“Topography of Pakistan”

Latitude & Longitude:

• Pakistan is located between 24⁰ 35 north and 37⁰ 05 north latitude.
• Its longitude extends from 61⁰ to 78⁰ east.

Area of Pakistan:
• Its total area is 796,096 sq kilometers.
• It is 1600 kilometers from north to south.
• 885 km from east to west

Location of Pakistan:
Location Neighboring Country
North-East China (585 km long border)
West Afghanistan (2252 km long border) known as Durand Line.
North-West Wakkan (narrow strip of Afghanistan), it separates Pakistan from
Tajikistan.
South-West Iran
South Arabian Sea
East India

Figure (i) Boundary of Pakistan's four provinces

Strategic Importance of Pakistan:

• The Khyber Pass provides a route to Afghanistan.

• The Karakoram Highway helps in trade & communication with China.

• The Gwadar and Karachi seaports provide crucial travel as well as trade facilities
to north and north-west.

• Its coastline at the Arabian Sea facilitates trade with West, Middle East, Far East,
and Southeast Asia.

• Pakistan has a central location that provides air routes from west to east and the
Jinnah International Airport facilitates it.

• It offers easy access to Central Asia (CAS) and its 6 republics through
Afghanistan.

• Feasibility of Natural Gas Pipeline Projects from CAS, India, Iran and South East
Asia.

Figure (ii) Location of Pakistan

Pakistan-Iran Gas Pipeline:

• If this project is completed, then Pakistan will get 21.5 cubic meters of natural
gas from Iran.

• This can be used as a fuel (CNG) for vehicles.

• It can also be used to generate electricity from thermal power stations.

Location of Provinces & Cities

Provinces of Pakistan:
• It has Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and KPK provinces.

• It also includes FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir.

• In 2009, the Federal Cabinet approved an ordinance that gave political autonomy
to northern areas.

• A new name was also given to the Northern areas as Gilgit, Baltistan.

• In 2010, NWFP renamed as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

FATA:
• It stands for Federal Administrated Tribal Areas.

• It is located between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Natural Topography

Including Drainage

Topography:
• It is the study of surface features of the land.

• Pakistan can be categorized into six topographical areas:

1. Northern & North-Western Mountains:

- Karakorams
- Himalayas
- Hindu Kush

2. Western Mountains:

- Waziristan Hills
- Sulaiman Range
- Kirthar Range
- Safed Koh Ranges

3. Balochistan Plateau
4. Potwar Plateau and Salt Ranges

5. Indus Plain

6. Desert Areas

- Kharan Desert
- Thal Desert
- Thar Desert

Northern & North-Western Mountains:

Relief:

• It includes Karakoram, Himalaya, and the Hindu Kush.

• These ranges run from west to east.

• Its height changes from 6000 m to 8475 m; south to the north respectively.

• It has deep narrow valleys namely Kaghan, Baltistan and Chitral.

• It also has snow caped, sharp and steep-sided peaks like Nanga Parbat, Tirich
Mir, and K-2.

• It has Siachen, Baltoro, and Batura that are huge glaciers (snowfields).

• It has high passes including Khunjerab, Shandur, and Lawarai.

Drainage:

• Eastern tributaries include Jhelum, Chenab, River Indus, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej.

• Western tributaries include Kabul and Swat.

Economy and People:

• In summers when the snow peaks melt, the water drain into River Indus and its
tributaries.
• This drainage helps in the irrigation of Indus plain.

• These mountains are a source of valuable minerals, fruits, and timber.

• There are historic passes that connect Pakistan to Afghanistan and China.

• There is also a natural border between CAS republics and China.

• The mountains protect against the cold winds from CAS making the climate
bearable.

• The beautiful scenery attracts tourists and promoting the resort business in Gilgit,
Hunza, Murree, Naran, etc.

• These mountains also provide the raw material for chemicals, furniture, paper,
etc.

Western Mountains:
Relief:

• Kirthar, Safed Koh, Waziristan, and Sulaiman are the parallel ranges that run
from south to north.

• The height expands from 2000 m to 4712 m; south to the north respectively.

• There are several valleys and low-lying basins including Bannu valley, Kohat
valley, and the valley of Peshawar.

• The peaks there are not very big in height.

• Safed Koh is the only peak that is covered in snow.

• There are many historic passes including Bolan, Gomal, Khyber, Tochi, and
Khurram.

• There are not many glaciers.

Drainage:

• The drainages include Khurram, Hab, Lyari, Tochi, Zhob, and Gomal.
Economy and People:

• The water drains in the western rivers and helps in the cultivation of sugarcane,
rice, and wheat.

• The passes connect Pakistan to Afghanistan.

• The passes also connect Karachi to Sibbi.

• These mountains create a defensive wall between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

• These mountains are rich in boulders, clay, limestone ridges and sandstones.

• These mountains prevent Pakistan from western depressions.

• There are important military centers namely Kohat and Bannu.

Potwar Plateau:
Relief:

• It is an open plateau with undulating land and an extensive flat area.

• Its height varies from 300 m to 600 m.

• It has residual hills namely Khairi Murat and Kala Chitta ranging up to 1000 m.

• It has a badland topography i. e. troughs, ravines and landscapes of ridges.

• It has parallel salt ranges from 750 m to 900 m.

Drainage:

• The drainage includes River Soan, Uchali, Khabeki, and KallarKahar.

Economy and People:

• It is rich in soapstones, marble, non-metallic minerals, limestone, gypsum,

dolomite, and clay.
• It has oil and gas fields namely, Attock Oil Refinery.

• On Potwar Plateau, through rainwater gram, wheat, barley, and maize are
cultivated.

Balochistan Plateau:
Relief:

• It has ridges and eroded landscape.

• It has barren mountain ranges including Toba Kakar, Hala, RasKoh and Makran
Coast from 600 m to 3010 m.

• There several irregular depressions including Loralai and Zhob basins.

• On the western side, there are inland drainage basins.

• There is a Lasbela plain that is marked by sand dunes and gravel.

• It has Makran Coast which a narrow coastal plain.

Drainage:

• The drainages include Hingol, Dasht, Hab, and Paroli.

• There are also temporary salt lakes namely Hamun-i-Lora and Hamun-i-
Mashkal.

Economy and People:

• In Kharan and Punjgore, there are gold and antimony deposits.

• There are also gas, crude oil, and coal deposits.

• The economy is through livestock and its products and fishing at Ormara,
Gwadar, and Pasni.

• There is also a vegetable seed industry.

Balochistan’s Economic Potential:

• There are gold and antimony reserves.

• By using the untapped resources of Balochistan, Pakistan’s economy can see an

uplift.

• Using the crude oil, coal and natural gas present in Balochistan electricity can be
generated.

• Many fruits grow in Balochistan including melons, peaches, grapes, apples, dates,
pomegranates, peaches and plums.

• The economy can be boosted by exporting these fruits to Gulf countries.

• Since Balochistan’s climate is favorable more vegetable seeds should be grown

there.

• By increasing the livestock and its products using scientific means because wool
and goat skins have high demand in the global market.

• Moreover, the export of fish can also be increased by using modern technology at
Gwadar, Ormara, and Pasni for fishing.

• The Gawadar Sea Port development can also help in the development of the
economy.

Shortcoming:

• The weather in Balochistan is extreme and dry making the working condition
unfavorable.

• Balochistan has the lowest population density.

• There are not enough skilled individuals and the workforce.

• The province has a shortage of water making it difficult to provide proper

irrigation.
• The infrastructure is bad and there are fewer link roads; limiting the travel and
trade.

• The people there are not very educated.

• The landscape is eroded with rugged terrain and ridges making it impossible to
complete projects on time.

Doabs

• A doab can be found at the confluence of the two rivers i.e. a land.

- Between the river Jhelum and river Sindh, there is Sindh Sagar Doab.

- Between river Chenab and Jhelum, there is Chaj Doab.

- Between river Ravi and Chenab, there is Rachna Doab.

- Between river Sutlej and Ravi, there is Bari Doab.

Importance of Doabs:
• The terrain is flat there.

• The canal water promotes and supports agriculture.

• Urban settlement can be done without hassle.

• There are links to air, rail and road developed.

• Factories and industrial estates are established.

• Moreover, businesses, markets, and storage of raw materials of agriculture are

provided.

Topographical Features
of The Indus Plain

Active Flood Plains:

• ‘Bet" or ‘Khaddar" is a narrow strip of land on both sides of the river.

• It is flooded almost every year.

• When the season of rain concludes, alluvium can be found in its dry and braided
channels.
The Old Flood Plains:
• It is the area between the terraces of alluvial and active flood plains.

• When there is heavy rainfall only then it is flooded.

• Ox-bows abandoned channels and meander scars can be found on these plains.

Alluvial Terraces:
• These are areas of high grounds.

• They formed by old alluvium erosion.

• They are also known as ‘Scalloped Interfluves’.

• They can be found in Bari, Rachna and Chaj Doab in the Upper Indus Plain.

• The alluvial terraces are ideal for agriculture.

Piedmont Plains:
• They are formed in the rainy season when streams and rivers deposit alluvium at
the foot of the mountain.

• They support agriculture too.

• They are also known as Derajat.

• These rivers deposits alluvium, sand, and gravel.

• These can be found at Himalayan Mountain, Kirthar and Sulaiman.

Tidal Delta:
• It is located in the south of Thatta.

• It is triangular (fan) shaped.

• The distributaries branch out from it like ribs.

• It has mangrove swamps and tidal flats.

• The land is frequently exposed to seawater.

• The land is mostly covered in swamps limiting agriculture.

• Poor infrastructure results in less industrial and commercial activities.

• The undeveloped road makes it difficult to transport in heavy vehicles.

• The frequent tropical cyclones damages shanty homes, agriculture, and fishing.

• These features of the Indus Delta have resulted in a low-density population.

Rolling Sand Plains:

• Rolling sand plains are usually found in desert areas because sand dunes are a
feature of deserts.

• In deserts, the wind blows and changes landscape frequently which results in
sand dunes.

Cuestas:
• These can be found in the Lower Indus Plains.

• In Sindh, these are limestone made ridges.

• The ridges support the construction of barrages and irrigation.

Deserts of Pakistan

• There are three desert areas in Pakistan:

- Between river Jhelum and River Indus, there is the Thal Desert which is also
known as Sindh Sagar Doab.

- In the south-eastern part of Pakistan, there is the Thar Desert. This desert can
further categorize into Tharparkar, Nara, and the Cholistan.

- The Kharan Desert can be located in the western Balochistan.

Features of the Deserts:

• There is water scarcity because of low rainfall.
• There are fast blowing winds that frequently change the desert.

• Rolling stone dunes, lack of vegetation and rocks are other main features.