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Where is the country of Pakistan located? Pakistan is a country in South Asia and is one of the largest countries in the world in terms of population. Many Pakistanis live in urban areas, with Karachi being by far the largest city with over 12 million inhabitants. The landscape of Pakistan varies from low plains in the east and south to high plateaus and high mountains in the west and north of the country. In the far northeast you will find part of the Himalayas. The 8,611 meter high mountain K2 – after Mount Everest the highest mountain in the world – is located on the border between China and Pakistan. The large differences in height contribute to the variety of climate types and the sometimes very large differences in temperature.

Most of Pakistan has a mix of desert and steppe climates, transitioning to a continental climate in the northern mountains and finally a high mountain climate on the highest peaks, which are almost without exception covered with glaciers and perpetual snow.

Summer and winter

Characteristic for almost all of Pakistan is that there is a substantial difference between summers and winters, both in terms of temperature and the amount of precipitation. A combination of cool to cold winters and warm to hot summers applies to the high plateaus and mountain areas. In the lowlands and on the coastal areas you also see a subtropical to almost tropical character in the winter months. Many places in the east and south of Pakistan have virtually no frost, while in winter it can easily reach twenty degrees. Further inland the chance of (night) frost increases, especially if you go more uphill. Along the coast, for example in Karachi, the difference between summer and winter is much smaller. In these areas there is virtually no spring and autumn, unlike more inland.

Rainy season

Most of Pakistan experiences a monsoon period, which sees more precipitation (sometimes significantly) than during the rest of the year. This is especially noticeable in the northern regions of Pakistan, where sometimes heavy monsoon rains can bring fairly large amounts of rain. The zone between Lahore and the capital Islamabad has the most to do with the monsoon. The rainy season here starts in July and lasts only until September. Under the influence of the monsoon, the high temperatures drop to slightly more pleasant values ​​of about 30 to 36 degrees.

Hurricanes

In theory, Pakistan has a chance of hurricanes, which threaten the south of the country. In practice, these tropical storms almost always remain at a good distance, so that the nuisance for Pakistan is kept to a minimum. Hurricane season in the region begins in June and lasts through December.

Heat

A greater risk than hurricanes is the enormous heat that you can experience especially during the months of June and July. Especially in the southeast, several hundred kilometers inland, it can get extremely hot. Temperatures of 40 to 44 degrees on average are very normal during the day and peaks towards fifty degrees are possible. On the coast, the worst heat is tempered by the seawater, making it an average of five to ten degrees cooler there.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Best time to visit Pakistan

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Pakistan? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a country located in southern Asia. This location allows for a diverse landscape and a wide variety of climates. If you look at a map showing the climate classifications for Pakistan within the Köppen-Geiger climate system, you will see how many climate types the country has. Most of Pakistan has arid climate types: desert climates and steppe climates. The northern part of the country, which mainly consists of mountainous terrain, has mainly continental climates. It is striking that Pakistan is a fairly dry destination. This is in contrast to neighboring India, where significant amounts of rain can fall. The Indian monsoon does have some influence on the weather in Pakistan. The eastern provinces of Punjab and Azad Kashmir may suffer from the rainy season neighboring India experiences from July through September.

The best time to travel to Pakistan differs greatly per area. The best time to visit the central and southern parts of Pakistan is from December to February. The northern lowlands have a slightly longer best travel season: from November to March. If you want to avoid the cooler months there, opt for November or March instead of the real winter months. Spring and autumn are the best travel times for the mountain areas in the north. Since the spring on the south side of the mountain area can be wet, the autumn months of October and November are better. For the most northern mountains there is a different best time to travel. Where the highest mountains are, it is better to travel in the summer (June to September).

Tropical Cyclones

Occasionally, Pakistan can experience a tropical cyclone. During the hurricane season, which runs from May to November, hurricanes can form over the Indian Ocean, occasionally reaching Pakistan. It is mainly the southeast of the country that can experience a few days of very bad weather due to hurricane activity.