Balochistan بلوچستان |
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Province | |||
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![]() Location of Balochistan |
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Coordinates: 27°42′N 65°42′E / 27.7°N 65.7°ECoordinates: 27°42′N 65°42′E / 27.7°N 65.7°E | |||
Country |
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Established | 14 August 1947 | ||
Provincial Capital | Quetta | ||
Largest city | Quetta, Turbat, Gwadar, Khuzdar, Loralai, Hub | ||
Government | |||
• Type | Province | ||
• Body | Provincial Assembly | ||
• Governor | Muhammad Khan Achakzai (PkMAP) | ||
• Chief Minister | Sanaullah Zehri (PML (N)) | ||
• Legislature | Unicameral (65 seats) | ||
• High Court | High Court of Balochistan | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 347,190 km2 (134,050 sq mi) | ||
Population (2014) | |||
• Total | 33,162,222 | ||
Demonym(s) | Balochistani | ||
Time zone | PKT (UTC+5) | ||
ISO 3166 code | PK-BA | ||
Provincial Assembly seats | 65 | ||
Districts | 32 | ||
Union Councils | 86 | ||
Website | www |
Provincial animal | Camel | ![]() |
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Provincial bird | MacQueen's bustard | ![]() |
Provincial tree | Date Palm | ![]() |
Provincial flower | Perovskia atriplicifolia | ![]() |
Balochistan (Balochi, Pashto, Urdu: بلوچِستان, Balōčistān, pronounced [bəloːt͡ʃɪst̪ɑːn]), is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the southwestern region of the country. Its provincial capital and largest city is Quetta. It shares borders with Punjab and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to the northeast, Sindh to the southeast, the Arabian Sea to the south, Iran to the west, and Afghanistan to the north.
The main ethnic groups in the province are the Baloch people and the Pashtuns, who constitute 46% and 42% of the population respectively according to the preliminary 2011 census; the remaining 12% comprises smaller communities of Brahui, Hazaras, Sindhis, Punjabis and other settlers such as the Uzbeks and Turkmens. The name Balochistan means "the land of the Baloch" in many regional languages. Although largely underdeveloped, the provincial economy is dominated by natural resources, especially its natural gas fields, which supply the entire country. Gwadar Port also plays a significant role in the economic development of the province.