Browse a full set of economic indicators

Pakistan

Includes Pakistan real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, with latest forecasts and historical data, GDP per capita, GDP composition and breakdown by sector.

Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Pakistan economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Pakistan best banks and safest banks are also available.

Basic Information

Government Type: Federal parliamentary republic

Capital City: Islamabad

GDP & Economic Information

Macroeconomy & Sovereign Data

Central Bank State Bank of Pakistan
Currency Pakistani rupees (PKR)
International Reserves
USD 11.8 billion (2018)
Gross Domestic Product – GDP USD 312.6 billion (2018, estimate)
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) Intl$ 1,141.4 billion (2018, estimate)

GDP Data

Real GDP growth 2014: 4.1%
2015: 4.1%
2016: 4.6%
2017*: 5.4%
2018*: 5.2%

*Estimate
GDP per capita – current prices USD 1,555.4 (2018, estimate)
GDP per capita – PPP Intl$ 5,679.8 (2018, estimate)
GDP (PPP) – share of world total 0.84% (2019, estimate)
GDP – composition by sector agriculture: 22.6%
industry: 18.2%
services: 53.5%
(2016 estimate)
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP) N/A
Inflation 2014: 4.4%
2015: 2.9%
2016: 4.1%
2017*: 3.9%
2018*: 7.3%

*Estimate

Inflation & Debt

Inflation 2014: 4.4%
2015: 2.9%
2016: 4.1%
2017*: 3.9%
2018*: 7.3%

*Estimate
Government Bond Ratings
Standard & Poor’s: B–

Moody’s: B3

Standard & Poor’s / Moody’s (Updated as of January 24th 2017)
Unemployment rate 2014: 5.9%
2015: 6.0%
2016: 6.0%
2017*: 6.1%
2018*: 6.1%

*Estimate
Household saving rates N/A
Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP) 2014: 63.3%
2015: 67.6%
2016: 67.0%
2017*: 71.7%
2018*: 76.7%

*Estimate
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP) 2014: 5.3%
2015: 4.4%
2016: 5.8%
2017*: 6.4%
2018*: 8.8%

*Estimate
Market value of publicly traded shares N/A
Largest Companies N/A

Import/Export

Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services) 8.5% (2018)

Shares in world total merchandising export 0.12% (2018)
Shares in world total commercial services export 0.07% (2018)
Total exports USD 30.1 billion (2018)
Export commodities
Textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sporting goods, chemicals, manufactures, surgical instruments, carpets and rugs
Total imports USD 66.9 billion (2018 estimate)
Import commodities Petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea
Exports – major partners US 17.7%, UK 7.7%, China 6%, Germany 5.8%, Afghanistan 5.2%, UAE 4.5%, Spain 4.1%(2017)
Imports – major partners China 27.4%, UAE 13.7%, US 4.9%, Indonesia 4.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.2% (2017)

Competitiveness & Trade

Current account balance USD -19.9 billion (2018 estimate)
Current account balance by percentage of GDP -6.3 % (2018 estimate)
FDI inflows 2016: USD 2,488 million
2017: USD 3,232 million
2018: USD 2,352 million
FDI Outflows 2016: USD 52 million
2017: USD 52 million
2018: USD 8 million
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser N/A


United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – World Investment Report
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014 N/A
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015 N/A
Best countries for doing business Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.

Overall ranking: 108 out of 190 countries (2019)

Subcategories:

Starting a Business: 72 out of 190 countries

Dealing with Construction Permits: 112 out of 190 countries

Getting Electricity: 123 out of 190 countries

Registering Property: 151 out of 190 countries

Getting Credit: 119 out of 190 countries

Protecting Minority Investors: 28 out of 190 countries

Paying Taxes: 161 out of 190 countries

Trading across Borders: 111 out of 190 countries

Enforcing Contracts: 156 out of 190 countries

Resolving Insolvency: 58 out of 190 countries

World Bank – Doing Business 2019

Global competitiveness ranking 110 out of 141 countries

(2019)
Index of Economic Freedom Ranking: 131 / Score: 55 (Mostly unfree) (2019)

(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)

Population & Geographic Data

Time Zone UTC+5

Total Area 796,095 sq km

Total Population 1990: 105.7 million
2000: 136.64 million
2010: 172.57 million
2016*: 192.996 million
2021*: 209.418 million

*Estimate
Urban population as % of total population 1960: 22%
1980: 28%
2000: 33%
2015: 39%
Population median age 23.4 years (2016 estimate)
Population growth rate 1.45% (2016 estimate)
Life expectancy 67.7 years (2016 estimate)
% of population living on less than $3.10 a day 8.6% (2013)
Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index) 30.7 (2013)

(0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality)
Freedom House rating
Political Rights: 4
Civil Liberties: 5 (2017)

(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Total telephone subscribers as % of population
Fixed 1.88% Mobile 66.92% (2015)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)
Internet users as % of total population 18% (2015)

Language & Religon

Languages 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%
Literacy
Total population: 57.9%
Male: 69.5%
Female: 45.8% (2015 est.)

(15 and over can read and write)
Religions Muslim (official) 96.4% (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.6% (2010 est.)

World Rankings

Population 209.418 M
Mercer Cost of living index Islamabad: 180th (2016)
C02 Emissions per capita
0.8 (2013)

Global Finance Rankings & Awards: Pakistan

Global Finance Magazine holds several conferences and awards ceremonies throughout the year to recognize the winning financial institutions and companies in a host of categories including World’s Best Trade Finance Banks, World's Biggest Banks, World's Safest Banks, World's Best Developed & Emerging Markets Banks, World's Best Internet Banks, and World’s Best Investment Banks.


Data Sources:

IMF World Economic Outlook

UN World Population Prospects

World Inequality Report

S&P Global Ratings

Moody’s

Fitch Ratings

IMF Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS)

UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

CIA The World Factbook

World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution

Forbes Global 2000

arrow-chevron-right-redarrow-chevron-rightbutton-arrow-left-greybutton-arrow-left-red-400button-arrow-left-red-500button-arrow-left-red-600button-arrow-left-whitebutton-arrow-right-greybutton-arrow-right-red-400button-arrow-right-red-500button-arrow-right-red-600button-arrow-right-whitecaret-downcaret-rightclosecloseemailfacebook-square-holdfacebookhamburger-newhamburgerinstagramlinkedin-square-1linkedinpauseplaysearch-outlinesearchsubscribe-digitalsubscribe-printtwitter-square-holdtwitteryoutube