Geography

Climate:
The major part of Pakistan is dominated by dry climate. a small area in the North
experiences Humid, subtropical. In the extreme North the area of the great heights
highland the controlling factor of following.
The subtropical location of Pakistan from approximately 23 North to 27 latitude.
1. this tends to keep the term high particularly in summer.
2. the oceanic influence of the Arabian sea deeps down the temperature.
3. the continental effect accelerate differences in temperature between summer and
winter in the interior of the country.

Rain Fall:
The major part of Pakistan experiences dry climate. H8imid conditions prevail
over the small area in the North the whole of Sindh, most of the Baluchistan, the major
part of the Punjab and the central part of the Northern area receive less then 250 mm of
rainfall in a year. There are two sources of rainfall in Pakistan. The monsoons and
western depressions.
The monsoon rainfall takes place from a depression bring rainfall from December
to March. In the Intervening periods of Octuber to November and April to June. A small
quantity of rainfall comes from thunder storm.

1. Monsoon:
Pakistan receives the tail end of the monsoon. Which enter the Pakistan after
crossing India they usually reach Pakistan in early July and continue to September. Since
the monsoon come into Pakistan from the East. The eastern part receive more rainfall in
the monsoon the main monsoon which enter Notthern Punjab while the secondary
Southern Punjab and Sindh. The highest rainfall during the monsoon season as receive by
Muree that is 850mm.
 2. Western depression:
The Western depression enter Pakistan from the west after passing through Iran
and Afghanistan Most of their moisture is lost on their long land journey . Therefore they
bring a small amount of rainfall to Pakistan in spite of this the western parts of western
highlands receive more rainfall from the western depression then from other sources.
Rain fall from western depression begins in Ddecember and continues up to March. It is
in the Northern highland that the highest amount of rainfall 250mm takes place. Because
of Western Depression Northern Punfjab the hilly areas of NWFP and Notthern
Baluchistan receive 125 to 250mm of rainfall. Sindh is the driest area where in most parts
the rainfall is less then 25mm.

Thunder Storm Rain fall:

There are to periods of Thunder Storm in Pakistan
April to June
October to November
These periods are the driest parts of the year from Aril to June a few areas in the
extreme North. For example, Chitral, Muree Hills and Safed-Co registered more than
125mm. In the rest of country rainfall . Sindh ansd Baluchistan it is less than 45mm.

Climate Pakistan can be classified into the following climatic region.

Dry Climate:
The characteristic feature of this climate is that the potential evapotranspiration
accedes precipitation. All 90 % of Pakistan is dominated by dry climate. The dry climate
is divided into two sub group.
Arid and semiarid

Arid climate:
Potential evapo-transpiration accedes precipitation by two or more than two
times.
Semi Arid:
Potential evapotranspiration accedes precipitation but is not twice at Arid. The
two subgroups are further divided into two climatic
Areas where the temperature of the coolest months is 10oC or less or are classed as Kalt
(cold) and those more than 10oC as Heiss (hot)

Misothermal or subtropical region:

This is the humid climate with a temperature of the coldest month lying between
-3oC and 18oC. The areas experiencing humid mesothermal climate in Pakistan don,t have
any destiny dry season. It is further subdivided or the basis of temperature.
Hot warm summer
Cool summer.

Highland Climate: (Altitude being dominant)

1) Arid with hot summer and mild winter:

Arid with hot summer and mild winter prevails over so large area comprising
most of the Indus plains extending westward into Baluchistan up to the Iran border. Sibbi
is the hottest station. Where the average temperature of June rise to 38oC. Some of the
extreme temperatures recorded was 52.8oC in Jacobabad and 51.7oC in Sibbi. The winter
is mild and the temperature is between 10-21oC.

2) Arid with warm summer and mild winter;

It is experienced in Pakistan in the narrow coastal strip. Oceanic influence keeps
the temperature lower in summer and higher in winter. The uniformity of temperature is a
unique characteristic of a coastal region. Aridity prevails all over the coastal region. The
annual rainfall is less than 250mm rainfall at Katachi is 221mm, Ormara 146mm and
Pasni (130).

3) Arid with warm summer and cool winter:

Arid climate this climate prevails over the central and Northwestern plateau of
Baluchistan. July is the hottest month. The winter is of seven months. Sometimes in
winter, the temperature droops below freezing point. Aridity is severe in this region. The
winter precipitation exceeds summer rainfall.

4) Semi-arid with hot summer and mild winter:

The semi-arid climate with hot summer and mild winter is experienced over a
small area of Northern Punjab extending into the adjoining areas of N.W.F.P. The annual
temperature remains above 18oC and the coolest month temperature above 10oC. In June
the hottest month at Lahore records 33.9oC and Peshawar 32.9oC. The annual rainfall
ranges between 325mm and 755mm.
 5) Semi Arid with warm Summer and cool winter:
In Northern part of the Baluchistan Plateau and the adjoining highlands of
N.W.F.P experience this type of climate. The common areas are Quetta, Zhob where
mean maximum temperature of July exceeds 32oC. The precipitation is that area is low
ranging from 250-275mm. The rainfall at Quetta is 244 and at Zhob 380mm.

6) Humid mesothermal with Hot/warm summer:

This climate prevails over a small area of Northern Pakistan. On the Western side
N.W.F.P, the temperature of the warmest month remains between 21oC to 32oC. Other
important areas are Sialkot and kakool. In annual precipitation in the Northern part of
Pakistan is over 625mm.

7) Humid mesothermal with cool summer:

This type of climate is experienced over a small island extending North from
Muree. Muree is the wettest station of Pakistan. It receives an annual precipitation of
1640mm.

Natural Vegetation:
I. A forestation
II. Regeneration
III. 3.8% of the total area
IV. 20 25% for better economy
V. 30 170 Sq Km

Conditions:
I. Arid
II. Semi Arid
III. Humid Conditions
IV. Diversity in topography

Arid and Semi Arid:

I. Mostly bare of vegetation
II. Some area have shrub forests
III. Water area have mangroves

Humid Conditions:
I. Dry Subtropical forest
II. Up to 1000m they are present from ea level.
III. Coniferous trees
IV. Tree line means height and 1000-4000m.
Forests:
Condition of forests isnt good in Pakistan. About 4.6% (2004) of the total area of
Pakistan is under forest however for a balanced economy 20-25% of the total area of a
country should be under forest. Province wise distribution of the forests is
NWFP ____ 15.6%
Sindh ____ 4.2%
Punjab ____ 2.7%
Baluchistan ____ 2.1%
So NWFP has the highest percentage. At present the forest area is more than
30000 sq.km. The increase in forest area as we achieved by forestation and regeneration.
As in 1947, forest covered area was 13000 sq.km.
Forest types and Distribution conditions:
Ridand semi arid conditions prevailing over most parts of the Indus plain and Baluchistan
Plateau,.
Humid conditions over Northern Hills and mountains.

Diversity of topography ranging from low plains to lofty mountains rising to snowy
heights.
In arid and semi arid areas most parts are base of vegetation. In some areas scrub
forest has developed. In better water areas like silver banks and deltas. Riverain and
Mangrove forests have emerged. In humid hills and mountains forest types charges with
altitude. The dry subtropical forests dominate up to a height of 1000 and coniferous from
1000-4000m and above tree line alpine forests occurred up to the snow line. The
following forest types recognized in Pakistan.
 I. Alpine forests from 4000m snow line

II. Coniferous forests from 1000m- 4000m

III. Subtropical dry forests below 1000m

IV. Tropical Thorn forests

V. Riverain or Bella forest

VI. Mangroves

VII. Irrigated plantations

1) Alpine Forest:
Above the tree line (4000m) the alpine forests occurs in the district of chitral,
Dir, Swat, Kohistan and Northern areas. The long severe winter with freezing
temperature does not permit full growth of trees often the trees are prostate bak. As the
mountains rise to the height of tree line they became steep in such a severe climate and
difficult topography the Alpine forest occur over a small area these are not of much
importance such as silver fur Junifur.

2) Coniferous forest:
The coniferous forest occurs from 1000 4000m. the Northern areas, swat,
Malakand, Kohistan, Manshera, Abbottabad and some area of Raswalpindi district are the
main areas covered with coniferous forest the largest area of these forest is in the NWFP,
followed by Northern areas. Fir and Deodar and kail in the inter-mediate height and chir
is the lower height. These forest are the source of timber in Pakistan. The coniferous also
occur in Baluchistan Hills in Quetta and Kalat divisions. E.g. Chilghoza and Pencil
Juniper are the two most common specie but they are of limited economic importance.

3) Subtropical Dry Forest:

The hills and foot hills of Gujrat, Jhelum Rawalpindi and Attock district
Manshera, Abbottabad, Mardan, Peshawar and Kohat district up to a height of 1000m are
covered with dry ever green forest in Baluchistan. They are confined to the Suleman
Mountain. The open areas are covered with grasses and are used for grazing. The
dominate trees are Phula, Kao, Chest Nut and Oat are some of the e.g. Kao and chir occur
at higher elevation. The most common use of these tree is firewood. Although some
timber is also obtained.

4) Tropical Thorn Forest:

The tropical thorn forest are dominated by shrub called thorn forest are dominated
Brakh in Punjab. They are wide spread in the Punjab plains. They occupy small area in
Singh and Baluchistan. They are open low forest and up to the length of 6-10 m. the
common species are Accacia, prosopic, spleygera etc. they are primarily used as fire
wood.
Reveriain forest locally called bela forest. Thy covered active flood plains. Babul and
Shisham are the most common species. Shisham are the most common species. Shisham
is an important source of wood for making furniture. Babul and other species provide fire
wood.

5) Revarain or Bela Forest:

Narrow belts along the banks of Indus and its tributaries are occupied by the
revarain forest locally called Bela forest. There are more commonly found in Sindh. They
covered active flood plains. Babul and Shisham are the most common species. Shisham is
an important source of wood for making furniture. Babul and other species provide
firewood.

6) Mangrove forest:
The Indus delta and the adjoining area and hub delta are covered with
mangrove forest. Lack of fresh water as resulted in the stunted growth of trees and in the
occurrence of limited number of species. In better watered area the trees rise 6-8m but the
normal height is 3m. These are used as fired wood.

7) Irrigated forest:
In 1866 the first irrigated forest was established at changea Manga. 90km
south of Lahore. They purpose was supplies fire wood. The irrigated forest of Changa
Manga became economjically so valuable. Extension of irrigated forest after 1947 has
taken pace at tal, Kotre, Tarnsa, Guddu.

Irrigation:
Need for Irrigation:
Rainfall is the critical culture in Pakistan agriculture. The major part of Pakistan is
dry.

Methods of Irrigation:

Lift irrigation:
Lift irrigation is one of the earliest methods of irrigation in Pakistan. In the
beginning the water was lifted by hand in a bucket attached to rope. It involved a
considerable amount of labor and therefore only a small area was be irrigated. An
improvement was attained with the introduction of dhenkla. It consists of a bucket
suspended by a rope from one end of a pole and a weight is placed on the other end. The
pole is suspended on a Y shaped post at a well. With the best effort 1/10th of a head can be
irrigated.
The next step forward in lift irrigation was by the use of animal power to pull out
bucket, which was suspended by a rope on a pulley, erected on a well. This system is
called Charsa. Further improvement in lift irrigation took place where the Persian wheel
was introduced. In this system a number of buckets are lowered into the well through
chain. Thus there is a continuous supply of water later on the tube wells was introduced.
It emerged as an effective means of irrigation.

Karez:
Karez is an old method of irrigation. In Pakistan confined to Baluchistan. The
irrigation is also practice in Iran and in adjoining Arab countries. Karez is a water tunnel
or it can be looked upon as a narrow subterranean channel. It starts from the base of the
hills and mountains. Where sub soil water is present. It runs for or 2km under ground and
even unto 10km sometime. Before it comes out on the surface. Karez irrigation is
practiced on in Baluchistan with in this Brood rog most of the. Karez are located in
Quetta, Pishin valley, Mastung valley and favorable area in Makran.

Canals:
Canals are narrow irrigation channels diverted from stream or river. They
commanded a small area. A small dam is made a cross narrow and shall streams and the
stored water is used for irrigation. The canals receive water from the rivers sometime
when the level of the river rise by floods. This type of canals is called Inundation canals.
With the advancement in technology it becomes possible to built barrages across large
river. The canals taken off from barrages supply water through out the area are called
perennials canals.

Small Dams:
Beside large irrigation project a number of small dam has also been built. They
irrigated relatively small area and are located on small streams and command small
alluvial areas in hilly region. They are therefore located in the western highlands. Wapda
has built some of them. While other by small dams organization. Rawal dam is one of the
smallest dam on the Kurange river. Besides supplying water to Islamabad it irrigates
about 5000 hectors. Khan Pur dam on the Haro irrigating 14000 hectors in Abbottabad.
Thada, baran and Gomal are some of the important small dam of MWFP. Baluchistan has
a number of small dams.

Barrages:
The fire Barrage constructed under the Indus water treaty

1. Chasma:
It is located on a Indus 64kmdown stream from Jinnah Barrage and are completed
in 1970.
 2. Rasul Barrage:
It is constricted in the Jhelum River. It was completed in 1968. it supply water to
rasul, Qadirabad linked canal.

3. Marala Barrage:
It is loca5ted on Chanab and was completed in 1969.

4. Qadirabad Barrage:
It is located on Chanb and was complete4de in 1970.

Link Canals:
Important link canals are the follow
1) Rasul Qadirabad links carries water from Rasul Barrage on the Jhelum river to the
Chanab.
2) Qadirabad Balloki link canals is an extension of Rasul Qaderabad by which
water is transpired to the Ravi river Baise.
3) Baslloki Sulmanki link canal:
Connects the Ravi to the Sutlge.
4) Trimmu Sidnai:
Transfere from trimmu barrage into the Ravi.
5) Sidnai Maitsi:
Takes the same water into the Sutlaj.
6) Malsi Bahawal supply wat3er to the awl ca nal.
7) Chasma Jhelum transfer water
from the Chasma B arrange to the Jhelum river.
1) Taunsa Punjand:
Carries water from Taunsa to the Chanab river.

Water logging and Salinity:

Canal irrigation has not been all blessing for Pakistan. It has created the problem
of water logging and salinit6y. Perennial canal irrigation was introduced in Pakistan as
early as 1859. 1953-54 a detail surway and mapping of soils and land use of the Indus
plain was done. It rev3ealed that about 4.7 million hectors area were poorly water logged.
About 6.5 million hectors were surely affected. About 4 million hectors of good irrigated
land were becoming in productive every year.
Inundation canals (floods due to heavy rainfall)
Existed in Pakistan without causing waste logging or salinity but with the
introduction of perennial canals (throughout year water) has been avainable throughout
rear. The fields are irrigated both during the Khalif and Rabi Seasons. Thus the water
seeps to the sub surface throughout the year from the unlined canals and the irrigated
fields. Consequently accumulation of water in the sub surface starts and the water table
begin to rise. So long as the water tabl3e remains at the depth 5m or more the problem is
less when the water rises to 5meter form the surface the water begins to rise to the surface
by capillary action. The major part of Pakistan being arid or semiarid there is
considerable amount of salts in the soil. The rising water dissolved the salts and carries
them to the surface. By the time the water table reaches 3.3m from the surface. Salinity
adversely affected the production and yield of crops. When the water table rises to 1.5m
from the surface salinity become so serve that the soil become unfit for agriculture. In
many area white crust of salt have been absorb. The water table continuous to rise and
ultimately reaches the surface and water logging take place.

Minerals:
1. Naturally occurring(solid)
2. Inoraganicallly formed
3. Definite chemical composition
4. Internal atomic structure

Non Metallic:
Pakistan has rich deposited of Rock, salt and lime stone.found in large quantity
1. Gypsum.
2. Barite
3. Magnesite
4. Soap Stone
5. Fluorite
6. China clay
7. Fire clay cure obtained in sufficient quantity.

1) Rock Salt:
Rock salt is used for cooking pervasive and for the manufacture of soda ash,
bicarbonate of soda Caustic soda. For laundry, textile, Tanning etc. the salt rang is the
main source of rock salt in Pakistan. Mining in a planed was started in 1872. the salt is
deposited in the southern part of salt range. The average thickness of the salt is 25-30m.
At some places the scam are 90m thick. They are white or pink in color. There are three
important mine namely Kheura, Wariha, Kala Bagh. Bypsum, dlomite and clay over tan
the salt. Mining is done at Jhatta, Bahadar Khail and Karrak. The total reserve of rock
salt has been estimated al over 100million tons.
Gypsum:
Gypsum is an industrial minerals used as gypsum is an industrial minerals used as
raw material for fertilizer, in cement, in paper and paint industries is also used in the
manufacture of plastic of Paris. Gypsum is deposited in plastic of Paris. Gypsum is
deposited in beds by evaporation of seawater under arid conditions in the enclosed basin
or in the sea. In Pakistan rich despite occurs in the salt rage and lesser deposit at Jetta and
Also in the foot hills of the Suleman mountains west of Derakhaz khan . most of the
Gypsum is obtained from Khrra Dandot and Dawadkhel miles in the South range. The
total result is estimate at 3.50 million tones.

2) Barite:

Barite is a Barium sulphate. It is used in oil well drilling. Where it is mixed with
clay to neutralized the oil pressure in a well. It is also used in the manufacture of paints,
Glass, Isecticdes etc Large barite deposit occur 10 miles south west of Khuzdar Gilgit
Bawl. Another deposit occurs at kind about 40 miles of North east of Bela. Smaller
deposit occurs at Bankhuri east of Bbela. The total reserved of Barite in Pak is estimated
at 5 million tons.

3) Magnesite:
Magnesite contain a high percentage of magnesite . it is used in Manuacturing of
cement, occurs in many places form Lasbela to Malkandthey large despite of spinkan in
Baluchistan

4) Soap Stone:
Soapstone is a verity of tale. In Pakistan it is used, as filler in soap creamers and
face powder the main deposit are located neat Sherwan in and Abbottabad. And this is the
man source of soapstone in Pakistan. Small deposit of soap stone are located in Zhob area
and at sphaid Kho near Parachinar.

5) Fluorite:
Fluorite is used in making steep and glass, Enameling, cooking utensil and in
some chemical industries. In Pakistan it has been located about 50 miles south at Quetta.
The entire are has been designated Dil band fluorite district.

6) Sulphur:
There are two major sulphur deposite in Pakistan that is Koh-e-sutta and SANI,
Koh Sutran is located in West Baku 300miles west of Quetta. Sani is located in Nothern
Kirthar about 75 miles south east of Quetta. Sulphur is the main raw material or sulphuric
acid is also used in the manufacture of explosion paints, fertilizers etc and in refining
petroleum and non ferrow metallic.

7) Gemstone:
A verity of Gemstone occurs in Pakistan Emerald. Emerald is sea green in color,
transparent and highly priced as a precious stone. It mixed at char Bagh near Mingora,
Swat , Ruby a transparent deep red gemstone is produced in Hunza Aqua marine is blue
to sea green in color. Topas and tourmaline are extracted from Dassu Skardu. Topas also
occurs at Katlong in Mardan.