Balochistan is a province in Pakistan, the largest in the country by geographical area. It contains most of the historical region of Balochistan and is named after the Baloch. Its neighbouring regions are Iranian Balochistan to the west, Afghanistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to the north and Punjab and Sindh to the east. To the south is the Arabian Sea. The principal languages in the province are Baluchi, Pashto, Brahui, and Persian. The capital and largest city is Quetta. Balochistan is believed to be rich in mineral resources. It is also a major supplier of natural gas to the country.
Balochistan, the largest province of Pakistan, lies between the latitudes 26O to 32 O and the longitudes 4 O to 70 O. It is situated at the eastern flank of Middle East and is strategically located closed to the sea, leading to the Persian Gulf. Afghanistan borders Balochistan in the north-west and in the west, Iran shares its boundaries. South of Balochistan has 760 Kms. long the Arabian Sea coastal-line. The boundaries of Balochistan meet the provinces of Sindh, Punjab, and N.W.F.P. in the south-east, north-east and north respectively.
One of the most exciting and exotic regions to explore in Pakistan is the Province of Baluchistan.Covering an area of 347190 sq. kms. it forms the largest province of Pakistan. It covers 44 percent of the land surface but has a population of only 4.5 million (around 4%); making it the least populated province of the country. About half of this population lives around Quetta, the provincial Capital of Baluchistan. To it’s north and west, thousands of kilometers of barren deserts and stark mountains form the borders with Iran and Southern Afghanistan while due east, it is divided from the rest of Pakistan by the Kirther and Sulaiman mountain ranges. Towards the south, along the Arabian Sea, stretch 600 kilometers of deserted sandy beaches of the Makran Coast. Most of Baluchistan lies outside the Monsoon System of weather therefore, the climate is extremely dry. The annual rainfall is of about 15 centimeters, and even less along the Makran Coast.
In terms of physical geography, Baluchistan has more in common with Western Asia than with the Sub-Continent. It’s wild & mysterious vistas of arid waste-lands, great deserts, and formidable mountain ranges of amazing rock formations (dramatically contoured and twisted by the earth’s violent geological movements) make it an exotic and dramatic area to visit. It’s dry climate combined with the natural geographical features make it one of the most daunting environments for successful human habitation. Therefore, it is sparsely populated. Many observers think that the region resembles the surface of the moon.
Baluchistan is populated by a tribal society of Nomadic and semi-Nomadic tribes. The most important are the Brahvis, Baluchis and Pathans who speak Brahvi, Baluchi and Pushto respectively. The north east of this Province receives rain and snowfall which support juniper forests, cultivated land and orchards, producing apples, almonds, apricots, peaches and grapes. Most of the people in central Baluchistan lead semi-nomadic life herding sheep, goat and camels, while others are subsistence farmers and labourers working in Punjab and Sind during winter months. A small portion of Baluchis also work in the Arabian-Gulf States. Some areas of the South, near the Makran Coast, are famous for growing 300 different varieties of dates.
Archaeological discoveries have confirmed that Baluchistan has been inhabited from the Stone Age of 50,000 years ago. The important Neolithic excavation-site at “Mehargarh” (7000-3000 B.C.) is the oldest in the Sub-Continent. Archaeologists believe that as early as 6000 B.C., farmers in the Bolan Valley were cultivating barely and wheat, thereby becoming probably the earliest humans to domesticate sheep and buffalo. Recent archaeological discoveries in the Ketch and Rakshan Valleys of Baluchistan have pushed the known history of this region even further back; almost to 9000 B.C.
Balochistan, the largest province of Pakistan, lies between the latitudes 26O to 32 O and the longitudes 4 O to 70 O. It is situated at the eastern flank of Middle East and is strategically located closed to the sea, leading to the Persian Gulf. Afghanistan borders Balochistan in the north-west and in the west, Iran shares its boundaries. South of Balochistan has 760 Kms. long the Arabian Sea coastal-line. The boundaries of Balochistan meet the provinces of Sindh, Punjab, and N.W.F.P. in the south-east, north-east and north respectively.
One of the most exciting and exotic regions to explore in Pakistan is the Province of Baluchistan.Covering an area of 347190 sq. kms. it forms the largest province of Pakistan. It covers 44 percent of the land surface but has a population of only 4.5 million (around 4%); making it the least populated province of the country. About half of this population lives around Quetta, the provincial Capital of Baluchistan. To it’s north and west, thousands of kilometers of barren deserts and stark mountains form the borders with Iran and Southern Afghanistan while due east, it is divided from the rest of Pakistan by the Kirther and Sulaiman mountain ranges. Towards the south, along the Arabian Sea, stretch 600 kilometers of deserted sandy beaches of the Makran Coast. Most of Baluchistan lies outside the Monsoon System of weather therefore, the climate is extremely dry. The annual rainfall is of about 15 centimeters, and even less along the Makran Coast.
In terms of physical geography, Baluchistan has more in common with Western Asia than with the Sub-Continent. It’s wild & mysterious vistas of arid waste-lands, great deserts, and formidable mountain ranges of amazing rock formations (dramatically contoured and twisted by the earth’s violent geological movements) make it an exotic and dramatic area to visit. It’s dry climate combined with the natural geographical features make it one of the most daunting environments for successful human habitation. Therefore, it is sparsely populated. Many observers think that the region resembles the surface of the moon.
Baluchistan is populated by a tribal society of Nomadic and semi-Nomadic tribes. The most important are the Brahvis, Baluchis and Pathans who speak Brahvi, Baluchi and Pushto respectively. The north east of this Province receives rain and snowfall which support juniper forests, cultivated land and orchards, producing apples, almonds, apricots, peaches and grapes. Most of the people in central Baluchistan lead semi-nomadic life herding sheep, goat and camels, while others are subsistence farmers and labourers working in Punjab and Sind during winter months. A small portion of Baluchis also work in the Arabian-Gulf States. Some areas of the South, near the Makran Coast, are famous for growing 300 different varieties of dates.
Archaeological discoveries have confirmed that Baluchistan has been inhabited from the Stone Age of 50,000 years ago. The important Neolithic excavation-site at “Mehargarh” (7000-3000 B.C.) is the oldest in the Sub-Continent. Archaeologists believe that as early as 6000 B.C., farmers in the Bolan Valley were cultivating barely and wheat, thereby becoming probably the earliest humans to domesticate sheep and buffalo. Recent archaeological discoveries in the Ketch and Rakshan Valleys of Baluchistan have pushed the known history of this region even further back; almost to 9000 B.C.
