Karachi, city and capital of Sindh province, southern Pakistan. It is the country’s largest city and principal seaport and is a major commercial and industrial centre. Karachi is located on the coast of the Arabian Sea immediately northwest of the Indus River delta.
The city has been variously called Caranjee, Crochey, Krotchey, Currachee, and Kurrachee, all of which are believed to be variants of the same name. In the 18th century it was known as Kalachi-jo-Goth,meaning “the village of Kalachi” (Kalachi being the name of an erstwhile head of the settlement).
The impetus to Karachi’s development originally came from its role as the port serving the Indus River valley and the Punjab region of British India. The development of air travel subsequently increased Karachi’s importance. It is also the port serving the landlocked country of Afghanistan. Area city, 228 square miles (591 square km); Greater Karachi, 560 square miles (1,450 square km). Pop. (2017) city, 14,916,456; (2018 est.) urban agglom., 15,400,000.
Physical and human geography
Landscape
City site
Karachi Harbour, on the shores of which the city is situated, is a safe and beautiful natural harbour. It is protected from storms by Kiamāri Island, Manora Island, and Oyster Rocks, which together block the greater part of the harbour entrance in the west.
