Pakistan Map: Every Province, Border and Line Explained
From the Karakoram peaks to the Arabian Sea — the complete guide to Pakistan’s official political map, its four provinces, international borders and road networks, verified for 2026.
Last updated: 11 October 2026
The official map
The Official Political Map of Pakistan
On 4 August 2020, Prime Minister Imran Khan unveiled a new political map of Pakistan, approved by the federal cabinet. It remains the country’s official map and is used in schools and government publications.
| What changed | What the official map shows |
|---|---|
| Jammu and Kashmir | Labelled “Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir”, marked as disputed territory with the note that its final status will be decided in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions. |
| Junagadh and Manavadar | Shown as part of Pakistan, in the western Indian state of Gujarat — reviving Pakistan’s historical claim from 1947. |
| Sir Creek | The boundary line is drawn along the creek’s eastern bank, reflecting Pakistan’s position in the long-running maritime dispute. |
| Siachen | Shown as part of Pakistan, with the Line of Control extended by a red dotted line up to the Karakoram Pass. |
| China border | The boundary with China is marked “Frontier Undecided”, leaving that stretch open rather than drawn as settled. |
The map was launched a day before the first anniversary of India’s revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019. India rejected the map, calling it “an exercise in political absurdity”, while Pakistan said the map represented the aspirations of the nation and the Kashmiri people. For the full story behind each change, see our new map of Pakistan guide and the official map explained.
Internal divisions
Pakistan’s Provinces on the Map
Four provinces, two autonomous territories and one federal capital territory make up the administrative map of Pakistan.
Punjab
Capital: Lahore. The largest province by population (about 128 million) and the country’s agricultural and industrial heartland, stretching across the eastern plains.
Sindh
Capital: Karachi. Home to Pakistan’s largest city and main seaport, running from the Arabian Sea coast up the Indus valley.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Capital: Peshawar. The north-western province, now including the former tribal districts merged in 2018, bordering Afghanistan along the Durand Line.
Balochistan
Capital: Quetta. The largest province by area (about 44% of Pakistan) and the most thinly populated, rich in minerals and the site of Gwadar port.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Capital: Muzaffarabad. The self-governing territory west of the Line of Control, with its own elected assembly.
Gilgit-Baltistan
Capital: Gilgit. The mountainous northern territory home to K2 and the Karakoram Highway, bordering China.
The Islamabad Capital Territory, home to the federal capital, sits within Punjab’s borders. Explore each unit in our provinces of Pakistan guide and the Pakistan provinces map.
International boundaries
Pakistan’s Borders and Neighbouring Countries
Pakistan touches four countries by land and the Arabian Sea to the south. Here is how each boundary runs.
| Neighbour | Border length | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| India (east) | ~2,912 km | Includes the 740 km Line of Control in Kashmir. The Radcliffe Line forms the international boundary through Punjab and Sindh. |
| Afghanistan (north-west) | ~2,640 km | The Durand Line, drawn in 1893. Afghanistan has never formally accepted it, making it Pakistan’s most disputed working boundary. |
| Iran (south-west) | ~909 km | Runs through Balochistan’s deserts; the Taftan–Mirjaveh crossing is the main trade gateway. |
| China (north) | ~596 km | High mountain boundary in Gilgit-Baltistan, crossed by the Karakoram Highway at the Khunjerab Pass (4,693 m). |
| Arabian Sea (south) | ~1,046 km | Coastline from Karachi to Gwadar, including the ports of Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar. |
For a country-by-country breakdown, see Pakistan’s neighbouring countries.
Getting around
Road Map of Pakistan: Highways and Motorways
Pakistan’s road network links the Arabian Sea to the Karakoram — and onwards to China and Central Asia.
Grand Trunk Road
The historic N-5 runs 1,819 km from Karachi to Torkham on the Afghan border, passing through Hyderabad, Multan, Lahore, Gujranwala and Peshawar — the oldest and busiest artery in the country.
Lahore–Islamabad Motorway
The 375 km M-2, opened in 1997, was South Asia’s first motorway. It links with the M-1 (Islamabad–Peshawar) and M-3/M-4 onwards to Multan and Faisalabad.
Karakoram Highway
The 1,300 km N-35 runs from Hasan Abdal to the Khunjerab Pass on the Chinese border — the highest paved international road in the world and the backbone of CPEC.
Makran Coastal Highway
The N-10 runs 653 km along the Arabian Sea from Karachi to Gwadar, opening up Balochistan’s coast and serving the deep-sea port.
Under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, new motorway sections continue to fill the gaps — see the full road map of Pakistan.
Terrain
Pakistan’s Physical Geography on the Map
A physical map of Pakistan shows why the country looks the way it does — three great mountain systems in the north, the Indus plain in the middle, and desert and plateau in the south and west.
The Northern Mountains
The Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush ranges meet in Gilgit-Baltistan. K2 (8,611 m), the world’s second-highest peak, stands here, along with four other 8,000-metre giants.
The Indus Plain
The Indus River runs about 3,180 km from Tibet through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea, watering the plains of Punjab and Sindh — the most densely settled part of the country.
Plateau and Desert
The Balochistan plateau covers the west; the Thar Desert stretches across south-eastern Sindh. Both shape where Pakistanis live — and where they don’t.
The terrain explains the settlement pattern: most of Pakistan’s 241.5 million people live in the Indus plain and the northern foothills. See geography of Pakistan for the full picture.
Go deeper
Explore the Map Guides
Each guide below takes one map topic and covers it in full — from official boundaries to free downloads.
Pakistan Provinces Map
All four provinces with capitals, areas and populations — the internal map explained.
Pakistan Political Map
Boundaries, provincial capitals and territories on the political map, in plain language.
Pakistan Official Map
The August 2020 official map in detail — every label, line and disputed stretch.
New Map of Pakistan
What changed in 2020 and why — the story behind the new political map.
Road Map of Pakistan
Motorways, national highways and CPEC routes across the country.
Pakistan Map Download
Free HD maps for study, presentations and printing — with sources.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions readers ask most about this topic.
Is the 2020 map the official map of Pakistan?
What is the total area of Pakistan?
Which countries border Pakistan?
How many provinces does Pakistan have?
Where can I download a free Pakistan map?
What is the difference between a political and a physical map of Pakistan?
See Pakistan Province by Province
Maps tell you where things are. Our provinces guide tells you what makes each one distinct — capitals, languages, economies and landmarks.
Boundary depictions follow Pakistan’s official position as reflected in the August 2020 political map. International boundaries are disputed in places and other countries and publishers may show them differently. Figures verified October 2026.