Largest District of Pakistan by Population
Lahore District leads Pakistan with over 13 million residents, while Chagai in Balochistan holds the area record. The complete 2023-census guide to Pakistan’s biggest districts.
Last updated: 11 October 2026
Lahore population (2023)
Chagai area (km²)
Districts in Pakistan
Latest census year
Inside this guide
In this guide
Everything about Pakistan’s largest districts, backed by census figures.
The Answer
Lahore: Pakistan’s Most Populous District
One district in Punjab holds more people than several provinces combined.
Population
13,004,135 residents in the 2023 census, up from 11,126,285 in 2017 — growth of roughly 17% in six years.
Area (km²)
Only 1,772 square kilometres, giving Lahore one of the highest population densities in the country.
Tehsils
Lahore City, Model Town, Shalimar, Raiwind, Lahore Cantonment, Wagah, Ravi, Nishtar, Iqbal Town and Saddar.
Lahore District consists of the provincial capital and its surrounding areas. Its growth is driven by urbanisation, jobs, universities and hospitals that pull migrants from across Punjab and beyond. The district sits on the Ravi river in northeastern Punjab, a position that has made it a trade and cultural centre for centuries — read our deep dive in largest district of Pakistan by population explained. District administration, headed by the deputy commissioner, runs everything from roads and schools to sanitation through union councils, alongside parks authorities being set up in every district of Punjab.
Rankings
Top 10 Districts of Pakistan by Population
The 2023 census ranking — seven of the ten sit in Punjab.
| Rank | District | Province | Population (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lahore | Punjab | 13,004,135 |
| 2 | Faisalabad | Punjab | 9,075,819 |
| 3 | Rawalpindi | Punjab | 6,118,911 |
| 4 | Gujranwala | Punjab | 5,959,750 |
| 5 | Rahim Yar Khan | Punjab | 5,564,703 |
| 6 | Multan | Punjab | 5,362,305 |
| 7 | Muzaffargarh | Punjab | 5,015,325 |
| 8 | Peshawar | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 4,758,762 |
| 9 | Sialkot | Punjab | 4,499,394 |
| 10 | Sargodha | Punjab | 4,334,448 |
Figures: 2023 national census as compiled on Wikipedia’s Districts of Pakistan page. Note: Karachi’s six districts are not individually in the top 10 because the 2023 census split the city — their combined population exceeds 16 million.
By Area
Largest District of Pakistan by Area: Chagai
The biggest district is also one of the emptiest — a study in contrasts.
Square kilometres
Chagai spans 44,748 km² — more than 25 times the area of Lahore District, and bigger than many countries.
Province
Balochistan itself covers 44% of Pakistan’s land area, so it is no surprise the largest district lies there.
District headquarters
The district is administered from Dalbandin, near the borders with Iran and Afghanistan.
Chagai’s vast, arid terrain holds the Reko Diq copper-gold deposits and the Ras Koh hills, where Pakistan conducted its 1998 nuclear tests. Full details in largest district of Pakistan by area explained. In Punjab, the largest district by area is Bahawalpur.
Province by Province
Largest District in Each Province
Every province has its own demographic heavyweight.
| Province / Territory | Largest district by population | Census figure |
|---|---|---|
| Punjab | Lahore | 13,004,135 (2023) |
| Sindh | Karachi West* | 3,914,757 (2017) |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Peshawar | 4,269,079 (2017) |
| Balochistan | Quetta | 2,275,699 (2017) |
| Azad Kashmir | Kotli | largest by population |
| Gilgit-Baltistan | Gilgit | largest by area and population |
*Karachi’s district boundaries were redrawn for the 2023 census; the six Karachi districts (East, West, Central, South, Malir, Korangi) together hold over 18 million people.
The Other End
The Smallest Districts of Pakistan
Pakistan’s tiniest districts sit at both extremes of the spectrum.
Smallest by area
Nazimabad (Karachi Central), Sindh — just 69 km², a dense urban district.
Least populated
Harnai, Balochistan — only 127,571 residents in the 2023 census.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions people ask most.
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Explore More Pakistan Geography
District profiles, province guides and maps — all in one place.
Figures on this page come from the 2023 national census as compiled by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and summarised on Wikipedia’s Districts of Pakistan page. District boundaries can change — always check the latest PBS tables for official numbers.