"The city of lights"

Karachi Emblem

Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan and the capital of the province of Sindh. A native of Karachi is known as a Karachiite.

Satellite Karachi Image

Karachi is the financial and commercial hub of Pakistan. The city is located on the Arabian Sea, northwest of the mouths of the Indus River. With a population of about 12 million, Karachi is one of the most populous cities in the world.

St. Patrick Cathedral

Location
Karachi, located at latitude 24° 48´ N and longitude 66° 59´ E, is nicknamed "The City of Lights" in Pakistan. In a period of 50 years, Karachi has transformed itself from a small coastal village into a megapolitan city harboring a diverse mix of regional cultures. It is the business and technological hub of Pakistan. It has the highest literacy rate and the most prestigious educational institutions in the country. The Arabian Sea lies to the south, and the Malir and Indus Rivers to the east of the city. The Lyari River runs through the city's northern areas.

Geography and Demographics
Karachi is mostly made up of 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 Liyari River (north to south). Many other smaller rivers pass through the city as well with general drainage being from the western and northern areas towards the south. The Karachi harbour is a protected bay to the south west of the city. The harbour is protected from storms by Keamari Island, Manora Island and Oyster Rocks, which together block the greater part of the harbour entrance in the west. 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 At Night
[image]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6c/Karachi_at_night.JPEG[/image]

Climate
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 very warm summers. Karachi also receives the tail end of the monsoon rains. July and November are the best time to visit Karachi.

History
The area that now consists of Karachi was originally a group of small villages including Kalachi-jo-Kun or just Kolachi and the fort of Manora. Any history of Karachi prior to the 19th century is sketchy. It is said that the city called Krokola from which one of Alexander the Great's admirals sailed at the end of his conquests was the same as Karachi. When Muhammad bin Qasim came to India in the year 712 he captured the city of Debul. It has been said that Debal was the ancestral village of present day Karachi. However, this has neither been proven or disproven.

It was in 1729 that Kolachi-jo-Goth was transformed from a fishing village to a trading post when it was selected as a port for trade with Muscat and Bahrain. In the following years a fort was built and cannons brought in from Muscat were mounted on it. The fort had two doorways, one facing the sea called the Khara Darwaza or Brackish Gate and one facing the River Lyari called the Meetha Darwaza or Sweet Gate. Currently, the site of those gates corresponds to the location of the neighbourhoods of Kharadar and Meethadar. In 1795 the city passed from the Khan of Kalat to the Talpur rulers of Sindh.

Karachi gained in position as port which led to its importance being recognised by the British, and consequently led to the conquering of the town on the 3rd of February 1839. Three years later, it was annexed into British India as a district. The British recognized the importance of Karachi as a natural harbor and port for the produce of the Indus basin, and the city was rapidly developed into a bustling port city. A famous quote about Karachi attributed to Charles Napier is "Would that I could come again to see you in your grandeur!". Napier's quote proved almost prophetic as it was under the British raj that Karachi would grow rapily as its harbour was developed. When the Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar declared the War of Independence in 1857, the 21st Native Infantry stationed in Karachi declared allegiance to the Emperor and joined the cause of the War on the 10th of September 1857. The uprising though, was defeated by the British who were able to quickly reassert their control over Karachi.

In 1876, the founder of Pakistan Muhammed Ali Jinnah was born in the city, and he would later be buried there. By this time Karachi was a developed city with railroads, churches, paved streets, courts and many commercial centres as well as a magnificent harbour built by the British. Many of the buildings were built in classical British colonial style, contrasting significantly with the "Mughal Gothic" of Lahore. Many of these old buildings exist today and provide interesting destinations for visitors.

Karachi continued to grow in size as well as importance due to its position as a major port. A railroad connected Karachi to the rest of British India in the 1880s. Population grew from 73,500 (1881), to 105,199 (1891), to 115,407 (1901) (Britannica 1911 ed.). In 1899 Karachi was said to be the largest wheat exporting port in the East (Feldman 1970:57). In 1911 when the capital was shifted to Delhi, Karachi became closer to being a Gateway to India. Karachi was declared the capital of the newly formed Sindh province in 1936, chosen over the traditional capital of Hyderabad.

In 1947, Karachi was made the capital of the new nation of Pakistan. At that time Karachi was a city of only 400,000 people, and its growth accelerated as a result of its new status. Being the capital, Karachi became a focal point for the new nation and this added to its status as a cultural centre in this part of the world. Although the capital later moved to Rawalpindi and then Islamabad, Karachi remains the economic centre of Pakistan, accounting for a large portion of the GNP of the nation and a large chunk of the nation's white collar workers.

In the last 20 years, Karachi has continued to grow, passing the ten million mark. The current economic boom in Pakistan has created a sudden growth spurt in Karachi as jobs and infrastructure projects are increasing with time.

Government
Hasan Square (city govt. offices)Karachi as a city is governed by the City District Government of Karachi (CDGK). The CDGK has an elected city council that looks after the working of the CDGK.

The city district of Karachi is divided into eighteen towns each with its own council and Nazim. These towns are:

Baldia
Bin Qasim
Gadap
Gulberg
Gulshan
Jamshed
Kemari
Korangi
Landhi
Liaquatabad
Lyari
Malir
New Karachi
North Nazimabad
Orangi
Saddar
Shah Faisal
SITE

The current city government format was introduced in the year 2000.

Demographics
The population of Karachi according to the official census results:

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 (Metro. 10.2 million)
2005 (estimated) 14 mn.

Karachi's current population is estimated to be about 15 million. A much larger figure than it was in 1947 (400,000). The city's population is currently growning at about 5% per year. Currently, Karachi is counted as one of the largest mega cities of the world.

The breakup of Karachi's population is as follows: Males form 53.7% of Karachiites. 37.6% of which are under the age of 15. 4.4% are older than 50. 22.1% of the city's population are migrants from other places.

According the census the linguistic breakup of the city is as follows. Urdu 48.52%; Punjabi 13.94%; Sindhi 7.22%; Pushto 11.42%; Balochi 4.34%; Seraiki 2.11%; Others 12.4%. The others include Gujarati, Brahui and Bengali.

According to the census the religious breakup of the city is as follows. Muslim 96.49%; Christian 2.35%; Hindu 0.83%; Qadiani 0.17%; Others 0.13%. The others include Parsis and Buddhists.

Economy
II Chundrigar RoadKarachi is the financial capital of Pakistan. It accounts for the lion's share of Pakistan's GDP. The city is said to contribute about 70 percent of the national revenues. It is also home to the largest stock exchange of Pakistan: the Karachi Stock Exchange. Karachi Stock Exchange was the best performing stock market in the world in early 2005. This boost helped Pakistan achieve its ambitious goal of over 8% GDP growth which is highest in Asia after China. Most Pakistani banks have their headquarters in Karachi. Most of these are located on the I.I.Chundrigar Road. The headquarters of nearly all the MNCs (multi-national companies) based in Pakistan are in Karachi. Most Pakistani corporations are headquartered in Karachi as well.

The recent trend of outsourcing and call centers setup is also visible in Karachi as well. Call Centers for foreign companies are created everyday. Pakistan is also betting on the Software Export market. The government has reduced tax by as much as 80% (compared to India and China) to lure foreign investments in the IT sector. Each year atleast 2000 IT students graduate from the NED University of Engineering and Technology, NUST FAST, and Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, the best IT institutions in Karachi among many other small ones.

A large expo center has also been set up in Karachi and is now available to host many regional and International exhibitions.

Karachi also has a huge industrial base. There are large industrial estates on most of the fringes of the main city. The main industries are textiles, pharmaceuticals, steel, and automobiles. Apart from this there are many cottage industries in the city as well. Karachi is also known as software outsourcing hub of Pakistan.

Currently, the Karachi Port is the only large port in Pakistan, and is central to all shipping in Pakistan. The airport of Karachi, Quaid-e-Azam International Airport is also the largest airport in Pakistan and the hub of most airlines. For years it served as the gateway to Asia with all major airlines operating from the Airport. The airport serves a potential to act as the major logistic hub for the sub-continent.

Karachi Port Trust

World's tallest fountain

Karachi is the nerve centre of Pakistan's economy. The economic stagnation due to ethnic strife in the 80s & 90s led to mass efflux of industry from Karachi but led to the economic stagnation of the country despite a revival and economic boom in the up country. Has a well developed Free Zone with growth rate of nearly 15% year on year.

In the early 1960s, Karachi was seen as a model of economic development around the world, and there was much praise for the way its economy was progressing. Many countries sought to emulate Pakistan's economic planning strategy and one of them, South Korea, copied its Second Five Year Plan, 1960-65, not just that, World financial center in Seoul was designed and modelled after Karachi. And while in the early 1960s the per capita income of Pakistan was more or equal to Korea, the latter ended up among the more developed of the developing countries, with a GDP per capita greater than $8,000 today.

Jinnah Terminal

Transportation
Kemari flyoverThe city has a modern international airport called the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport, the premier portal and Pakistan's busiest airport. The city's old airport terminals are now used for Hajj flights, cargo facilities, and ceremonial visits from heads of state. U.S. Coalition forces used the old terminals for their logistic supply operations as well. Apart from this, the city also has two other airstrips used primarily by the armed forces.

Sharah-e-Faisal

Karachi also has the current largest shipping port in Pakistan. This sea-port has modern facilities and not only handles trade for Pakistan, but also serves as a port for Afghanistan and the land-locked Central Asian countries. Karachi port is not used for passenger traffic as a regular service.

Karachi is linked via railway to the rest of the country. The Karachi City Station and Karachi Cantt Station are the city's two major railway stations. This railway system handles a large amount of freight to and from the Karachi port apart from providing passenger services to people travelling up country. Karachi also has a circular railway system that is planned to be extended to play a part in the city's mass transit.

Currently, commuter traffic is handled primarily by motorists and minibuses, but there are plans to construct a light-rail based mass transit system in the city to decongest the roads and provide quick service to commuters.

Institutes
Aga Khan University hospitalKarachi has the highest literacy rate, and the highest number of universities and colleges, of any of Pakistan's other cities. The city is well-known for its young student population, who flock from all parts of Pakistan and different parts of the world. Most universities of Karachi are considered to be the premier educational institutions of Pakistan and the World, and hence the admission process is intensely competitive with only the brightest and talented making their way into Aga Khan University, University of Karachi, Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology, Institude of Business Administration, Textile Institute Of Pakistan,Mohammad Ali Jinnah University,IBM, Dow University of Health Sciences, N.E.D. University and Dawood College of Engineering.

Sites of interest

General

Mazar-e-Quaid (Mausoleum of the founder of Pakistan- Muhammad Ali Jinnah)
Koocha-e-Saqafat (National Arts Council)
Mohatta Palace Museum
Masjid e Tooba (A large domed mosque)
I.I. Chundrigar Road (Karachi's "Wall street")
Aga Khan Hospital (for its modernist Islamic architecture)
Teen Talwar (Three Swords) Monument

Beaches and Waterfront

Clifton Sea View seafront
Hawkesbay Beach (breeding ground for endangered turtles)
Paradise Point (a rock promontory in the sea with a natural arch)
Sandspit Beach
French Beach
Russian Beach
Fishing and Crabbing on Keamari and Manora
Creek Club Karachi (offers boating in the creek areas)
Clifton Pavilion and the Jehangir Kothari Parade
Clifton Beach Park
Port Fountain Jet (600ft high pressure water fountain)
Defence Golf Club
Park Towers Shopping Mall
Zamzama Commercial Area (famous for its designer outlets and cafes)
World Wildlife Centre
Abdullah Shah Ghazi Mazar (mausoleum of Karachi's sufi saint)
Ibn-e-Qasim Park

Museums

Mazar-e-Quaid Museum
Mohatta Palace Museum
Pakistan Air Force Museum
Pakistan Maritime Museum
National Museum of Pakistan
Karachi Expo Centre

Colonial Buildings

Mereweather Tower
Frere Hall
Governor's House
St. Patrick's Cathedral
St. Joseph's Convent
St. Anthony's Church
Trinity Church
Sindh High Court
Former Victoria Museum (later used by the Supreme Court)
Sindh Club
Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Building
Hindu Gymkhana (now NAPA)
Empress Market
D.J. College

Islands

Clifton Oyster Rocks
Manora Island
Bundle Island
Bhit Shah
Shah Bandar
Churna Island (Naval gunnery site, as well as Pakistan's only coral reefs)

Amusement Parks

PIA Planetariam
Aladin Park
Sindbad
Hill Park
Safari Park
Karachi Zoo
Cosy Water Park
Samzu Park
Fun Land
Play Land
Fiesta park

Food

Bahadurabad
Burns Road
Hyderabad Colony

The Mohatta Palace Museum
French beach, KarachiThe Clifton beach in Karachi is one of the longest city beaches in the world. Althought it suffered a recent oil spill disaster, the beach has been cleaned and has floodlights installed for night-time visitors. There are also a lot of other excellent beaches near the city such as Sandspit, Hawke's Bay, the French Beach, Russian beach and Paradise Point (a sandstone rock promotory with a natural arch) that are frequented by visitors. The imagery is colorful, wholesome, and teeming with flocks of people on weekends.

Mohatta Palace

Park Towers
Karachi is scattered with a lot of big and small markets. Karachities are avid shoppers which can be seen from the crowds of people these markets attract every evening. Tariq Road is one the most famous market areas in the city. You can find all sorts of clothing, garments, and beautiful fabrics over here apart from a number of other items. The Saddar area in downtown Karachi is also home to countless big and small markets dealing from everyday household items to clothing and fabrics to electronics. The Empress Market is a large victorian era market, which is home to wholesellers of spices and other items. Karachi also has a number of large modern malls, of which the Park Towers, The Forum, Millenium mall and Dolmen Mall are notables.

Future
Currently, President Musharraf has launched the Tameer-e-Karachi (Build Karachi) program that included construction of a lot of bridges, flyovers, and bypasses, as well as other major projects to correct the city's infrastructure problems. The outgoing City government had signed a memorandum in the year 2005 with a foreign company to construct a 14 kilometers long track of magnetic train.

Karachi is a city with a cool breeze because of its location close to the Arabian Sea, which is why the pollution levels in the city are not very high.

Sea View