Editing Balochistan, Pakistan (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Astola Island.jpg|thumb|[[Astola Island]]]]
Balochistan is situated in the southwest of Pakistan and covers an area of {{convert|347190|km2|mi2}}. It is Pakistan's largest province by area, constituting 44% of Pakistan's total landmass. The province is bordered by [[Afghanistan]] to the north and north-west, Iran to the south-west, [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]] and [[Sindh]], and [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] and the [[Federally Administered Tribal Areas]] to the north-east. To the south lies the [[Arabian Sea]]. Balochistan is located on the south-eastern part of the Iranian plateau. It borders the geopolitical regions of the Middle East and Southwest Asia, Central Asia and South Asia. Balochistan lies at the mouth of the [[Strait of Hormuz]] and provides the shortest route from seaports to Central Asia. Its geographical location has placed the otherwise desolate region in the scope of competing for global interests for all of recorded history.

The capital city Quetta is located in a densely populated portion of the [[Sulaiman Mountains]] in the northeast of the province. It is situated in a river valley near the Bolan Pass, which has been used as the route of choice from the coast to Central Asia, entering through Afghanistan's [[Kandahar]] region. The British and other historic empires have crossed the region to invade Afghanistan by this route.<ref>Bolan Pass – Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition</ref>

Balochistan is rich in exhaustible and renewable resources; it is the second major supplier of natural gas in Pakistan. The province's renewable and human resource potential has not been systematically measured or exploited. Local inhabitants have chosen to live in towns and have relied on sustainable water sources for thousands of years.
===Climate===
The climate of the upper highlands is characterised by very cold winters and hot summers. In the lower highlands, winters vary from extremely cold in northern districts [[Ziarat]], Quetta, Kalat, Muslim Baagh and Khanozai, where temperatures can drop to {{convert|-20|C|F}}, to milder conditions closer to the Makran coast. Winters are mild on the plains, with temperatures never falling below freezing point. Summers are hot and dry, especially in the arid zones of Chagai and Kharan districts. The plains are also very hot in summer, with temperatures reaching {{convert|50|C|F}}. The record highest temperature, {{convert|53|C|F}}, was recorded in Sibi on 26 May 2010,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pakmet.com.pk/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902112830/http://www.pakmet.com.pk/latest%20news/Latest%20News.html |url-status=dead |title=Pakmet.com.pk – Pakistan's Biggest Property Website |archive-date=2 September 2010 |website=PakMet}}</ref> exceeding the previous record, {{convert|52|C|F}}. Other hot areas include [[Turbat]] and [[Dalbandin]]. The desert climate is characterised by hot and very arid conditions. Occasionally, strong windstorms make these areas very inhospitable.