Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to slow growth and underdevelopment in Pakistan. Agriculture accounts for more than one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles account for most of Pakistan's export earnings, and Pakistan's failure to expand a viable export base for other manufactures has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Official unemployment was 6.6% in 2013, but this fails to capture the true picture, because much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high. Over the past few years, low growth and high inflation, led by a spurt in food prices, have increased the amount of poverty. As a result of political and economic instability, the Pakistani rupee has depreciated more than 40% since 2007. The government agreed to an International Monetary Fund Standby Arrangement in November 2008 in response to a balance of payments crisis. Although the economy has stabilized since the crisis, it has failed to recover. Foreign investment has not returned, due to investor concerns related to governance, energy, security, and a slow-down in the global economy. Remittances from overseas workers, averaging about $1 billion a month since March 2011, remain a bright spot for Pakistan. However, after a small current account surplus in fiscal year 2011 (July 2010/June 2011), Pakistan's current account turned to deficit in the following two years, spurred by higher prices for imported oil and lower prices for exported cotton. Pakistan remains stuck in a low-income, low-growth trap, with growth averaging about 3.5% per year from 2008 to 2013. Pakistan must address long standing issues related to government revenues and energy production in order to spur the amount of economic growth that will be necessary to employ its growing and rapidly urbanizing population, more than half of which is under 22. Other long term challenges include expanding investment in education and healthcare, adapting to the effects of climate change and natural disasters, and reducing dependence on foreign donors.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
country comparison to the world: 27

GDP (official exchange rate):


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:25.3%

cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs


Industries:


Unemployment rate:
country comparison to the world: 68

22.3% (FY05/06 est.)


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:3.9%

30.6 (FY07/08)

12.6% of GDP (2013 est.)

-7.7% of GDP (2013 est.)

54.6% of GDP (2013 est.)

1 July - 30 June


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
country comparison to the world: 194

Central bank discount rate:
country comparison to the world: 13

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
country comparison to the world: 60

Stock of narrow money:
country comparison to the world: 42

Stock of broad money:
country comparison to the world: 55

Stock of domestic credit:
country comparison to the world: 50

Market value of publicly traded shares:

94.65 billion kWh (2011 est.)

70.1 billion kWh (2011 est.)

0 kWh (2012 est.)

0 kWh (2012 est.)

22.27 million kW (2010 est.)

68.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

2.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

29.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

61,660 bbl/day (2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

151,200 bbl/day (2010 est.)

247.5 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.)

210,100 bbl/day (2010 est.)

426,700 bbl/day (2011 est.)

34,660 bbl/day (2010 est.)

227,100 bbl/day (2010 est.)

39.15 billion cu m (2011 est.)

42.9 billion cu m (2011 est.)

0 cu m (2011 est.)

0 cu m (2011 est.)

679.6 billion cu m (1 January 2013 est.)

139.7 million Mt (2011 est.)

5.803 million (2012)

125 million (2013)

general assessment:the telecommunications infrastructure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments in fixed-line and mobile-cellular networks; system consists of microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks;

media is government regulated; 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), operates a network consisting of 5 channels; private TV broadcasters are permitted; to date 69 foreign satellite channels are operational; the state-owned radio network operates more than 40 stations; nearly 100 commercially licensed privately owned radio stations provide programming mostly limited to music and talk shows (2007)


Internet country code:

151 (2013)

3.04% of GDP (2012)

Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for 13.5% of GDP and 30% of the labor force; key agricultural exports include coffee, sugar, bananas, and vegetables. The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and since then Guatemala has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force in July 2006, spurring increased investment and diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA-DR has helped improve the investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers, and poor infrastructure continue to hamper foreign direct investment. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest 20% of the population accounting for more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line, and 13% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up more than 40% of the population, averages 73%, with 22% of the indigenous population living in extreme poverty. Nearly one-half of Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. Guatemala is the top remittance recipient in Central America as a result of Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United States. These inflows are a primary source of foreign income, equivalent to one-half of the country's exports or one-tenth of its GDP.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
country comparison to the world: 80

GDP (official exchange rate):


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:13.5%

sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens


Industries:


Unemployment rate:
country comparison to the world: 35

Population below poverty line:

55.1 (2007)

11.9% of GDP (2013 est.)

-2.7% of GDP (2013 est.)

31% of GDP (2013 est.)

calendar year


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
country comparison to the world: 145

Central bank discount rate:


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
country comparison to the world: 54

Stock of narrow money:
country comparison to the world: 85

Stock of broad money:
country comparison to the world: 80

Stock of domestic credit:
country comparison to the world: 78

Market value of publicly traded shares:

8.146 billion kWh (2011 est.)

8.161 billion kWh (2011 est.)

193.3 million kWh (2011 est.)

525.6 million kWh (2011 est.)

2.745 million kW (2010 est.)

56.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

31.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

12.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

14,020 bbl/day (2012 est.)

10,960 bbl/day (2010 est.)

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

83.07 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.)

1,253 bbl/day (2010 est.)

80,810 bbl/day (2011 est.)

4,911 bbl/day (2010 est.)

71,390 bbl/day (2010 est.)

0 cu m (2011 est.)

0 cu m (2010 est.)

0 cu m (2011 est.)

0 cu m (2011 est.)

2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

11.71 million Mt (2011 est.)

1.744 million (2012)

20.787 million (2012)

general assessment:fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala

4 privately owned national terrestrial TV channels dominate TV broadcasting; multi-channel satellite and cable services are available; 1 government-owned radio station and hundreds of privately owned radio stations (2007)


Internet country code:

291 (2013)

990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2012)

0.42% of GDP (2012)