Coast of Pakistan
Pakistan's coastline runs about 1,050 kilometres along the Arabian Sea, split between the Makran coast of Balochistan and the deltaic Sindh coast. The Makran side is a desert shoreline of hammerhead cliffs, mud volcanoes and fishing towns; the Sindh side holds the Indus delta, the world's fifth largest mangrove system.
Coast pages cover ports, beaches, marine life, the mangrove belt and the settlements that depend on the sea, from Gwadar and Ormara to Karachi's harbour and Keti Bandar.
Quick facts
- Coastline
- About 1,050 km
- Largest port
- Karachi
- Mud volcanoes
- Chandragup and others in Hingol
What this section covers
- Makran coast
Gwadar, Ormara, Kund Malir, Hingol
- Sindh coast
Karachi, Clifton, Keti Bandar, the Indus delta
- Mangroves
About 600,000 hectares of delta forest
- Marine life
Green turtles, humpback whales, plankton blooms
In this section
The Makran coastThe Makran coast runs about 750 kilometres along Balochistan from Karachi's western edge to the Iranian border. The Makran Coastal Highway, opened in 2004, follows it for roughly 650 kilometres, passing Hingol National Park, the mud volcano of Chandragup and the sandstone formation known as the Princess of Hope.- The Indus delta and its mangrovesThe Indus delta spreads across about 41,440 square kilometres of coastal Sindh, where the river meets the Arabian Sea through a network of creeks. Its mangrove forests, dominated by Avicennia marina, are among the largest arid-climate mangrove systems in the world and were designated a Ramsar site in 2002.
Detailed pages
Individual pages for these topics are being researched and written. The overview above is complete and sourced; continue with the Pakistan index or the related sections below.
Key dates and milestones
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 325 BCE | Nearchus sails the Makran coast for Alexander's fleet |
| 1958 | Gwadar transferred from Oman to Pakistan |
| 1997 | Hingol National Park established on the Makran coast |
| 2007 | Gwadar deep-sea port begins operations |
Practical notes
- The Makran Coastal Highway links Karachi to Gwadar in roughly 10 to 12 hours.
- Green turtles nest on Karachi's Hawke's Bay and Sandspit beaches between July and December.
- Winter, November to February, is the practical season for coastal travel and camping.
Where in Pakistan
Balochistan · Sindh
Frequently asked questions
- How long is Pakistan's coastline?
- About 1,050 kilometres along the Arabian Sea, divided between the Makran coast of Balochistan and the deltaic coast of Sindh.
- What are the mud volcanoes on the Makran coast?
- Cold seeps that push mud and gas to the surface, forming cones. Chandragup, inside Hingol National Park, is the best known and is a Hindu pilgrimage site.
- How large are the Indus delta mangroves?
- Roughly 600,000 hectares, the fifth largest mangrove system in the world and the largest arid-climate mangrove forest.