As Pakistan is located on a great landmass north of Tropic of Cancer, between latitudes 24 and 37 N, it has a continental type of climate, characterized by extreme variations of temperature. The four well-marked seasons in Pakistan are:

1. Cold Season (December to March)

2. Hot Season (April to June)

3. Monsoon Season (July to September)

4. Post-Monsoon Season (October to November)

Cold season is characterized by fine weather, bracing air, low humidity and large diurnal range of temperature. Average minimum and maximum temperatures are 4ºC and 18ºC. The winter sun is glorious.
The hot season is usually dry. Relative humidity in May and June varies from 50 percent in the morning to 25 per cent or less in the afternoon. The temperature soars to 40ºC and beyond. The temperature along the sea Coast Ranges between 25ºC to 35ºC, but the humidity persists around 70 to 80 per cent.

The southwest monsoon reaches Pakistan towards the beginning of July and establishes itself by the middle of the month. The monsoon remains steady, and starts retreating towards the end of August, though occasionally it continues to be active in September.

During the Post-Monsoon season the maximum temperature is of the order of 34ºC to 37ºC all over Pakistan, while the nights are fairly cool with minimum temperature around 16ºC. In the month of November, both the maximum and minimum temperatures fall by about 6ºC and weather becomes pleasant. October and November are by far the driest months all over the plains of Pakistan.

Pakistan experiences a general deficiency of rainfall. Although the country is in the monsoon region, it is arid, except for the southern slopes of the Himalayas and the sub-mountainous tracts, which have a rainfall from 76 to 127 cm. Baluchistan is the driest part of the country with an average rainfall of 21 cm.

System is ensured via systems of line and satellite with station facilities of post, telephone, telegraph, Electronic mail, tele-and-radio communication. Long distance communication is based on cable whereas international communication is based on the satellite links. Mobile phone services are now available in most of the major cities of Pakistan. A network of different graded urban and rural roads (some mere earth tracks) across the country connects major areas of production and markets with distribution centers, and provides a link between the interior and the highways.

There are car hire facilities at all International Airports. Agencies also function in major hotels. In the streets you can get yellow cabs or taxis. Metered taxis of different capacities are available everywhere in big cities. In case of difficulty, get the assistance of Police officials on duty. On some occasions you may also need to exercise some bargaining as well. Try asking a few taxi drivers located at different places to get a clear idea of the charges.

The railroad network is extensive, but when traveling, go first class or in an air-conditioned coach for comfort. Ideally, rent a "Tourist Car" which can be attached to any train. Fares are cheap by Western Standards and bookings should be done in advance both for seats and sleepers. Pakistan Railways also offer special concessions to tourists and well maintained Rest Houses are also offered as and when available.

The State Bank of Pakistan is the Central Bank. There are domestic commercial banks - Allied Bank, Habib Bank, National Bank of Pakistan, United Bank, Cooperative Banks, 8 development finance organizations and 15 principal foreign banks including ANZ Grindlays, Abn Amro, Emirates Bank International, American Express and City Bank.

Major credit cards such as American Express, Visa, Master Card, and others besides Rupee credit cards launched by National Bank of Pakistan & Habib Bank etc. can be used for your shopping and other transactions.

Urdu is the national language of the country and each province has a regional language of the country, which is widely spoken. These languages, Baluchi in Baluchistan, Pashtu in North West Frontier, Punjabi in Punjab and Sindhi in Sindh, are the mother tongues of 97% of the population. English is used extensively in official and commercial circles, Courts of Law and is the medium of instruction for higher education.

All the cities have modern hospitals and Medical Centers staffed by western-trained specialists. There are private clinics as well. The European standard medical facilities are pretty cheap. In the rural areas, however, you should be careful to carry your own drugs, which are easily available in all towns. Foreigners, especially from the developed countries are advised to be careful of their drinking water. Outside the 4 or 5 Star Hotels, the water may not have been boiled and they should make inquiries about it and ensure the standard of drinking water, which goes well with their health. They can however, get disposable mineral water bottles at economical rates. Tourists are also advised to vaccine themselves from their home country before coming to Pakistan for diseases like Hepatitis B.