Distribution of gross domestic product (GDP) across economic sectors Pakistan 2023

In 2023, agriculture contributed around 23.37 percent to the GDP of Pakistan, 20.76 percent came from the industry, and over half of the economy’s contribution to GDP came from the services sector.

Divisions of the economy

There are three main sectors of economy: The primary sector encompassed agriculture, fishing and mining. The secondary sector is the manufacturing sector, also known as the industry sector; and last but not least, the tertiary sector, alias the services sector, which includes services and intangible goods, like tourism, financial services, or telecommunications. Today, most developed countries have a well-established services sector that contributes the lion’s share to their GDP. On the other hand, economies that still need support and are still developing typically rely on agriculture to fuel their economy. If they transition to a developed nation, it is usually because their economy is now able to focus on services as an economic driver.

Pakistan’s economic driver

Although Pakistan is not considered a fully developed nation yet, over half of its annual GDP is now generated by the services sector. However, the primary sector plays an important role for the country: It is still responsible for almost a quarter of GDP contribution, and it employs almost half of Pakistan’s workforce. Pakistan is rich in arable land, which explains why the majority of the Pakistani population lives in rural areas, producing and selling sugarcane, wheat, cotton, and rice, which are also exported to other countries.