The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) comprise seven agencies, namely, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, North Waziristan and South Waziristan and four Frontier Regions (F.R) attached to the districts of Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Kohat and Peshawar. These areas, which otherwise lie within the geographical boundaries of the North-West Frontier Province, are administered, at the Federal level, by the States and Frontier Regions Division while the Governor of NWFP acts as the Agent to the President of Pakistan for these areas and exercises immediate executive authority in FATA.

FATA has a total area of 27,220 square kilometers, while the population of the areas was estimated at 2,199 million in the census of 1981. The population density is 80 persons per square kilometer.

The tribal belt interjacently separates some settled districts of NWFP from the international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Presently the tribes inhabiting the areas enjoy certain amount of autonomy to preserve their own way of life. They derive their code of ethics and conduct from Islam and the local traditions which they guard jealously. However, with the spread of education and contact with the outside world, modern influences are making gradual inroads into the tribal society.

The FATA regions have their own topography. As a whole, it presents a picture of awesome majesty. These barren and rugged hills have witnessed horde after horde of invaders in the past who had tried to reach the plains of Hindustan.

Economy

The FATA have no solid economic base. The soil is inhospitable for agricultural activities. There are, however, stray exercises in fruit culture, while sheep-breeding is a widely practiced profession. FATA Development Corporation is, however, executing a number of irrigation schemes, one of which is the Bara River canal scheme in Khyber Agency and the other is the tubewell scheme in Bajaur Agency. As a result of these schemes, green patches of land are now seen in the rugged hills producing valuable cash crops like mustard seeds, grams, maize, vegetables etc. A small industrial base is also being developed by the FATA Development Corporation with an investment of about Rs.146 million. These industries include match, wool, cigarettes, edible oil and vegetable ghee, fruit products, footwear, leather and marble. In the private sector, there are sprawling gun-making factories in Darra Adam Khel. A large segment of the population is engaged in the transport business. Tribal areas are also known to be rich in mineral wealth. But these mineral resources were neither developed nor utilized in the past. The known reserves are, however, those of soapstone in Khyber and Kurram Agencies, Baryte and Graphite in Khyber Agency, besides marble which is available in various parts of the area. There are also large proven deposits of copper and limestone.

The areas are, however, being developed by the Government with special and accelerated development activities i.e. expanding network of roads, hospitals, schools, electricity, tubewells and other basic amenities.

Education

Since independence, education has made inroads into the tribal areas; new schools and colleges have been established. There were only a few graduates from Tribal Areas in 1947 but now there are hundreds of officials from the tribal agencies manning important Government departments. Special quota of seats and special stipends are earmarked for tribal students including girls in the universities/colleges all over the country. There are about 1,900 mosque/mohalla, makatib and many primary, middle and high schools in FATA. Moreover, technical schools and vocational schools (for women) are also there in some Agencies. Besides, a Cadet College has also been established at Razmak in North Waziristan Agency.