Communications
Telephones: 2.828 million (1998)
Telephone system: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving;
service is adequate for government and business use, in part because
major businesses have established their own private systems; since
1988, the government has promoted investment in the national
telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly
increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and
urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily
available to the majority of the rural population
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
cellular, and satellite
international: satellite earth stations—3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean
and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges
(1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to
neighboring countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 3, shortwave 18 (1998 est.)
Radios: 10.2 million (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 22 (in addition, there are seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 2.08 million (1998 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 8,163 km
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified; 1,037 km
double track)
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (1996 est.)
Highways: total: 224,774 km paved: 128,121 km unpaved: 96,653 km (1996 est.)