
|-$12.44 billion (2017 est.) -$4.867 billion (2016 est.)
|$32.88 billion (2017 est.) $21.97 billion (2016 est.)
|Exports - commodities:
|textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sporting goods, chemicals, manufactures, surgical instruments, carpets and rugs
|Exports - partners:
|US 17.7%, UK 7.7%, China 6%, Germany 5.8%, Afghanistan 5.2%, UAE 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2017)
|$53.11 billion (2017 est.) $42.69 billion (2016 est.)
|Imports - commodities:
|petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea
|Imports - partners:
|China 27.4%, UAE 13.7%, US 4.9%, Indonesia 4.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.2% (2017)
|Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|$18.46 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $22.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
|Debt - external:
|$82.19 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $70.45 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
|Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
|$43.21 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $39.06 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
|Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
|$1.983 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $2.094 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
|Market value of publicly traded shares:
|$43.68 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $32.76 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $38.17 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
|Exchange rates:
|Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar - 105.1 (2017 est.) 104.769 (2016 est.) 104.769 (2015 est.) 102.769 (2014 est.) 101.1 (2013 est.)
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|Electricity - production:
|109.7 billion kWh (2016 est.)
|Electricity - consumption:
|92.33 billion kWh (2016 est.)
|Electricity - exports:
|0 kWh (2016 est.)
|Electricity - imports:
|490 million kWh (2016 est.)
|Electricity - installed generating capacity:
|26.9 million kW (2016 est.)
|Electricity - from fossil fuels:
|62% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
|Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
|5% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
|Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
|27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
|Electricity - from other renewable sources:
|7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
|Crude oil - production:
|89,720 bbl/day (2017 est.)
|Crude oil - exports:
|13,150 bbl/day (2015 est.)
|Crude oil - imports:
|168,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
|Crude oil - proved reserves:
|332.2 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - production:
|291,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - consumption:
|557,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - exports:
|25,510 bbl/day (2015 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - imports:
|264,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
|Natural gas - production:
|39.05 billion cu m (2017 est.)
|Natural gas - consumption:
|45.05 billion cu m (2017 est.)
|Natural gas - exports:
|0 cu m (2017 est.)
|Natural gas - imports:
|6.003 billion cu m (2017 est.)
|Natural gas - proved reserves:
|588.8 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
|Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
|179.5 million Mt (2017 est.)
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|Cellular Phones in use:
| total subscriptions: 144,525,637
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2017 est.)
|Telephone system:
| general assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving, with investments in mobile-cellular networks increasing, but fixed-line subscriptions declining; system consists of microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks; 4G mobile services broadly available; 5G not before 2030; mobile platform and mobile broadband doing well (2018)
domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed; more than 90% of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage; fiber-optic networks are being constructed throughout the country to increase broadband access, though broadband penetration in Pakistan is still relatively low; fixed-line 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 71 per 100 persons (2018)
international: country code - 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; developed 510 mile fiber optic land connection to China; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries
|Broadcast media:
|media is government regulated; 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), operates a network consisting of 8 channels; private TV broadcasters are permitted; to date 69 foreign satellite channels are operational; the state-owned radio network operates more than 30 stations; nearly 200 commercially licensed, privately owned radio stations provide programming mostly limited to music and talk shows (2019)
|Internet country code:
|Internet users:
| total: 31,338,715
percent of population: 15.5% (July 2016 est.)
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|151 (2013)
|Airports (paved runways):
| total 108
(2017) over 3,047 m: 15 (2017)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 (2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 43 (2017)
914 to 1,523 m: 20 (2017)
under 914 m: 10 (2017)
|Airports (unpaved runways):
| total 43
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2013)
under 914 m: 24 (2013)
|23 (2013)
|12,984 km gas, 3,470 km oil, 1,170 km refined products (2019)
| total 11,881 km
narrow gauge: 389 km 1.000-m gauge (2019) broad gauge: 11,492 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) (2019)
| total 263,775 km
(2019) paved: 185,063 km (includes 708 km of expressways) (2019)
unpaved: 78,712 km (2019)
|Merchant marine:
| total 53
by type: bulk carrier 5, oil tanker 7, other 41 (2018)
|Ports and terminals:
|major seaport(s): Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim container port(s) (TEUs): Karachi (2,224,000) (2017) LNG terminal(s) (import): Port Qasim
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|Military branches:
|Pakistan Army (includes National Guard), Pakistan Navy (includes Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fizaia) (2019)
|Military service age and obligation:
|16-23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; women serve in all three armed forces; reserve obligation to age 45 for enlisted men, age 50 for officers (2019)
|Military expenditures:
|3.5% of GDP (2017) 3.56% of GDP (2016) 3.54% of GDP (2015) 3.48% of GDP (2014) 3.47% of GDP (2013)
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|Transnational Issues
|Disputes - International:
|various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease-fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed standoff in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India's fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India's Gujarat State; since 2002, with UN assistance, Pakistan has repatriated 3.8 million Afghan refugees, leaving about 2.6 million; Pakistan has sent troops across and built fences along some remote tribal areas of its treaty-defined Durand Line border with Afghanistan, which serve as bases for foreign terrorists and other illegal activities; Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps
|Refugees and internally displaced persons:
|refugees (country of origin): 2.58-2.68 million (1.4 million registered, 1.18-1.28 million undocumented) (Afghanistan) (2017) IDPs: 119,000 (primarily those who remain displaced by counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations and violent conflict between armed non-state groups in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber-Paktunkwa Province; more than 1 million displaced in northern Waziristan in 2014; individuals also have been displaced by repeated monsoon floods) (2018)
|Illicit drugs:
|significant transit area for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Iran, Western markets, the Gulf States, Africa, and Asia; financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems; opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 930 hectares in 2015; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that utilizes forced eradication, fines, and arrests
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« Previous Country | Next Country » Back to Flag Counter Overview
Source: CIA - The World Factbook


text:
People often ask why I've devoted so much study to Moon phases. Initially it was an act of insecurity. I figured Moon phases were something every astrologer knew about, except me. As a child I'd been told if I saw the Crescent Moon, it was wise to make a wish. A neighbor who gardened told me that the Moon guided her planting and pruning. Television taught me that when the Moon was Full people could go crazy. But my astrology classes hadn't taught me much beyond that.
I reviewed my collection of astrology texts. Across six shelves, I couldn't find more than a dozen pages about the phases of the Moon. I visited my favorite metaphysical bookstore. There was an entire aisle of astrology books, but not one was about the Moon. After four trips to other bookstores, I finally discovered The Lunation Cycle by Dane Rudhyar. I later learned this is the modern bible of lunar phases. Just about any astrologer working with the phases today draws heavily from this book.
But at the time, I found it a tough read. Three chapters into it, I was just turning pages, not digesting a single word. Rudhyar had an elegant conceptual understanding of the Moon, but his ideas seemed as remote from my personal experience as that tight-lipped, distant orb herself. Enter serendipity. A friend invited me to a Full Moon ceremony with a group of spiritual women. At last I would be initiated into the lunar mysteries!
On the night of the Full Moon, we drove to a small apartment behind a gas station and above a used rug shop. We entered to find a medicine wheel of stones and crystals on the floor of a windowless room. So much for my fantasy of dancing naked in a shaft of moonlight! Instead we smudged with sage and sweet grass and positioned ourselves around the wheel. We chanted, meditated, took personal visionary journeys and shared. It was a lovely evening. But later that night, looking up at the glowing round Moon overhead, I felt no closer to her than before.
Maybe it would take time. I was eager for the next Moon ceremony until I learned there wouldn't be one. What I'd assumed was a monthly ritual had been a novel event. Over the past year, the women in the circle had tried keeping up with the Moon, but life kept getting in their way. Kids got sick, somebody had a class, it was the holidays, cars broke down, relatives came from out of town. The Full Moon emerged as an ever lower priority.
It was another dead end in my quest for Moon knowledge. Disappointed, I began to question whether my goal had any real value. Given the paucity of written material, and the difficulty of real-time commitment to the lunar rhythms, perhaps the Moon's phases signified nothing at all!
It was time for science, where we eventually turn to verify if something is real or not. I checked Gauquelin's The Cosmic Clocks and other books, looking for statistical proof of Moon phase influence. I learned that earthworms, oysters, carrots, salamanders and other organisms move in rhythm to the Moon. But what about people? Folklore has it that the number of births, suicides, homicides, arsons, and incidents of domestic violence rise at certain phases of the Moon. Yet scientific evidence of this is remarkably hard to come by. Given the persistent popularity of beliefs about the Moon, you'd think the empiricists would have resolved this issue long ago. But formal scientific inquiries are few. And for every study claiming human behavior is Luna linked, another swears that it's not.
Statistics are tricky (or, science isn't always scientific). An example is a study which seemed to prove that traffic accidents increase during New and Full Moons. It was later observed that during the course of this study the lunar events fell on weekends, a time also correlated with greater accidents. When statistical controls for holidays and weekends were added by the researchers, the relationship between Moon phase and car wrecks disappeared. Another study showed that homicides were disproportionately high during the 24 hours before and after Full Moons. However, to get to this finding the data was run through such a myriad of statistical tests, discarding all negative results until the desired positive one was achieved, that the conclusion was virtually meaningless.1
Most Moon lovers believe the studies that prove their faith and most scientists believe the ones that disprove it. Beyond that, I'm not sure what I learned from empirical investigations. Actually, one of my favorite studies is an informal one I've conducted myself over the years. I'll ask people, singly or in groups, whether they believe Moon phases have an influence. The majority will usually say yes. Yet when I ask the same people if they can tell me what phase the Moon is in now, remarkably few have any idea.
This fact never ceases to amaze me. People believe in the Moon's power enough to say so, but not enough to actually look up and keep track. By now it was my fascination with the whole Moon problem that glued me to it more than anything else. I was perpetually edgy about the Moon, trying to narrow the gap between folklore and fact, between lunar legends and my own experience, between my desire to touch the Moon's secrets and my fear that maybe there weren't any.
About this time Dane Rudhyar started looking really good to me. And so I pursued Moon phase knowledge within his conceptual framework. I was as rewarded by his perspective as I've been by any good astrological technique. Rudhyar likens the eight phases of the Moon cycle to an unfolding organic process.
In Rudhyar's model, there's a gestation at the New Moon, a gradual growth and laying down of roots at the Crescent, a crisis of commitment at the First Quarter, adjustments and struggle for survival at the Gibbous phase. An illumination or flowering comes at the Full Moon; a pollinating or dispersal of knowledge is facilitated at the Disseminating phase. During the Last Quarter Moon, there's a crisis in belief as the fruit, or seed capsule for the next cycle, is prepared. The Balsamic Moon brings decay and letting go, releasing the seed for the wheel's next turn.
Rudhyar's framework is sound and remarkably versatile. It works for understanding the monthly lunation cycle (from one New Moon to the next). It works for describing life purpose and personality types based on the Moon phase one was born under. It works remarkably well with more advanced techniques like secondary progressions; in fact, charting the progressing Moon phases over a 30-year period reveals a powerful life blueprint. Looking first at this technique in my own chart brought one of those spine-tingling moments as an astrologer: "My god, this really works!"
What Rudhyar teaches about the Moon also works for planets in aspect. A good grasp of the First Quarter phase, for example, can bring new understanding to any pair of natal planets in waxing square; or, from a transiting planet in opening square to a natal. Rudhyar's framework makes new sense not just of the Moon, it opens the whole chart, giving new meaning to Buddhist Shunryu Suzuki's sentiment, "When you understand one thing through and through, you can understand everything."
At last I knew more about the Moon than I did as a girl. As an astrologer I'd grown using Rudhyar's insights. I brought them into my readings. I gave talks about the lunation cycle at conferences. I was inspired to start designing my Moonprints report from this foundation. And I continued to explore Rudhyar's framework in the first version of this "MoonWatching" series, published in TMA nine years ago. You'd think then, I would have finally found happiness in my quest for Moon knowledge.
But it wasn't so. Many nights, the Moon still seemed like a stranger to me. And, like the grit of sand-in-the-shoes after a walk on the beach, discomforting thoughts persisted. Rudhyar was good, but why did most astrologers, myself included, tend to simply parrot Rudhyar's phrases, rather than build upon, evolve them? And why did the expectations for certain Moon phases fall flat at times? Some Quarter Moons, for example, were just as Rudhyar said, remarkably crisis-ridden; others were calm.
Sometimes we have to live with a question for years, which is what happened with my wondering about the Moon. Sometimes it can't be answered it's the wrong question. Such was the case with my Moon puzzle. As with most of my astrology studies, I had been looking for information, the kind of knowledge that would make me expert in the ways of the sky. Yet information alone does not make a good astrologer. Over time I've learned there's a big difference between acquiring concepts about charts and developing an active relationship with a living cosmos.
I've often pondered what Thomas Moore wrote in The Living Planets. He suggested that with the arrival of science and astronomy came something less fortunate: the steady loss of intimacy with the sky. Our analytical and mathematical intelligence resulted in a kind of technological wipeout of the Moon, culminating on July 20, 1969, when, says Moore, "through the omniscient eye of television we could all see the dust of Luna, the imprint of a human foot, wellheeled of course, and later a golf club teeing off on the body of what once was a daimon, a god, a celestial governor or archon." It was then, Moore argues, that "deeply felt ties with the planets were severed."2
To measure how much we've lost in our relationship with the Moon, we might imagine what it was like before written records, when the Moon was our calendar, making agriculture and migration, and ultimately, civilization, possible. Timing then was serious business. Fail to plant at the right time and the food supply would be destroyed by frost. Success could come, however, from counting five Moons after the winter solstice, an easier measure than 148 days. The Moon also helped in the business of tracking game, providing a measure of distance traveled, timing when a tribe should start moving again. She was a partner, intimately bound up in life's course.
Before electricity, our friend Moon helped to differentiate the weeks, with certain activities emerging as more phase-appropriate than others. During the waxing Moon, for example, each night brought an increase of evening light. We don't have to be too mystical to see why the waxing Moon was associated with a building time, for bringing projects to fruition during its greater bounty of useful hours. It's perfectly logical why the Full Moon was associated with lively times. Under its light communities could gather and celebrate after sundown, lovers could sneak into the forest for Moonlit trysts. Women's hormones may actually entrain to other women's more than they do to the Moon, but it makes sense that a village of women would ovulate together when the Moon was made for lovers.
Even as the practical need for moonlight diminished, poets and musicians and artists were still fascinated with her mystery. When the Eagle landed and Neil Armstrong took his one giant leap for mankind, the intimacy of this relationship may have reached its final limit. Mysterious Luna was undressed. That delicious enticement to the imaginations of lovers, sailors and gardeners, and the poet within us all, was literalized into gray rock and dust. So rudely exposed as that airless orb, that soundless satellite, the Moon fell off our imaginative landscape.
What happens when a revered body is grounded? Perhaps its divinity splinters in our psyches, hanging on as superstition or a kind of nostalgic fascination. Fanciful pictures of the Moon appear everywhere, in advertisements, on note cards, necklaces, earrings, wrapping paper, bed sheets, kitchen towels. We haven't fully let go of her. Yet our reverence and longing have been consumerized, intimate imaginings relinquished to borrowed imagery that we know is not exactly "real."
Lunar folklore and superstitions also rely on borrowed imagination. Belief may persist, but genuine awareness is lost. When things get crazy and someone wonders whether the Moon is Full, many will nod, but few will turn a confirming glance skyward. Game four of the 1993 World Series, for example, was so wild and unpredictable, the television commentator exclaimed "It must be a Full Moon!" The Moon was in her First Quarter phase, something anyone could have seen. Of course this didn't go into the annals of television history as much of a gaff.3
We might be forgiven. No one needs to know whether the Moon is full or not. And cognitive laziness is a fact of our species. We tend only to notice what confirms our beliefs; refuting evidence often escapes our attention. This is not, however, a good practice for astrologers in the details of their profession. Observing life events against the phases of the Moon, I found that many Moon beliefs and astrology interpretations simply didn't hold. Was the information nonsense? Or did it mean that lunar influence just doesn't work with the mechanical regularity of a clock? Or was something further implied?
I think back to Moore's comment on intimacy. What if, as so many spiritual traditions affirm, the cosmos is indeed alive? If we take this as true, then our way is obvious: we need to approach the Moon as a living being. This is certainly easier said than done, given the modern tendency to see everything (including ourselves) as a machine, composed of parts that either work, require fixing, or discarding. The alternative is to read Luna as an influence that is neither controlling nor controllable, rather, predictable and capricious, alternately speaking and demurring, reaching toward us and turning away, knowable, but never completely, a being capable, in fact, of change. To relate this way requires a willingness to go beyond astrological information into the skill sets of receptivity and intuition, emptiness and imagination. It means renewed respect for her mystery, a word Moore defined as not an unsolvable puzzle, but "in the religious sense: unfathomable, beyond manipulation, showing traces of the finger of God at work."4
In all my wanderings I'd come back to where I began, with the Moon as mystery, although I had stripped away a significant veil. It wasn't the Moon's veil. It was my own. My approach had been wrong, as an astrologer, as a goddess-worshiper dancing in a ceremonial circle, as an empiricist, a historian, as a would-be crone looking for herbal Moon secrets and cures. I had forgotten the most critical element of lunar expertise: the aspect of relationship. It had to be personal. And it had to be something much more dynamic than acquiring concepts. To be in relationship with the Moon suggests something as challenging and rewarding as any relationship, full of passion, gradual learning and delights, increasing comfort and frustrations, friction, boredom and surprise.
As I write this, yesterday was the Cancer New Moon. Days before I printed out and studied the chart. I considered the Cancer themes of nurture and mothering, of security and holding on, of this sign's element base, miraculous, life-giving water. I wondered about the oppositions of Pluto/Mars and Venus/Saturn, and on the day of the New Moon, I headed into the mystery of it all. At sundown I went out to the front yard. I started to gather stones into a ceremonial circle above our underground well, which along with others in the valley may be running dry. From nowhere my son appeared and we completed it together. We thought about the small dead frog we'd found that morning and placed it in the wheel. I was deeply moved by our impromptu ritual, though I was less an expert astrologer or ceremonial artist than I was simply the New Moon's playmate. Perhaps all that occurred was that the day was now a position against which the coming weeks' unfolding could be measured. And perhaps something unfathomable, beyond manipulation, full of divinity was also at play.
Moon watching means loving mystery and being sensitive to the aliveness all around, on earth and in the sky. As the phases unfold each Moon cycle, there will be moments when we can indeed be the sage, like Rudhyar and others, working from our intellects. Other times we may need to be the lover, feeling the time's moods with our hearts. And there may be moments in between when we are the hunter, hungry for nourishment, in pursuit of lunar secrets.
1 See I.W. Kelly, James Rotton, and Roger Culver, "The Moon Was Full and Nothing Happened," The Outer Edge, Classic Investigations of the Paranormal, edited by Joe Nickell, Barry Karr and Tom Genoni, CSICOP (NY: 1996).
2 Thomas Moore, The Planets Within, Lindisfarne Press (NY: 1990), p. 17-18.
3 See Kelly, Rotton, Culver, op cit, p. 27-28.
4 Thomas Moore, Soul Mates, HarperCollins (NY, 1994), p.xi.


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