KARACHI: While the urban population of Karachi division comprising six districts has increased by over 63 per cent since the previous census conducted in the country 19 years ago, a surge of over 275pc was recorded in the rural population of the division during the corresponding period.

In the 1998 census, the total population of Karachi division was 9.856 million — 9.44m urban population and 407,510 rural population.

However, according to the provisional results of the 2017 census, the total population of Karachi division is 16.051m with 1.14m rural population — about triple that of 1998’s figures — and 14.91m urban population.

The provisional results suggested that the rural population increased with an average annual growth rate of 5.56 per cent.

The gender-wise break-up of Karachi’s total population is 8.439m male, 7.610m female and 1,497 transgender. Of the 1.14m rural population, there are 606,588 males, 534,499 females and 82 transgenders. The urban population comprises of 7.83m males, 7.07m females and 1,415 transgenders.

Four of the six Karachi districts do not have any rural population/area. The total rural population is concentrated in Karachi’s West and Malir districts.

According to the district-wise data for Karachi division, population of Central district (all urban) is 2.971m compared to 2.277m in the 1998 census. The population increased with an average growth rate of 1.41pc.

The population of Karachi East (all urban) has almost doubled in the last 19 years as it was 1.472m in 1998 and now it stood at 2.907m with an average growth rate of 3.64pc.

Karachi South’s population (all urban) in the current census is 1.791m compared to 1.478m in 1998. The annual growth rate is 1.02pc — lowest in any of Sindh’s districts.

Korangi’s population (also all urban) is 2.457m compared to 1.561m in 1998 with an average annual growth rate of 2.41pc.

The West district of Karachi division has a total of 3.914m people compared to 2.089m in the 1998 census. The average annual growth rate is 3.35pc. The rural population in the district in 2017 increased with the annual growth rate of 7.34pc to reach 283,247 (73,568 in the previous census). The urban population increased with the growth rate of 3.14pc to 3.631m (2.015m in 1998).

The total population in Malir district is 2.008m in 2017 (more than double than of 1998, which was 976,193). It increases with an average annual growth rate of 3.86pc. However, the rural population in the district increased to 857,922 from 333,942 in 1998 with 5.08pc annual growth. The urban population increased to 1.150m compared to 642,251 with an annual growth rate of 3.11pc.

Hyderabad division

Besides Karachi division, there are five more divisions in Sindh and Hyderabad came as the second most populated division after Karachi.

The total population of Hyderabad division that comprises nine districts — Badin, Dadu, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Matiari, Sujawal, Tando Allahyar, Tando Mohammad Khan and Thatta — in the 2017 census is 10.592m compared to 6.829m in 1998. The average annual growth rate is 2.33pc.

The total population of Hyderabad district is 2.199m — 366,708 rural and 1.832m urban — compared to 1.494m in the previous census. The average growth rate in the district is 2.05pc.

Badin district’s population is 1.804m — 1.414m rural and 390,378 urban — compared to 1.106m in 1998. The average growth rate in the district is 2.60pc.

The population of Dadu district is 1.550m — 1.167m rural and 383,169 urban — compared to 1.106m in the previous census. The average growth rate in the district is 1.79pc.

Jamshoro’s population in 2017 increased to 993,142 — 558,955 rural and 434,187 urban — from 582,094 with an average growth rate of 2.85pc.

The population of Matiari district is 769,349 — 586,759 rural and 182,590 urban — compared to 494,244 in the last census. The average growth rate in the district is 2.35pc.

Sujawal’s population is 781,967 — 696,262 rural and 85,705 urban — compared to 513,702 in the last census. The average growth rate in the district is 2.23pc.

The population of Tando Allahyar increased to 836,887 —575,094 rural and 261,793 urban — compared to 493,526 in 1998 with an average annual growth rate of 2.81pc.

Tando Mohammad Khan’s population is 677,228 including 535,178 rural and 142,050 urban. It is the smallest district in terms of population in Sindh.

The population of Thatta district is 979,817 — 803,759 rural and 176,058 urban — compared to 599,492 in the previous census. The average growth rate in the district is 2.61pc.

Sukkur division

The total population of Sukkur division that comprises three districts — Sukkur, Ghotki and Khairpur — in the 2017 census is 5.538m compared to 3.447m in 1998. The average annual growth rate is 2.52pc.

Sukkur district’s total population is 1.487m — 767,788 rural and 720,115 urban — compared to 931,387 in the 1998 census. The average growth rate in the district is 2.49pc.

The population of Ghotki district is 1.646m — 1.242m rural and 403,538 urban — compared to 968,797 in the previous census. The average growth rate in the district is 2.82pc.

Khairpur’s total population is 2.404m — 1.628m rural and 775.850 urban — compared to 1.547m in 1998. The average growth rate in the district is 2.34pc.

Larkana division

The total population of Larkana division that comprises five districts — Jacobabad, Kashmore, Qambar Shahdadkot, Larkana and Shikarpur — in the 2017 census is 6.192m compared to 4.210m in 1998. The average annual growth rate is 2.05pc.

The population of Jacobabad district is 1.006m — 709,170 rural and 297,127 urban — compared to 727,190 in the last census. The average growth rate in the district is 1.72pc.

Kashmore’s total population is 1.089m — 835,556 rural and 253,613 urban — compared to 677,120 in 1998. The average growth rate in the district is 2.53pc.

Qambar-Shahdadkot’s population is 1.341m — 943,478 rural and 397,564 urban — compared to 727,190 in the previous census. The average growth rate in the district is 1.97pc.

The population of Larkana district is 1.524m — 822,754 rural and 701,637 urban — compared to 1.001m in the 1998 census. The average growth rate is 2.23pc.

Shikarpur district’s population is 1.231m — 928,232 rural and 303,249 urban — compared to 880,438 in the last census. The average growth rate is 1.78pc.

Mirpurkhas division

The total population of Mirpurkhas division that comprises three districts — Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar and Umerkot — in the 2017 census is 4.228m compared to 2.585m in 1998. The average annual growth rate is 2.62pc.

Mirpurkhas district’s population is 1.505m — 1.080m rural and 425,752 urban — compared to 1.006m in the last census. The average growth rate is 2.14pc.

The population of Tharparkar district is 1.649m — 1.517m rural and 132,071 urban — compared to 914,291 in the last census. The average growth rate is 3.15pc.

Umerkot’s population is 1.073m — 829,785 rural and 243,361 urban — compared to 664,797 in 1998. The average growth rate in the district is 2.55pc.

Shaheed Benazirabad division

The total population of Shaheed Benazirabad division that comprises three districts — Sanghar, Naushahro Feroze and Shaheed Benazirabad — in the 2017 census is 5.282m compared to 3.510m in 1998. The average annual growth rate is 2.17pc.

The population of Sanghar district is 2.057m — 1.468m rural and 588,405 urban — compared to 1.319m in the last census. The average growth rate is 2.36pc.

Naushahro Feroze’s population is 1.612m — 1.232m rural and 379,802 urban — compared to 1.087m in the last census. The average growth rate is 2.09pc.

The population of Shaheed Benazirabad district is 1.612m — 1.123m rural and 489,337 urban — compared to 1.102m in the last census. The average growth rate is 2.02pc.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2017