Karachi
Capital of Sindh, Pakistan / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Karachi (/kəˈrɑːtʃi/; Urdu: کراچی; Sindhi: ڪراچي; IPA: [kəˈraːtʃi] ⓘ) is the capital city of the Pakistani province of Sindh. It is the largest city in Pakistan and the 12th largest in the world, with a population of over 20 million.[12][18] It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast and formerly served as the capital of Pakistan. Ranked as a beta-global city,[19][20] it is Pakistan's premier industrial and financial centre,[21] with an estimated GDP of over $200 billion (PPP) as of 2021[update].[16][17] Karachi is a metropolitan city and is considered Pakistan's most cosmopolitan city, and among the country's most linguistically, ethnically-, and religiously-diverse regions,[22] as well as one of the country's most progressive and socially liberal cities.[23][24][25]
Karachi
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Nickname(s): | |
Coordinates: 24°51′36″N 67°0′36″E | |
Country | Pakistan |
Province | Sindh |
Division | Karachi Division |
Settled | 1729 |
Metropolitan council | 1880; 144 years ago (1880) |
City council | City Complex, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town |
Districts[6] | |
Government | |
• Type | Metropolitan Corporation |
• Body | Government of Karachi |
• Mayor | Murtaza Wahab[8] (PPP) |
• Deputy mayor | Salman Murad[8] (PPP) |
• Commissioner | Salim Rajput[9] |
Area | |
• Metro | 3,527 km2 (1,362 sq mi) |
• Rank | 1st |
Elevation | 10 m (30 ft) |
Population | |
• Megacity | 20,382,881 |
• Rank | 1st (Pakistan) 12th (world) |
• Metro density | 5,779/km2 (14,970/sq mi) |
Demonym | Karachiite[13] |
Time zone | UTC+05:00 (PKT) |
Postal codes | |
Dialling code | 021[15] |
GDP/PPP | $200 billion (2021)[16][17] |
International airport | Jinnah International (KHI) |
Rapid transit system | Karachi Breeze |
Largest district by area | Malir (2,160 km2) |
Largest district by population (2023 census) | Karachi East (3,950,031) |
Densest district by population (2023 census) | Karachi Central (55,396/km2) |
Largest area by GDP (2020) | Saddar Town ($40 billion) |
Website | www |
The region has been inhabited for millennia,[26] but the city was formally founded as the fortified village of Kolachi as recently as 1729.[27][28] The settlement greatly increased in importance with the arrival of the East India Company in the mid-19th century. British administrators embarked on substantial projects to transform the city into a major seaport, and connect it with the extensive railway network of the Indian subcontinent.[28] At the time of Pakistan's independence in 1947, the city was the largest in Sindh with an estimated population of 400,000 people.[22] Afterwards, the city experienced a dramatic shift in population and demography with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants (Muhajirs) from India,[29] coupled with a substantial exodus of its Hindu residents.[30] The city experienced rapid economic growth following Pakistan's independence, attracting migrants from throughout the country and other regions in South Asia.[31] According to the 2023 Census of Pakistan, Karachi's total population was 20.3 million.[32] Karachi is one of the world's fastest-growing cities,[33] and has significant communities representing almost every ethnic group in Pakistan. Karachi holds more than two million Bengali immigrants, a million Afghan refugees, and up to 400,000 Rohingyas from Myanmar.[34][35][36]
Karachi is now Pakistan's premier industrial and financial centre. The city has a formal economy estimated to be worth $190 billion as of 2021[update], which is the largest in the country.[37][38] Karachi collects 35% of Pakistan's tax revenue,[39] and generates approximately 25% of Pakistan's entire GDP.[40][41] Approximately 30% of Pakistani industrial output is from Karachi,[42] while Karachi's ports handle approximately 95% of Pakistan's foreign trade.[43] Approximately 90% of the multinational corporations and 100% of the banks operating in Pakistan are headquartered in Karachi.[43] It also serves as a transport hub, and contains Pakistan's two largest seaports, the Port of Karachi and Port Qasim, as well as Pakistan's busiest airport, Jinnah International Airport.[44] Karachi is also considered to be Pakistan's fashion capital,[45][46] and has hosted the annual Karachi Fashion Week since 2009.[47][48]
Known as the "City of Lights" in the 1960s and 1970s for its vibrant nightlife,[49] Karachi was beset by sharp ethnic, sectarian, and political conflict in the 1980s with the large-scale arrival of weaponry during the Soviet–Afghan War.[50] The city had become well known for its high rates of violent crime, but recorded crimes sharply decreased following a crackdown operation against criminals, the MQM political party, and Islamist militants, initiated in 2013 by the Pakistan Rangers.[51] As a result of the operation, Karachi dropped from being ranked the world's 6th-most dangerous city for crime in 2014, to 128th by 2022.[52]