Foreign relations of Pakistan Foreign relations of Pakistan Islamic Republic of Pakistan maintains an extensive and large diplomatic network across the world. Pakistan, being the second largest Muslim-majority country in terms of population (after Indonesia) and its status as a declared nuclear power, being the only Muslim majority nation to have that status, plays a part in its international role. Pakistan has a independent foreign policy when it comes to issues that are vital to its national interests. On the other hand, Pakistan's economy is rather integrated into the world with strong ties to the EU and economic alliances and agreements with many other
Muslim world and African American Muslims later emerged independently. According to the UNHCR, Muslim-majority countries hosted 18 million refugees by the end of 2010. Since then Muslim nations have absorbed refugees from recent conflicts, including the uprising in Syria. In July 2013, the UN stated that the number of Syrian refugees had exceeded 1.8 million. In some Muslim-majority countries, illiteracy is a problem, whereas in others literacy rates are high. In Egypt, the largest Muslim-majority Arab country, the youth female literacy rate exceeds that for males. Lower literacy rates are more prevalent in South Asian countries such as in Afghanistan and Pakistan,