How many people lived in Pakistan when it was born on 14 August 1947? It’s a simple question with a complicated answer — because nobody counted. This guide gives you the honest figure, the sources behind it, and why the 1947 population can only ever be an estimate.
Quick answer: About 33 million people lived in the territory of present-day Pakistan at independence in 1947 (Pakistan Institute of Development Economics estimate). Across both wings of the Dominion — including East Pakistan, now Bangladesh — the figure was roughly 70–75 million. The first actual census, in 1951, counted 75.7 million.
In this guide
Why No Exact Number Exists
British India’s last census was in 1941. Between that count and Pakistan’s first census in 1951 lies the most chaotic decade in South Asian demographic history: World War II, the Bengal famine of 1943, Partition, and the largest mass migration ever recorded. Counting people in August 1947 — with millions on trains, in camps, and on foot between the two new countries — was simply impossible. Any source quoting an exact 1947 figure to the decimal point is dressing up an estimate.
The 33 Million Estimate
The most-cited scholarly estimate comes from the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE): the population of present-day Pakistan’s territory was about 33 million at independence in 1947. The figure is consistent with what came after — the 1951 census counted 33.7 million in West Pakistan, and the small increase over four years fits natural growth adjusted for Partition’s mortality and migration. For the Dominion as a whole (both wings), historians generally work with roughly 70 million in 1947, rising to the counted 75.7 million in 1951.
The 1951 Census: The First Hard Number
Pakistan’s first census, in 1951, is the bedrock everything else is built on:
- Dominion total: 75.7 million
- West Pakistan (present-day Pakistan): 33.7 million
- East Pakistan (now Bangladesh): 42 million
- Religious split: minorities were 14.4% overall — but only 3.44% in the West (1.16M of 33.7M) versus 23.2% in the East (9.7M of 42M)
The census also captured Partition’s aftermath in the numbers: Punjab and KP had become religiously homogeneous through the great exchange, while Sindh’s demography had been remade by the arrival of ~1.2 million Urdu-speaking migrants. For the wing-by-wing story, see Pakistan’s population at independence.
Putting 33 Million in Context
- Today: ~257 million — nearly 8 times the 1947 figure. Pakistan is now the world’s 5th most populous country.
- Karachi then vs now: Karachi’s population in 1947 was under half a million; today it’s over 17 million — a 35-fold increase, driven substantially by Partition migration and then natural growth.
- Global rank then: even at 33 million (or ~70M with the east wing), 1947’s Pakistan was among the world’s 15–20 most populous states — large at birth, and vastly larger now.
Frequently asked questions
What was the exact population of Pakistan in 1947?
There is no exact figure — no census was taken. The accepted estimate is ~33 million for present-day Pakistan’s territory, ~70–75 million for both wings.
When was Pakistan’s first census?
1951 — it counted 75.7 million people across both wings (33.7M West, 42M East).
How much has Pakistan’s population grown since 1947?
Roughly 7–8 times: from ~33 million to ~257 million in 2026.
