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Karachi

geography Maturity 7-9 Next article →

Karachi is a massive and busy city in Pakistan.

KHIURBANSKYLINE
KHIURBANSKYLINE

It sits at the southern tip of the country. The city is located right along the coast of the Arabian Sea.

Karachi from above
Karachi from above

As the largest city in Pakistan, it is also the 12th largest city in the whole world. Over 20 million people live there today.

Highrises on II Chundrigar
Highrises on II Chundrigar

It is a very diverse place where many different groups live together. You can hear many languages and see many different religions in the streets.

This city is the main center for money and industry in Pakistan. It is a place where a huge amount of trade happens every day. The city has two very large seaports called the Port of Karachi and Port Qasim.

Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Head Office Building Karachi
Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Head Office Building Karachi

These ports handle about 95% of all the trade Pakistan does with other countries. Almost all of the banks in the country have their main offices in Karachi.

Old building of State Bank of Pakistan, Now its known as State Bank Museum
Old building of State Bank of Pakistan, Now its known as State Bank Museum

It is also a hub for travel with the busy Jinnah International Airport. Even fashion is important here, as the city hosts Karachi Fashion Week.

Long ago, the area was home to people for thousands of years.

PK Chaukhandi Necropolis near Karachi asv2020-02 img08
PK Chaukhandi Necropolis near Karachi asv2020-02 img08

The city we know today was formally started as a fortified village in 1729. It was called Kolachi-jo-Goth, or the village of Kolachi. Some stories say it was named after a woman named Mai Kolachi. Legend says her son killed a man-eating crocodile to protect the village.

PK Chaukhandi Necropolis near Karachi asv2020-02 img08
PK Chaukhandi Necropolis near Karachi asv2020-02 img08

Later, the name was shortened to Karachee in a Dutch report from 1742.

In the 1800s, the city began to change very quickly. The British took control of the area in 1839. They turned the city into a major seaport and built a railway network.

Frere Hall Karachi. Pakistan
Frere Hall Karachi. Pakistan

This helped the city grow as a place to ship goods like cotton. Many different people moved there to start businesses, such as Goan Christians and Parsis.

The city grew from a small group of huts into a large center for trade. It even became the capital of the Sindh province in 1840.

Karachi has many different faces and stories to tell. In the 1960s and 1970s, people called it the "City of Lights" because of its lively nightlife.

Downtown Nazimabad 3
Downtown Nazimabad 3

While the city has faced hard times with conflict in the past, it continues to grow fast.

Bahadurabad Area Karachi City
Bahadurabad Area Karachi City

It is a place where old history meets a very modern skyline.

Dolmen Towers Karachi
Dolmen Towers Karachi

From the old Chaukhandi tombs to the tall towers, Karachi is a vital part of Pakistan.

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🖼️ Images & Media (48)
File:Flag of Sindh.svg
Flag of Sindh.svg
File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg
Jain Prateek Chihna.svg
File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg
Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya 1-2.svg
File:Flag of Pakistan.svg
Flag of Pakistan.svg
File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg
Dharma Wheel (2).svg
File:Faravahar.svg
Faravahar.svg
File:Asia (orthographic projection).svg
Asia (orthographic projection).svg
File:Khanda.svg
Khanda.svg
File:Christian cross.svg
Christian cross.svg
File:Ciudad.svg
Ciudad.svg
File:Om.svg
Om.svg
File:Old building of State Bank of Pakistan, Now its known as State Bank Museum.jpg
Old building of State Bank of Pakistan,...

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