Largest District of Pakistan by Area: Chagai’s 44,748 Square Kilometres Explained
Pakistan’s largest district is not where most people expect. Chagai, tucked into the far western corner of Balochistan, covers 44,748 square kilometres — larger than countries like Denmark or Switzerland — yet holds only a tiny fraction of Pakistan’s population. This is the story of the country’s biggest district by area.
Quick answer: Chagai in Balochistan is the largest district of Pakistan by area, spanning 44,748 km² — more than 25 times the size of Lahore District. It borders Iran and Afghanistan and is administered from Dalbandin.
In this guide
Where Chagai Is
Chagai sits in northwestern Balochistan, sharing borders with Iran to the west and Afghanistan to the north. Its headquarters is Dalbandin, a small town on the Quetta–Taftan road. The district lies within the larger Chagai hills and desert region, part of the same arid belt that stretches across the Iran–Pakistan–Afghanistan frontier. For the population side of the story, see our complete guide to Pakistan’s largest districts.
Why It Is So Big — and So Empty
Balochistan covers 44% of Pakistan’s land but holds a small share of its people, and Chagai is the extreme case: a vast desert and mountain district with very few towns. Water is scarce, agriculture is limited, and distances are enormous — a single district larger than many countries, with a population density among the lowest in Pakistan.
Reko Diq and Ras Koh
Chagai holds two of Pakistan’s most strategically significant sites. The Reko Diq area contains one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits, whose development has been in the news for years. And the Ras Koh hills in Chagai were the site of Pakistan’s 1998 nuclear tests (Chagai-I) on 28 May 1998 — the district is literally where Pakistan became a declared nuclear power.
Chagai vs Lahore: The Contrast
| Measure | Chagai | Lahore |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 44,748 km² | 1,772 km² |
| Population (2023) | sparse | 13,004,135 |
| Province | Balochistan | Punjab |
FAQs
What is the second largest district of Pakistan by area?
Kharan, also in Balochistan, is generally ranked second — though exact district-area rankings shift as boundaries are redrawn.
Why is Chagai famous?
For the Reko Diq copper-gold deposits and the Ras Koh hills, where Pakistan conducted its 1998 nuclear tests.
Which is the largest district of Punjab by area?
Bahawalpur is the largest district of Punjab by area.
 — home to Reko Diq and the 1998 nuclear test site.){kind=link}