The districts of Pakistan () are the third-level administrative divisions of Pakistan, below provinces and divisions, but forming the first-tier of local government. In total, there are 173 districts in Pakistan. excluding Islamabad Capital Territory. These districts are further divided into tehsils and union councils.
History In 1947, when Pakistan gained independence there were 124 districts. In 1969, 2 new districts (Tangail and Patuakhali) in East Pakistan were formed, bringing the total to 126. With the Independence of Bangladesh, Pakistan lost 20 of its districts and so there were 106 districts. In 2001, the number was reduced to 102 by the merger of the 5 districts of Karachi Central, Karachi East, Karachi South, Karachi West and Malir to form Karachi District. The number of districts rose to 106 again in December 2004, when four new districts were created in the province of Sindh of which one (Umerkot) had existed until 2000 and three districts (Kashmore, Qambar and Jamshoro) were newly created. The new districts were carved out of Mirpur Khas, Jacobabad, Larkana and Dadu Districts respectively. In May 2005, the Punjab provincial government created a new district by raising the status of Nankana Sahib from a tehsil of Sheikhupura District to a district in its own right. On 11 July 2011, the Sindh Government restored again the districts of Karachi South, Karachi East, Malir, Karachi West and Karachi Central, then later in 2013, the district of Korangi was carved out of Karachi East District. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, a second-tier of government was formed from three administrative divisions into ten districts. In Gilgit–Baltistan, there are ten districts divided between the two regions of Gilgit and Baltistan. In 2018, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) was merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and FATA agencies were converted into districts.
Chagai is the largest district of Pakistan by area while Lahore District is the largest by population with a total population of 11,126,285 at the 2017 census. Quetta is the largest district of Balochistan by population with a total population of 2,275,699 at the 2017 census. Bahawalpur is the largest district of Punjab by area. Chitral is the largest by area and Peshawar is the largest by population from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with a population of 4,269,079 in the 2017 census. Sindh's largest district by area is Tharparkar and by population its Karachi West with a population of 3,914,757 in the 2017 census. The combined population of the six districts of Karachi division is over 16 million in the 2017 census, giving an average population for these six districts of Karachi division of over 2.675 million each. Neelum and Kotli are the largest districts of Azad Kashmir by area and population respectively. Gilgit is the largest by area and population both for Gilgit-Baltistan.
As of the 2023 census, all of Pakistan's districts have a muslim majority except for Umerkot district.
Administration Deputy commissioner
A deputy commissioner (popularly abbreviated to "DC") is the executive head of the district. Deputy commissioners are appointed by the government from the Pakistan Administrative Service.
District council A district council (or zila council) is a local government body at the district level.
The functions of a district council include construction and maintenance of roads, and bridges, building hospitals and dispensaries, schools and educational institutions, health facilities and sanitation, tube wells for drinking water, rest houses, and coordination of activities of the Union councils within the district.
Provinces and territories
+ Sr. No. Province or territory Division(s) District(s) Area(km2)Population(2023) Population(2017) Density 2017(people/km2) 1 Azad Jammu and Kashmir 3 10 13,297 4,045,366 304.23 2 Balochistan 836 347,19014,894,402 12,344,408 35.55 3 Gilgit-Baltistan 3 14 72,971 1,492,924 47.96 4 Islamabad Capital Territory - - 9062,363,863 2,006,572 2,214.76 5 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 7 40 101,74140,856,097 35,525,047 349.17 6 Punjab 1041 205,344127,688,922 110,012,442 535.74 7 Sindh 6 30 140,91455,696,147 47,886,051 339.82Pakistan37169882,363~241,499,431213,312,810
List of districts by province and territory Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Gilgit-Baltistan
Balochistan
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Punjab
Sindh
N.B. All the figures require to be re-checked. Data entry error has occurred in Sindh Province.
List of all districts by area, population, density, literacy rate etc
DistrictHeadquarterArea (km2)Population (2023)Azad Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, 2019.Density (people/km2)
(2023)Literacy rate
(2023)DivisionProvinceMuzaffarabadMuzaffarabad1,642...394...MuzaffarabadAzad KashmirHattian BalaHattian Bala854...270...NeelumAthmuqam3,621...53...MirpurMirpur1,010...452...MirpurBhimberBhimber1,516...297...KotliKotli1,862...416...PoonchRawalakot855...585...PoonchBaghBagh770...483...HaveliForward Kahuta598...254...SudhnatiPallandari569...523...GhancheKhaplu6,400.........BaltistanGilgit-BaltistanSkarduSkardu15,000.........RounduDambudas1,89539,490......KharmangTolti7,909.........ShigarShigar8,500.........AstoreEidghah8,657.........DiamerDiamerChilas7,234323,643......DarelDarel1,657.........TangirTangir1,106.........GhizerGahkuch9,635.........GilgitGilgitGilgit38,000.........HunzaKarimabad17,145.........NagarNagarkhas15,567.........Gupis-Yasin DistrictPhander............HaripurHaripur1,7251,174,783681.374.88%HazaraKhyber PakhtunkhwaBattagramBattagram497335,984676.0241.20%AbbottabadAbbottabad1,9671,419,072721.677.34%AllaiAllai Valley804218,149676.0241.20%Lower KohistanPattan642340,017529.522.05%MansehraMansehra4,1251,797,177435.663.79%TorgharJudba454200,445441.629.74%Upper KohistanDasu5,440422,94777.819.05%Kolai PalasKolai1,410280,162198.718.80%HanguHangu1,097528,902482.343.15%KohatKurramParachinar3,380785,434232.435.22%KarakKarak3,372815,878241.965.36%KohatKohat2,9911,234,661412.958.55%OrakzaiKalaya1,538387,561252.033.57%BajaurKhar1,2901,287,960998.426.26%MalakandBunerDaggar1,8651,016,869545.143.75%Lower ChitralChitral6,458320,40749.666.10%Lower DirTimergara1,5831,650,1831,042.457.36%ShanglaAlpuri1,586891,252562.033.74%MalakandBatkhela952826,250868.1...SwatSaidu Sharif5,3372,687,384503.648.13%Upper ChitralBooni8,392195,52823.373.83%Upper DirDir3,6991,083,566292.946.77%Central Dir DistrictWari1,483.........CharsaddaCharsadda9961,835,5041,843.153.94%PeshawarKhyberLandi Kotal2,5761,146,267445.038.45%NowsheraNowshera1,7481,740,705995.856.78%PeshawarPeshawar1,5184,758,7623,135.653.28%MohmandGhalanai2,296553,933241.231.28%Upper South WaziristanSpinkai2,815......31.96%Dera Ismail KhanLower South WaziristanWana3,805......31.96%TankTank2,900470,293162.240.67%Dera Ismail KhanDera Ismail Khan9,3341,829,811196.146.58%North WaziristanMiranshah4,707693,332147.332.82%BannuBannuBannu1,9721,357,890688.641.75%Lakki MarwatLakki Marwat3,2961,040,856315.848.47%SwabiSwabi1,5431,894,6001,228.058.48%MardanMardanMardan1,6322,744,8981,681.455.79%JamshoroJamshoro11,2041,117,30899.749.63%HyderabadSindhHyderabadHyderabad9932,432,5402,448.767.21%BadinBadin6,8581,947,081284.636.65%DaduDadu7,8661,742,320221.847.13%MatiariMatiari1,417849,383599.045.88%SujawalSujawal8,785839,29295.527.02%Tando AllahyarTando Allahyar1,554922,012592.839.80%Tando Muhammad KhanTando Muhammad Khan1,423726,119509.134.02%ThattaThatta8,5701,083,191126.826.88%GhotkiMirpur Mathelo6,0831,772,609291.341.38%SukkurKhairpurKhairpur15,9102,597,535163.350.14%SukkurSukkur5,1651,639,897317.758.26%Karachi CentralNorth Nazimabad693,822,32555,39683.55%KarachiKarachi EastGulshan e Iqbal1393,921,74228,41780.07%Karachi SouthSaddar Karachi1222,329,76419,096.478.57%Karachi WestOrangi Town3702,679,3807,241.667.43%KeamariMoriro Mirbahar5592,068,4513,700.362.07%KorangiKorangi1083,128,97128,97279.86%MalirMalir2,1602,432,2481,126.863.14%LarkanaLarkana1,9481,784,453915.855.58%LarkanaJacobabadJacobabad2,6981,174,097434.042.34%KashmoreKandhkot2,5801,233,957477.335.59%Qambar ShahdadkotQambar5,4751,514,869276.440.02%ShikarpurShikarpur2,5121,386,330552.143.70%Mirpur KhasMirpur Khas2,9251,681,386574.745.37%Mirpur KhasUmerkotUmerkot5,6081,159,831207.238.69%TharparkarMithi19,6371,778,40790.636.39%SangharSanghar10,7282,308,465215.043.66%Shaheed BenazirabadNawabshah4,5021,845,102409.550.86%Shaheed BenazirabadNaushahro FerozeNaushahro Feroze2,9451,777,082603.257.15%HubHub6,716382,8855736.47%KhuzdarBalochistanSurabSurab762279,038366.537.44%LasbelaUthal15,153680,97744.936.47%MastungMastung3,308313,27194.745.97%KhuzdarKhuzdar35,380997,21428.238.59%KalatKalat7,654271,56035.539.70%AwaranAwaran29,510178,9586.136.34%BarkhanBarkhan3,514210,24959.833.62%LoralaiDukiDuki4,233205,04448.444.18%MusakhelMusa Khel Bazar5,728182,27531.836.60%LoralaiLoralai3,785272,43272.043.16%GwadarGwadar12,637305,16024.250.30%MakranKechTurbat22,5391,060,93147.049.65%PanjgurPanjgur16,891509,78130.242.07%JafarabadDera Allahyar1,643594,558361.935.53 %NasirabadJhal MagsiGandava3,615203,36856.230.14%KachhiDhadar5,682442,67477.930.20%NasirabadDera Murad Jamali3,387563,315166.128.96%SohbatpurSohbatpur802240,106299.641.02%Usta MuhammadUsta Muhammad953...28035.53%Dera BugtiDera Bugti10,160355,27435.024.07%SibiKohluKohlu7,610260,22034.228.53%SibiSibi7,121224,14831.547.41%HarnaiHarnai2,492127,57151.239.83%ZiaratZiarat3,301189,53557.443.37%ChamanChaman1,341466,218347.739.97%QuettaPishinPishin6,218835,482134.651.07%QuettaQuetta3,4472,595,492754.356.29%Qila AbdullahJungle Pir Alizai3,553361,971101.936.40%Qilla SaifullahQilla Saifullah6,831380,20055.732.96%ZhobSheraniSherani4,310191,68744.523.86%ZhobZhob15,987355,69222.236.62%KharanKharan14,958260,35217.441.07%RakhshanNushkiNushki5,797207,83435.957.12%WashukWashuk33,093302,6239.121.58%ChagaiDalbandin44,748269,1926.033.15%RawalpindiRawalpindi4,5475,745,9641,868.7983.06%RawalpindiPunjabJhelumJhelum3,5871,382,308385.780.65%AttockAttock6,8582,170,423316.770.22%MurreeMurree738372,94748086.01%ChakwalChakwal6,5241,734,854266.277.79%TalagangTalagang2,932...140...TaunsaTaunsa2,769...240...Dera Ghazi KhanKot AdduKot Addu3,471...390...LayyahLayyah6,2892,102,386334.561.83%Dera Ghazi KhanDera Ghazi Khan11,9223,393,705285.846.78MuzaffargarhMuzaffargarh8,2495,015,325607.547.99%RajanpurRajanpur12,3192,381,049193.336.09%Toba Tek SinghToba Tek Singh3,2522,524,044776.271.38%FaisalabadJhangJhang6,1663,065,639499.159.45%ChiniotChiniot2,6431,563,024591.355.05%FaisalabadFaisalabad5,8569,075,8191,551.773.41%LahoreLahore1,77213,004,1357,336.679.62%LahoreKasurKasur3,9954,084,2861,022.362.85%Nankana SahibNankana Sahib2,2161,634,871737.063.12%SheikhupuraSheikhupura3,7444,049,4181,080.368.88%SialkotSialkot3,0164,499,3941,492.578.37%GujranwalaGujranwalaGujranwala2,4264,966,3382,045.476.77%NarowalNarowal2,3371,950,954834.375.28%OkaraOkara4,3773,515,490802.260.25%SahiwalPakpattanPakpattan2,7242,136,170785.357.13%SahiwalSahiwal3,2012,881,811900.664.77%Rahim Yar KhanRahim Yar Khan11,8805,564,703468.247.94%BahawalpurBahawalnagarBahawalnagar8,8783,550,342399.657.01%BahawalpurBahawalpur24,8304,284,964172.353.35%SargodhaSargodha5,8544,334,448740.166.73%SargodhaKhushabJauharabad6,5111,501,089230.862.52%BhakkarBhakkar8,1531,957,470240.555.68%MianwaliMianwali5,8401,798,268307.462.87%KhanewalKhanewal4,3493,364,077773.560.97%MultanVehariVehari4,3643,430,421787.759.10%MultanMultan3,7205,362,3051,441.161.41%LodhranLodhran2,7781,928,299693.551.68%Mandi BahauddinMandi Bahauddin2,6731,829,486683.170.27%GujratGujratGujrat3,1923,219,3751,007.081.37%HafizabadHafizabad2,3671,319,909557.065.77%WazirabadWazirabad1,206993,412690...Islamabad Capital TerritoryIslamabad9062,363,8632,609.183.97%Islamabad Capital TerritoryIslamabad Capital Territory
List of all districts by population over the years
+List of districts by population over the yearsDistrictPopulation (2023)Population (2017)Population (1998)Population (1981)Population (1972)Population (1961)Population