BALOCHISTAN AT A GLANCE -

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Map of Pakistan

IUCN GIS Map Balochistan Districts

Balochistan and its Districts

Flag of Balochistan

Balochistan Govt. Seal/ Coat of Arms

Introduction – Balochistan at a Glance

Balochistan Province Profile

Introduction/Geographical Details; Balochistan

Balochistan province is located between 24° 53Ꞌ and 32° 05Ꞌ north latitudes and 60° 52Ꞌ and 72° 18Ꞌ east longitude. Balochistan is the southwestern half of Pakistan, occupying approximately 44% of the country’s total land mass. The province is neighboured by Iran to the west, Afghanistan and FATA to the north, and Punjab and Sindh to the east, while the Arabian Sea is in its south.

Archeological evidence discovered at Mehrgarh (Kachhi Plain) shows that the area was inhabited as long ago as 7000 to 2500 BCE. Mehrgarh is now known to be a precursor to the Indus Valley Civilization. According to Ahmad Hasan Dani,[1] Professor Emeritus of Archeology at Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, “Discoveries at Mehrgarh changed the entire concept of the Indus civilization” (p. 314).

Balochistan is the largest of the four provinces of Pakistan, spread over an area of 347,190 km² and forms 44% of the total area of Pakistan. It has clustered population distribution and has the smallest population as compared to that of other provinces of Pakistan, even though the province has a larger land area.

[1] Ancient Pakistan: An Archeological History. Volume II: A Prelude to Civilization by Mukhtar Ahmad

Balochistan Province at a Glance

Name of Province	Balochistan
Headquarters	Quetta
Population[1]	12,344,739 persons
Area[2]	347,190 km²
Population Density[3]	35.6 persons/ km²
Growth Rate[4]	3.4%
Male Population[5]	52.5%
Female Population[6]	47.5%
Urban Population[7]	27.5%
Literacy Rate[8]	44%
Male Literacy Rate[9]	61%
Female Literacy Rate[10]	25%
Administrative Units (Districts)	30 districts: 1. Awaran 2. Barkhan 3. Kachhi (Bolan) 4. Chagai 5. Dera Bugti 6. Gwadar 7. Harnai 8. Jafarabad 9. Jhal Magsi 10. Kalat 11. Kech (Turbat) 12. Kharan 13. Kohlu 14. Khuzdar 15. Killa Abdullah 16. Killa Saifullah 17. Lasbela 18. Loralai 19. Mastung 20. Musa Khel 21. Nasirabad 22. Nushki 23. Panjgur 24. Pishin 25. Quetta 26. Sherani 27. Sibi 28. Washuk 29. Zhob 30. Ziarat
Important Cities	Quetta, Khuzdar, Turbat, Chaman, Hub, Sibi, Zhob, Gwadar, Dera Murad Jamali, Dera Allah Yar, Usta Mohammad, Loralai, Pasni, Kharan, Mastung, Nushki, Kalat, Ziarat, Dalbandin, Taftan, Harnai, Muslim Bagh, and Lasbela
Major Economic Activity[11]	Agriculture, with its allied livestock breeding and fishing	45.5%
	Community, Social & Personal Services	22.4%
	Construction	12.2%
	Wholesale, Retail Trade etc.	7.7%
	Electricity Gas & Water	4.5%
	Transport, Storage etc.	3.6%
	Others	4.1%
Main Crops	Wheat, barley, rapeseed & mustard, gram, masoor, rice, jowar, bajra, maize, sesanum, castor seed, moong, mash, guar seed, tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, canola, sunflower, and fodder
Major Fruits	Almonds, apple, apricots, grapes, peach, plum, pear, pomegranate, cherry, pistachios, dates, mangos, citrus, bananas, guavas, loquats, papayas, chikoo, coconut, fig, melon, musk melon, sarda, gurma, and mulberry
Major Vegetables	Cumin seeds, onions, potato, tomato, okra, tinda, brinjal, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, pumpkin, luffa, broad beans, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, peas, radish, spinach, turnip, beetroot, garlic, chilies, coriander, mint, and cucumber
Forests (Area)[12]	1,126,454 HA[13]
Black Topped Roads[14]	22,537 km
Shingle Roads[15]	20,374 km
Electricity Generation[16]	Thermal Power Quetta 28MW + 155 MW Hub Thermal 1,292 Uch 1+ 11 Thermal 586 MW + 404 MW China Power (Lasbela) 1,320 Total Electricity Generation 2,437 MW
Telephone Exchanges[17]	103 telephone exchanges, with 90,919 connections (PTCL, Wireless phones, and broadband)
Industrial Zones	7 Industrial Estates and 4 Small Industries Estates. Industrial Estates are located in Hub, Lasbela, Quetta, Dera Murad Jamali, Gwadar, Marble City Gaddani, and Winer. Small Industry Estates are located in Loralai, Khuzdar, Bostan and Kalat
Major Industry	Marble, granite & coal (mining and processing), flour mills, fisheries, cooking oil/vegetable ghee, beverages, cement, re-rolling/steel mills, pharmaceutical, horticulture, handicrafts and ship-breaking industry
Household Size[18]	6.7 persons per household
Houses with Piped Water[19]	41.8%
Houses with Electricity[20]	46.6%

Table 2.1 Balochistan at a Glance

[1] 2017 Census

[2] 1998 Census

[3] 2017 Census

[4] 2017 Census

[5] 2017 Census

[6] 2017 Census

[7] 2017 Census

[8] Pakistan Social & Living Measurement Survey 2014-15 (PSLM); Latest available.

[9] PSLM

[10] PSLM

[11] 1998 Census; 2017 Census Data has not been made public yet.

[12] Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19

[13] Land Utilization Statistics report 1,162,365 HA under forests.

[14] Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19

[15] Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19

[16] State of Energy Report by National Electricity Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) 2019

[17] Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19

[18] 1998 Census; 2017 Census Data has not been made public yet.

[19] 1998 Census; 2017 Census Data has not been made public yet.

[20] 1998 Census; 2017 Census Data has not been made public yet.