In this article, a detailed review of the demographics of Balochistan is made according to the official reports of Census of Pakistan, 2017. Comparisons have also been made with the previous reports of census where it was required. For other demographic factors, other sources were concerned which have been mentioned.
Population of Pakistan vs Population of Balochistan
According to the 2017 census of Pakistan conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the total population of Pakistan is calculated to be 207,774,520 which includes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Tribal Areas, Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, and Islamabad Capital Territory. Out of this, population of Balochistan is only 12,344,408 which is 5.9% of the total population.
If we also consider the population of the newly recognized administrative divisions of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, then Pakistan constitutes a total population of 212,742,631. Out of this total population, Balochistan contributes to only 5.8% of the total population of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Table 1 below shows the division of population of Pakistan among its administrative units.
| Administrative Unit | Households | Total Population (1998) | Total Population (2017) | Share in Total Population |
| Khyber Pakthunkhwa | 3,845,168 | 17,743,645 | 30,523,371 | 14.69% |
| Tribal Areas | 558,379 | 3,176,331 | 5,001,676 | 2.41% |
| Sindh | 8,585,610 | 30,439,893 | 47,886,051 | 23.04% |
| Punjab | 17,103,835 | 73,621,290 | 110,012,442 | 52.95% |
| Balochistan | 1,775,937 | 6,565,885 | 12,344,408 | 5.94% |
| Islamabad Capital Territory | 336,182 | 805,236 | 2,006,572 | 0.97% |
| PAKISTAN | 32,205,111 | 132,352,279 | 207,774,520 | 100% |
| Azad Jammu and Kashmir | TBA | TBA | 4,045,366 | TBA |
| Gilgit-Baltistan | TBA | TBA | 922,745 | TBA |
| PAKISTAN (incl: AJK, GB) | TBA | TBA | 212,742,631 | N/A |
*TBA = To Be Announced *N/A = Not Applicable
Growth in Population
The population of Pakistan is seen to have grown by 2.4% since the previous census, from 132,352,279 in 1998 to 207,774,520 in 2017. As far as Balochistan is concerned, an exponential growth by 3.37% in population has been recorded, from 6,565,885 in 1998 to 12,344,408 in 2017.
Table 2 shows these results:
| Administrative Unit | Total Population (1998) | Total Population (2017) | Annualized Growth |
| Khyber Pakthunkhwa | 17,743,645 | 30,523,371 | 2.89% |
| Tribal Areas | 3,176,331 | 5,001,676 | 2.41% |
| Sindh | 30,439,893 | 47,886,051 | 2.41% |
| Punjab | 73,621,290 | 110,012,442 | 2.13% |
| Balochistan | 6,565,885 | 12,344,408 | 3.37% |
| Islamabad Capital Territory | 805,236 | 2,006,572 | 4.91% |
| PAKISTAN | 132,352,279 | 207,774,520 | 2.40% |
| Azad Jammu and Kashmir | TBA | 4,045,366 | TBA |
| Gilgit-Baltistan | TBA | 922,745 | TBA |
| PAKISTAN (incl: AJK, GB) | TBA | 212,742,631 | TBA |
*TBA = To Be Announced *N/A = Not Applicable
Balochistan demographics vs Pakistan demographics
Table 3 shows the demographics of Balochistan along with the demographics of Pakistan. The details have been discussed in the previous paragraphs.
| Administrative Unit | Households | Total Population (1998) | Total Population (2017) | Annualized Growth | Share in Total Population |
| Balochistan | 1,775,937 | 6,565,885 | 12,344,408 | 3.37% | 5.94% |
| PAKISTAN | 32,205,111 | 132,352,279 | 207,774,520 | 2.40% | 100% |
Population of other major cities vs population of Quetta (Provincial capital of Balochistan)
Table 4 shows the population of all provincial capitals and other major cities of Pakistan. The provincial capital of Balochistan, Quetta, lies at the bottom constituting least population out of all other major cities of the country. Quetta had a total population of 565,137 in 1998 while in 2017, its population has been grown to 1,001,205 which is slightly lower than the population of Islamabad at 1,014,825 in 2017.
| City | Province | Population (1998 census) | Population (2017 census) |
| Karachi | Sindh | 9,339,023 | 14,910,352 |
| Lahore | Punjab | 5,143,495 | 11,126,285 |
| Faisalabad | Punjab | 2,008,861 | 3,203,846 |
| Rawalpindi | Punjab | 1,409,768 | 2,098,231 |
| Gujranwala | Punjab | 1,132,509 | 2,027,001 |
| Peshawar | Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa | 982,816 | 1,970,042 |
| Multan | Punjab | 1,197,384 | 1,871,843 |
| Hyderabad | Sindh | 1,166,894 | 1,732,693 |
| Islamabad | Islamabad Capital Territory | 529,180 | 1,014,825 |
| Quetta | Balochistan | 565,137 | 1,001,205 |
Gender wise population statistics
According to the census of 2017, Balochistan has a male population of 6,483,653, which is 52.52% of the total population of the province. Out of this total, the rural population of males is 4,690,099, which is 72.34% of the total male population. On the other hand, the Urban population of males is only 1,793,554, which is 27.66% of the total male population.
Comparatively, the total female population is 5,860,646, which is 47.47% of the total population of the province. 4,253,393 out of the total female population, resides in the rural areas which makes 72.58% of the total female population while only 1,607,253 females which is 27.42%, reside in the urban areas of Balochistan.
The underrepresented transgender community of Pakistan has a very small number in Balochistan which is found to be only 109 in the whole province.
The male to female ratio of population in Balochistan is 110.63 slightly higher towards the male population. However, the annual growth for both the rural and urban population lies close to each other at 3.33 and 3.49 respectively.
| Administrative Area | Male
Population |
Female Population | Trans-gender Population | Population 2017 | Population 1998 | Sex Ratio | Annual Growth from 1998 – 2017 |
| Balochistan
Rural Urban |
6,483,653
4,690,099 1,793,554 |
5,860,646
4,253,393 1,607,253 |
109
40 69 |
12,344,408
8,943,532 3,400,876 |
6,565,885
4,797,055 1,768,830 |
110.63
110.27 111.59 |
3.37
3.33 3.49 |
Other important demographics
The table below enlists certain other demographic indicators of the Population of Balochistan. The data has been extracted from the 1998 census of Pakistan because the 2017 census does not provide an update of the following indicators yet.
As shown in the table below, the population of Balochistan under the age of 15 is 56.64%. The population of age range 15 – 64 years is found to be 50.81% while only 2.52% makes the 65 years and above population. The age dependency ratio is 96.79%.
The official literacy ratio above the age of 10, according to 1998 census is 24.83%. Males alone share a higher literacy ratio at 34.03% while the female ratio stands at 14.09% only.
The enrollment ratio of age range 5 – 24 is recorded to be 23.53%. The male enrollment ratio is found to be 34.03 while that of the females is 60.40.
24.05% of the Population of Balochistan is economically active. The labor for participation rate above the age of 10 years is 36.45% while the unemployment rate is 33.48%.
The disabled constitute only 2.23% of the total population of Balochistan.
| Demographic indicators: | Population of Balochistan (%) |
| Population Under 15 Population 15 – 64 YearsPopulation 65 & AboveAge Dependency Ratio
Literacy Ratio (10 +) Male Female
Enrolment Ratio (5 – 24) Male Female
Economically Active Population (%) Labor Force Participation Rate (10 +) Un-employment Rate
Disabled Population (%) |
46.64
50.81 2.52
96.79
24.83 34.03 14.09
23.53 29.49 60.40
24.05 36.45 33.48
2.23 |