The Land of Pakistan

a) location of Pakistan
b) location of provinces and cities
c) The natural topography, including drainage
Objectives:
Candidates should be able to identify the following on a map:
the Tropic of Cancer, latitudes 30°N, 36°N, longitudes 64°E, 70°E and
76°E
the Arabian Sea
the countries sharing a border with Pakistan, and Pakistan’s position in
relation to others in South and
Central Asia.
the provinces, Northern Areas (Gilgit–Baltistan) and FATA
named cities: Islamabad, Muree, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore,
Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot, Peshawar, Chitral, Gilgit, Hyderabad,
Karachi, Quetta and Gwadar
named landforms: Balochistan Plateau, Sulaiman Range, Safed Koh,
Potwar Plateau, Salt Range, Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalaya
mountain ranges
named deserts: Thar, Thal and Kharan
Candidates should be able to:
use the appropriate vocabulary when describing the
distinguishing features of mountains, plateaux,
floodplains and deserts (knowledge of the formation of the
natural topography of Pakistan is not required)
understand the influence of the natural topography on human
activities:
– steep slopes and flat land on the way that the land is used
– mountains and deserts on the road and rail networks.
IMPORTANCE OF PAKISTAN'S LOCATION:
• Pakistan enjoys a key position in South Asia from a strategic and an economic viewpoint.
• In North and North west few links are present because of the mountain ranges and
climate. The Khunjerab Pass connects Pakistan with China via Karakoram Highway and
Khyber Pass connects us with Afghanistan. These areas are landlocked thus
Pakistan's seaports of Gwadar and Karachi are used by these countries
• In the South Arabian Sea is present which helps in trade with the Far East and Middle
East countries.
• The Jinnah Terminal, Karachi is of great importance as it is an international airport thus
connecting Pakistan with the rest of the world.
Pakistan can be divided into six major
natural topographical areas.
1. The Northern Mountains and North- Western Mountains
2.The Western Mountains
3. The Baluchistan Plateau
4. Potwar Plateau and Salt Range
5. The Indus Plain
6. Desert Areas
 The Northern Mountains:
Himalayas
Karakoram
The North Western Mountain:
Hindukush
Areas:

Gilgit
Chitral Swat Dir
Agency

Bajor
Kohistan Mansehra Abbottabad
Agency
AREAS
 • High mountain altitude-4000m-6000m
Relief:
• Snowy peaks
• East to West direction-Himalayas, Karakoram
• Glaciers-Siachen, Batoro, Baltoro
• Difficult Landscape
• Passes-Khunjerab,Karakoram,Babusar
• Valleys-Kaghan,Naran
• Gorges
RELIEF FEATURES
 • Fast flowing rivers-Indus, Jehlum, Gilgit,
Hunza
Drainage: • Streams
• Melting glaciers
• Melting of snow from peaks
• Waterfalls
• Lakes-Saif-ul-muluk, Mahodant,Ansoo
STREAMS
Melting of Glaciers
WATERFALLS
Lake Saif ul
Malook
NARAN
Lulusar Lake
NARAN
Satpara Lake
SKARDU
Attabad Lake
NARAN
Ansoo Lake
NARAN
Economy:
• Cottage industry
• Livestock farming(goats, sheep) pastoral farming
• Tourism(hotels, transport, guides)
• Limited Agriculture(wheat, pulses, tobacco, vegetables, fruits)
• Low per capita income
• HEP Production
• Mining is limited-Chitral
Lifestyle:
• Overall difficult life
• Warm clothes
• Sloppy roofs of houses-snow slips down
• Diet-meat, milk, vegetables (shortage of food)
• Unsafe drinking water
• Poor infrastructure(roads,utilities)
Western Mountains
Koh-e-Safed
Waziristan Hill
Sulaiman Range
Kirther Range
 • Kurram, Kyber,Orakazai,Mohammad Karak
agencies (FATA)
• Bannu
• Peshawar
• Kohat
AREAS: • North & south Waziristan
• (WANA)
• Mardan
• Bakkar, Dera Ghazi Khan, DeraBugti-Sulaiman mts
• Dadu-Kirther Ranges
• (Border of Sindh& Balochistan)
 • Low mountain altitude-4500-2100m
• Snowy peak-Mainly Safed Koh
• North to South direction-Waziristan,
RELIEF: Sulaiman, Kirther
• Difficult Landscape
• Passes-Kyber, Kurrum, Tochi, Gomal, Bolan
• Valleys-Kohat, Bannu, Vales of Peshawar
 • Fast flowing rivers-Kabul, Tochi, Kohat, Kurrum
• Streams
DRAINAGE: • Melting of snow from peaks-mainly in Koh-e-
Safed
• Waterfalls-Koh-e-Safed
 • Cottage industry
• Livestock farming
• Mining (less in quantity)
ECONOMY: • Limited Agriculture (Wheat, Pulses, tobacco,
vegetable, fruits)
• Low per capita income
 • Overall difficult life
• Warm to light clothes-cold to hot temperature
• Houses-Variety occur concrete to mud with
steel sheets roof
LIFESTYLE: • Diet-Meat, milk vegetables(shortage of food)
• Unsafe drinking water
• Poor infrastructure
• Population density is low
• Mainly tribes and agencies
Baluchistan Plateau
 • Low mountain attitude 600-3000m
• Ras-Koh, Hala, Makran Coast, Siahan &
Toba Kakar……..mountains
• Rugged Landscape
• Passses…. Bolan, GHonsher & Kojak
RELIEF: • Low lying basins….. Loralai & zhob
• No. of lobes
• 700 km long coastline….deep sea,
continental shelf, no. of creeks
• Arid areas…. Kharan desert, Chagi hills
• Valleys…. Quetta, Zhob, Ziarat
 • Join Indus… Zhob, Khandhar and Kalachi
• Absorb in land….. Bolan, Mula and Chakar
• Fall in Arabian Sea….. Hub, Porali, Hingol,
Mushkai and Dasht
• Seasonal rivers….. active in summer( melting of
snow) and winter
(western depression)
DRAINAGE: • Streams… melting of snow…near Quetta, Ziarat
• Small and narrow rivers
• Water in less quantity
• Hamuns( lakes) ….. Hamun-i-Mashkel & Hamun-
i-Lora
• Karez…. Underground canal for irrigation…. At
foot of mountains
 Hamuns
A hamun refers to seasonal
desert lakes or marshlands,
found on the Iranian Plateau,
from Iran to Afghanistan and
western Pakistan /
( Balochistan).
Hamun e
Mushkhel
Karez system in Balochistan
 • Cottage industries
• Livestock farming
• Mining….. Copper, Mable, Clay, Gas and Coal
• Fishing at Makran Coasts
• Boat making and fishing, related industries at
ECONOMY: Makran Coast
• Gwadar port….. trade
• Fruit and dry fruits
• Low per capita income…..Less employment
opportunity
 • Overall life is difficult
• Thick clothes in Kharan desert…. Very high
insolations
• Thin clothes (cotton) with traditional turbans
• Diet…. Meat, milk, vegetables (shortage of
food)
LIFESTYLE: • Unsafe drinking water
• Poor infrastructure (roads, utilities)
• Cost of providing infrastructure is very high
• Population density is low
• Mainly tribes…. Dera Bugti and Kholu
POTWAR PLATEAU AND
SALT RANGE
 POTWAR:
Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock
AREAS: SALT RANGES:
Chakwal, Kalabagh, Mianwali
 • Low mountain altitude (Kalachitta, Margala
hills)…. 500-900 m….North to South direction
• Salt Ranges….750-900… East to West direction
• Badland Topography of Potwar Plateau
RELIEF: • Gorges
• Sakesar Peak……1527km
• Ridges & Residual Hills
• Ravines & Streams
• Dissected & Faulted Land
https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=B4HPfRwAqbI
 • Rivers…. Soan, Khewra, Makrach
DRAINAGE: • Streams
• Lake…… Khabeki, Kallar Kahar, Uchchali
 • Major industries….. oil refinery, HMC (Taxila)
• Livestock farming
• Mining…. Rock Salt, Marble, Clay, Oil and Coal
ECONOMY: • Limited Agriculture (Wheat, pulses,
oilseeds)…. Barani farming
• High per capita income…..More employment
 • Life is easy
• Light clothes…… Hot & mild temperature
• Concrete houses
LIFESTLE: • Diet…… all types
• Well-connected infrastructure (roads,
railways, utilities)
• Population density is high
THE INDUS
PLAIN
 • Whole of Punjab………..Upper Indus Plain
AREAS: • Whole of Sindh………….Lower Indus PLAIN
DOAB: A land between two rivers. A unique
feature of Upper Indus Plain
CHARACTERISTICS OF DOAB:
LEVEES: River embankment...
ACTIVE FLOOD PLAIN: 2m high from river, up to 25 km from river
SCARP: alleviated land which connects old flood plain with Alluvial
Terraces
OLD FLOOD PLAIN: 3.5m in height, 25 to 40 km from river
ALLUVIAL TERRACES OR BAR UPLAND: Eroded material of old Alluvium,
flat land 45 to 75 km from rivers, 8-9m in height from river
 • Flat land
• Slope reduces from UIP to LIP…..southward
• Interfluves or Doab……..Between two rivers
• Active Flood Plain….Ox-bow lake, Levees, 2m high from river, up to
25 km from river
• Old Flood Plain….. Meander scarp remaining of ox-bow lake,
RELIEF: former channel, 3.5m in height, 25 to 40 km from river
• Alluvial Terraces….. Bar uplands (gangi & nili bar), Eroded material
of old Alluvium, flat land 45 to 75 km from rivers, 8-9m in height
from river
• Piedmont plain…. Foot of mountains, river divides in distributaries,
slope is low, Alluvial deposits, fan shape.
  Major industries….cotton, steel, fertilizer,
cement etc
 Livestock farming
 Mining….Limestone, marble, gas oil, coal
 Main agriculture….wheat, cotton,
ECONOMY: sugarcane, rice etc
 High per capita income… more
employment
 Tourism…. Archeological, historical,
modern and seaside
 Sea ports… Kemari and Bin Qasim
  Life is easy
 Light clothes….hot & mild even cool
temperature
 Concrete houses with flat roofs
LIFESTYLE:  Diet… all types
 Well-connected infrastructure (roads,
railways, utilities)
 Population density is high
 Main educational and health centre
DESERTS
(Thar, Thal and Kharan)
 • THAR: Umar Kot, Sanghar
• Nara: Khairpur, Sukkur, Ghotki
AREAS: • Cholistan: Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalpur
• Thal: Khushab, Laieh
• Kharan: Kharan
 • Sand dunes
• 10m in height……Sand dunes
RELIEF: • Rolling sandy plains
• Sandy soil
• Trough & crest
 • Cottage industry
• Limited Livestock farming
• Mining…. Oil and Coal….. Thar
ECONOMY: • Limited Agriculture (Wheat, cotton,
sugarcane)…… Thar and Thal
• Low per capita income…..Less employment
opportunity
 • Overall difficult life
• Warm clothes…..prevent them from high
sun rays
LIFESTYLE: • Diet…meat, milk (shortage of food)
• Unsafe drinking water (shortage of water)
• Poor infrastructure (roads,utilities)
• Population density is low.
MAKRAN AND SINDH COAST
• Makran Coast is straight and 500 km long.
• Sindh coast is irregular& inducted with numerous tidal creeks & winding
channels.
• Sindh coast (bars have developed/extensive mud flats sliced by tidal
channels).
• Makran coast doesn’t have a wider continental shelf than the Sindh coast.
• Makran coast forms a narrow coastal plain.
• Makran coast is straight with no marked indentations.
• Hammerhead-shaped projection near Ormara, Gwadar break the
monotomy.
• Narrow beach backed by rock cliffs 15-65 m in height.
• Behind the cliff there is a coastal plain 16-32 km wide.
• Uplifted terraces & terraces formed by erosion in Makran Coasts.
PAST PAPERS
 1 (a) Study
Fig. , an
outline map
of Pakistan.​
(i) On the map name the following landforms in the boxes provided: Balochistan
Plateau;
Himalayan Ranges; Karakoram Range; Salt Range. [4]
 (ii) Study Fig.
Identify the
mountain feature
labelled A in the
photograph.
(b) (i) Define the term ‘topography’. [1]

(ii) Describe the natural topography of the northern regions. [3]

(c) (i) State two reasons why deforestation has occurred in the Northern Mountains. [2]

(ii) Explain two impacts of deforestation in the Northern Mountains on the natural
environment. You should develop your answer. [4]

(iii) Describe the importance of the Northern Mountains to Pakistan. [4]

1 (a) Study
Fig., an
outline
map of
Pakistan.
 (i) Label on
Fig. the
province-level
areas in the
correct
locations using
the letters from
the list below.
[3]
(b) (i) Describe the characteristics of a floodplain. [3]

(ii) Name the cities Y and Z. [2]

(ii) State two ways that land on a floodplain is used. [2]

(a) Study Fig.
, a map of
Pakistan.
(i) On Fig, label the following: Afghanistan; India; Line of longitude 70°E
You should write the name in the correct location on the map. [3]

(ii) On Fig, draw and label the Tropic of Cancer. [2]

(iii) Describe Pakistan’s location in relation to other countries in South and

Central Asia. [3]
 (b) (i) Describe
the main
features of
the desert area
shown in
the photograph.

[3]
(ii) Explain the challenges of living in a desert area, such as that
shown in Fig. Youshould develop your answer. [4]
(d) Evaluate the extent to which the natural topography of
Pakistan limits human activity and economic development in the
north of the country. Give reasons to support your judgement and
refer to examples you have studied. You should consider different
points of view in your answer. [6]
 (a) Study
Fig, which
is a map of
southern
Pakistan.
(i) On the map name the following: Line of longitude A–A;
River B; Desert C. [3]
(ii) Describe the natural topography (relief) of Area D on the
map. [3]
 (a) Study
Fig. which is
a map of
northern
Pakistan.
(i) On the map name the following:
• Mountain range A
• City B
• River C [3]
(a) Study Fig.
which is a
map of
southern
Pakistan.
(i) On the map name the following:
• Line of longitude A
• River B
• City C [3]