Pakistan's place in the world is in ASIA. It is a South Asian country located in the northern part of the continent, bordered by India to the east, Afghanistan to the west, Iran to the southwest, and China to the northeast. Pakistan is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 200 million people. It is also the world's second-largest Muslim-majority nation. Pakistan is a nuclear-armed state and has a long history of political and economic instability. It is an important regional power and has been a major player in the global war on terrorism.