Geography

An aerial view of Karachi's cityscape

Karachi is Pakistan's largest city and is the capital of Sindh; it lies on Pakistan's southern cost, on the Arabian Sea just northwest of the Indus River Delta . Originally a tiny fishing village, Karachi became a trading center in the 1700's. The British, after gaining control of the region in the 19th century, developed the city into an important port. Rapid growth came after Pakistan became independent in 1947, largely, because of the city having been historically the largest urban centre during British rule in regions forming modern Pakistan. Karachi was the national capital from 1947 until 1959. Over the next several decades it became one of the fastest growing cities in the world, doubling its population from 1981 to 1999.

• Climate

Full moon shines over the city

The climate of Karachi features an arid climate, albeit a moderate version of this climate. Karachi is located on the coast and as a result has a relatively mild climate. Karachi has two main seasons; Summer & Winter, while spring and autumn are very short. Summer season persists for longest period during the year. The level of precipitation is low for most of the year. Less precipitation during summer is due to inversion layer. Karachi also receives the monsoon rains from July to September. The city enjoys a tropical climate encompassing mild winters and warm summers. The humidity levels usually remain high from March to November, while very low in Winter as the wind direction in winter is North Easterly. Since summer temperatures (From the end of April till the end of August) are approximately 30 °C (86 °F) to 36 °C (97 °F), the winter months (From November till the end of March) are the best time to visit Karachi. Most visitors, tourists and expatriates come to Karachi during the month of December.