avel
for the construction industry. In 1985 over half (54%) of the world's
fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean, which is the only ocean where
the fish catch has increased every year since 1978. Exploitation of
offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in
the energy supplies of Australia, NZ, China, US, and Peru. The high
cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings
in world prices for oil since 1985, has slowed but not stopped new
drillings.
Industries:
fishing, oil and gas production

@Pacific Ocean, Communications

Ports:
Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines),
Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai
(China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia),
Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)
Telecommunications:
several submarine cables with network nodal points on Guam and Hawaii

@Pakistan, Geography

Location:
Southern Asia, along the Arabian Sea, between India and Afghanistan
Map references:
Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
803,940 sq km
land area:
778,720 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total 6,774 km, Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km,
Iran 909 km
Coastline:
1,046 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or the edge of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
status of Kashmir with India; border question with Afghanistan (Durand
Line); water-sharing problems (Wular Barrage) over the Indus with
upstream riparian India
Climate:
mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north
Terrain:
flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
Balochistan plateau in west
Natural resources:
land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality
coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone
Land use:
arable land:
26%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
6%
forest and woodland:
4%
other:
64%
Irrigated land:
162,200 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues:
water pollution from untreated sewage, industrial wastes, and
agricultural runoff; water scarcity; a majority of the population does
not have access to safe drinking water; deforestation; soil erosion;
desertification
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