Karachi started as a small fishing village called Mai KOLACHI. With the annexation of Sindhh by the British in 1843 it changed into a town. Its naturally protected harbour and moderate climate made it a summer resort for Sindh. It was reputed to be the cleanest city of the sub-continent till 1947 with a population of 200,000. Karachi was transformed into an unmanageably big city with the establishment of Pakistan. It was the first capital of the federation from 1947 to 1960 before Islamabad was built. Being a port city millions of refugees from all over India streamed in here and gave it an unprecedented vitality and multicultural dimension. Today, its population exceeds 13 million. The main attractions of Karachi are the sea, the shopping and some fine specimen of Victorian architecture and modern buildings and international cuisine.
Karachi is the economic and commercial capital of Pakistan and an important regional port. It is located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, northwest of the Indus River delta. Karachi accounts for the largest share of Pakistan's gross domestic product and generates about 65% of the national revenue. Karachi claims the highest per capita income in South Asia and is the nucleus of regional business and technological activities. The city has one of the highest literacy rates in Pakistan and is the home of several important academic and research institutions.
Map of Karachi
Some basic facts about Karachi :
| Province | Sindh |
| Location | 24°51′36″N, 67°00′36″E |
| Altitude | 8 meters AMSL |
| Area | 3,527 km² |
| Density | 3,394 persons/km² |
| Calling code | 021 |
| Time zone | PST +05:00 ahead of GMT |
| No. of Towns | 18 |
| No. of Union Councils | 178 |
| City Mayor (Nazim) | Syed Mustafa Kamal |
| Population | |
Census (1998) | 9,339,023 |
Estimate (2006) | 11,969,284 |
Geography and climate
Karachi is located in southern Pakistan in the north of Arabian Sea. Physically it is mostly comprises flat or rolling plains with hills on the western and northern boundaries of the urban sprawl. Two rivers pass through the city: the Malir River ( north east to centre) and the Lyari River ( north to south). The Karachi Harbour is a protected bay to the south west of the city. The southern limit of the city is the Arabian Sea and forms a chain of warm water beaches that are rich in natural beauty.Karachi is located on the coast and as a result has a relatively mild climate. The level of precipitation is low for most of the year. However, due to the city's proximity to the sea, humidity levels usually remain high throughout the year. The city enjoys mild winters and hot summers. Since summer temperatures are quite high (the end of April through the end of August are approximately 35 to 40 degrees Celsius), the winter months (November through March) are the best time to visit Karachi.
Demographics
Currently Karachi population is believed to between 14 and 15 millions. The linguistic distribution of the city in 1998 census is: Urdu speaking 48.52%; Punjabi 13.94%; Sindhi 7.22%; Pashto 11.42%; Balochi4.34%; Seraiki2.11%; others 12.4%. The others include Gujarati, Dawoodi Bohra, Memon, Brahui, Makrani, Khowar, Burushaski, Arabic, Persian and Bengali. The religious breakup of the city is as follows: Muslim 96.49%; Christian 2.35%; Hindu0.83%; Qadiani 0.17%; others 0.13%. The others include Parsi, Jews and BuddhistGovernment and administrative division:
Karachi is divided into 18 towns and 1 78 union councils. While Defence Housing Authority is neither a town of Karachi nor a part of any town; and it is managed and operated by the Pakistan Army.Administrative towns :
| Baldia Town | Bin Qasim Town | Gadap Town |
| Gulberg Town | Gulshan Town | Kiamari Town |
| Korangi Town | Jamshed Town | Landhi Town |
| Liaquatabad Town | Lyari Town | New Karachi Town |
| North Nazimabad Town | Malir Town | Orangi Town |
| Saddar Town | Shah Faisal Town | SITE Town |
Source: findpk.com
