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C H A P T E R

PAKISTAN’S GEOGRAPHY & LANDSCAPE

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Geography P akistan borders Afghanistan, China, India, and Iran, and as such, occupies a position of great military strategic importance. Iran is on the west and India is on the east, while China lies to the north and the Arabian Sea to the south. The country is about twice the size of California and has diverse terrain ranging from deserts near the Arabian Sea to arctic terrain in the northern mountainous region of K2, the second highest peak on Earth. Temperatures can range from well below zero (-17 degrees Celsius) at K2 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit (51 degrees Celsius) in the desert regions. Monsoon rains come in July and August and cause flash flooding in river areas. Climate The climate of Pakistan is a hot and dry desert environment throughout most of the country, with the exception of the high altitude arctic north made up of three mountain ranges: the Himalayas, Hindukush, and Karakoram. The highest point is the K2 Mt. Godwin-Austin summit at 28,251 feet (8,611 meters) above sea level.

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