Demographics of Karachi

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Trend of population growth (in millions) in Karachi
Trend of population growth (in millions) in Karachi

Karachi is the largest and most populous city in Pakistan. The population and demographic distribution in the megacity has undergone numerous changes over the past 150 years. On 14 August 1947 when it became the capital city of a new Dominion of Pakistan, it's population was about 450,000 inhabitants. However, the population rapidly grew with large influx of refugees from neighbouring Union of India (after the partition of British India). By 1951, the city population had crossed one million mark.[1] in the following decade, the rate of growth of Karachi was over 80 percent.[2]. Today, the city has grown 60 times its size in 1947 when it became the country's first capital.[3] Although, Islamabad remains the nation's capital since 1960s, the city's population continues to grow at about 5% per annum, largely thanks to its strong economic base.[4]

Contents

[edit] Migration

Whereas most megacities in the developing world have grown out of rural-urban migration from the countryside not too distant from them, Karachi's demographics are the largely contributed by long-distance immigration.[3] Before the independence of Pakistan, Karachi already had a mix of religious and ethnic. After the independence, most of the Muslim refugees settled in Karachi. Likewise, a large number of Hindus left the city for India. Predominantly Urdu speaking, known as Muhajirs formed the dominant ethnic group in Karachi. Muhajirs originated from different parts of India and brought with them their local cultures and cuisines, thus further adding to the already diverse mix of people that earlier inhabited Karachi. Currently, these older groups of people and continuing migration from different parts of Pakistan have contributed to a rich and diverse mix of people that live in Karachi. This has given the city a very metropolitan character, and has earned it the title as the Melting Pot of Pakistan.

Year Urban Population
1856 56,875
1872 56,753
1881 73,560
1891 105,199
1901 136,297
1911 186,771
1921 244,162
1931 300,799
1941 435,887
1951 1,068,459
1961 1,912,598
1972 3,426,310
1981 5,208,132
1998 9,269,265
2007 18,000,000 estimate

[5]

The government allotted most of the property left over by the departing emigrants to the immigrants who had left their homes in India, to help them settle into the new country. However, the large number of Muhajirs also formed the dominant political majority in the city, which gave them substantial political clout, to the chagrin of the earlier provincial Sindhi and Balochi inhabitants. Also, the vagaries of mass migration of populations between the two newly independent countries gave rise to ethnic tensions which have surfaced in Karachi from time to time.

[edit] Ethnic groups

Since 1979, due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and continued upheavals in their country, a steady stream of Afghan refugees have also taken up permanent residence in and around Karachi. These refugees now number more than one million and themselves consist of a number of ethnic groups: Pakhtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, and Turkmen. There are also hundreds of thousands of Arabs, Iranians, Turkish, Filipinos, Arakani refugees (from Rakhine State in Myanmar), Bosnian, Albanian, Polish, Lebanese, Armenian, Goan, Bengali and African immigrants who are also settled in Karachi. Most refugee minorities of the city live in poor neighbourhoods.

[edit] Religions in Karachi

In Karachi, there many kinds of religion. mostly of them are Muslims, and of the muslims, there are 90% Sunnis and 10% are Shia. Other minority religious groups include Christians, Jews, Hindus, and Zoroastrians .

[edit] References

  1. ^ 1960, Monographs in the Economics of Development. Institute of Development Economics, Pakistan.
  2. ^ G Myrdal (1968), Asian Drama: An Inquiry Into The Poverty Of Nations. Pantheon Books. (3 volumes)
  3. ^ a b S J Burki (2004), Karachi: a unique mega city, [DAWN Newspaper|DAWN], 5 October. Retrieved on 7 January, 2008
  4. ^ P Blood (ed.) (1994), Pakistan: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress.
  5. ^ Karachi City Government, [1]. Retrieved 13 February 2008

[edit] See also


v • d • e
Karachi related topics
History History of Karachi, History of Sindh, Muhammad bin Qasim, British Raj, Indian rebellion of 1857, Pakistan movement, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Mohajir
Geography Indus River Delta, Manora Beach, Jehangir Kothari Parade, Clifton Beach, Hawke's Bay Beach, Paradise Point, Sandspit Beach, French Beach, Russian Beach, Clifton Oyster Rocks, Manora Island, Bundle Island, Cape Monze
Localities Baldia Town, Bin Qasim Town, Gadap Town, Gulberg Town, Gulshan Town, Jamshed Town, Kiamari Town, Korangi Town, Landhi Town, Liaquatabad Town, Lyari Town, Malir Town, New Karachi Town, North Nazimabad Town, Orangi Town, Saddar Town, Shah Faisal Town, SITE Town, Defence Housing Society
Government Mayors of Karachi, Karachi Division, The City District Government, Towns, Nazim
Sites of Interest Clifton Beach, Mazar-e-Quaid, Masjid-e-Tooba, Port Fountain, Zamzama Commercial Area, Abdullah Shah Ghazi Mausoleum, Pakistan Air Force Museum, Pakistan Maritime Museum, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi Expo Centre, Bhit Shah Island, Karachi Zoo, Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim, Beach Park
Buildings and Landmarks Merewether Tower, Frere Hall, Khaliq Deena Hall, Jehangir Kothari Parade, Governor's House, St Patrick's Cathedral, Former Victoria Museum, Empress Market, KMC Building, MCB Tower, Habib Bank Plaza
Education University of Karachi, Fatima Jinnah Dental College, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Usman Institute of Technology, Aga Khan University, Liaquat National Memorial Library, Institute of Business Administration, National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Dow University of Health Sciences, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, SSUET, Bahria University
Economy Economy of Karachi, Bank AL Habib, Muslim Commercial Bank, I. I. Chundrigar Road, Karachi Stock Exchange, Karachi Port Trust, Port Qasim, television and radio channels, The Cotton Exchange, National Commodity Exchange Limited
Transport Karachi City Station, Karachi Circular Railway, I. I. Chundrigar Road, Jinnah International Airport, Lyari Expressway, Muhammad Ali Jinnah Road, Karachi Elevated Expressway
Hotels and Shopping Center Avari Towers, Sheraton Hotel, Makro[2], Awami Markaz, Meena Bazar, Beach Luxury Hotel, Pearl Continental Hotel, Marriott Hotels, Hotel Jabees, Hotel Mehran, Hotel Sarawan, Gulf Hotel, Grand Mercure Karachi Airport Hotel, Carlton Hotel, Hotel Faran, Hotel Metropole, Regent Plaza Hotel, Hotel sofitel
Sports and Culture National Academy of Performing Arts, Hyderabad Colony, National Arts Council, Chand Raat of Karachi, National Stadium, City Sports Complex, Women Sports Complex, UBL Sports Complex, A. O. Cricket Stadium, KCCA Cricket Ground, Karachi Gymkhana Field, DHA Cricket Stadium, Hockey Club of Pakistan, UBL Hockey Ground, KPT Sports Complex, Jahangir Khan Roshan Khan Squash Complex, DHA Asif Nawaz Squash Complex, PIA Squash Complex , Peoples Football Stadium, Polo Grounds, Karachi Gymkhana, Sindh Club, Karachi Club, Karachi Yacht Club, Muslim Gymkhana, Arabian Sea Country Club, Karachi Golf Club, Defence Golf Course, PNS Karsaz Golf Course
Other topics Famous people from Karachi, List of cities in Pakistan, List of cities by population, List of universities in Karachi
v • d • e
Major cities in Pakistan
Capital Territory Islamabad**
Sindh Karachi*, Jacobabad, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Nawabshah, Sukkur, Thatta
Punjab Attock, Bahawalpur, Chakwal, Chiniot, Faisalabad, Gujar Khan, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jhelum, Kasur, Mianwali, Lahore*, Multan, Murree, Rahimyar Khan, Rawalpindi, Renala Khurd, Sadiqabad, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Taxila
NWFP Abbottabad, Chitral, Haripur, Kohat, Kohistan, Peshawar*, Mansehra, Mardan, Nowshera, Swat
Balochistan Gwadar, Quetta*
Azad
Kashmir		 Mirpur, Muzaffarabad*, Rawalakot
Northern
Areas		 Gilgit*, Skardu
* Indicates Regional Capitals ** Indicates Federal Capital
v • d • e
Districts of Sindh

Badin    ·    Dadu    ·    Ghotki    ·    Hyderabad    ·    Jacobabad    ·    Jamshoro    ·    Karachi    ·    Kashmore    ·    Khairpur    ·    Larkana    ·    Matiari    ·    Mirpur Khas    ·    Nawabshah
Naushahro Feroze    ·    Qambar    ·    Sanghar    ·    Shikarpur    ·    Sukkur    ·    Tando Allahyar    ·    Tando Muhammad Khan    ·    Tharparkar    ·    Thatta    ·    Umerkot
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Karachi"
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