Coast
The Indus delta and its mangroves
The 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.
Quick facts
- Delta area
- About 41,440 sq km
- Ramsar designation
- 2002
- Dominant mangrove
- Avicennia marina
- Main settlements
- Keti Bunder, Kharo Chan
Background
Reduced freshwater flow after upstream barrages has increased salinity and caused significant land loss to the sea, particularly in Thatta and Sujawal districts. The mangroves are nursery habitat for shrimp and fish that support Sindh's coastal fishery, and large-scale replanting programmes have been run since the 2010s. Keti Bunder and Kharo Chan are the main delta settlements.
Key entries
- Creek system
Seventeen major creeks between Karachi and the Rann.
- Mangrove nurseries
Habitat for shrimp and juvenile fish stocks.
- Sea intrusion
Land loss in Thatta and Sujawal districts.
- Indus dolphin
Found upstream in the river, not the delta itself.
Frequently asked questions
- Why are the Indus delta mangroves important?
- They protect the coast, store carbon and act as nursery habitat for the shrimp and fish that Sindh's coastal fishery depends on.
- What threatens the delta?
- Reduced freshwater flow from upstream withdrawals, which raises salinity and allows the sea to encroach on farmland.