POPULATION CENSUS ORGANIZATION, PAKISTAN

Introduction
The census organization was established in 1950 as a part and parcel of Ministry of Home
Affairs and first three censuses were conducted by this organization while working under that
Ministry. After 1972 Census, Census Organization was established on a permanent footing and
was made an attached department of Ministry of Interior, so as to maintain expertise, experience
and continuity, which used to be lost after every census as was the case in 1951 and 1961. With
the creation of Registration organization in 1973, as an attached department of Ministry of
Interior and also headed by Census Commissioner, both the departments were merged in 1976 to
be called Census & Registration Organization. In March 1978, the Census & Registration
Organization was split into two separate departments and Population Census Organization was
placed under the Statistics Division, which remains as such thereafter.
Functions of PCO
1. Planning and execution of decennial Population & Housing Census.
2. Processing and dissemination of data in the form of Census Reports.
3. Analysis of census data and demographic research.
4. Evaluation of census results.
5. Intercensal sample studies/surveys in related areas.
6. Supply of census data to the data users.
7. Tabulation of data to meet specific demand of data users.
History of Census
Pakistan has a long history of Census taking and the first regular Population Census in the area
now comprising Pakistan was held in 1881. Since then regular censuses have been conducted
after every ten years in the year ending at one. After independence, the first census of Pakistan
was conducted in 1951; the second in 1961 while the third census was held in 1972 instead of
1971 due to political environment in the country and war with India. The fourth census was held
in March 1981 and fifth one, which was due in 1991, could be held in March 1998 due to
specific circumstances.
Census Methodology
There is two approaches of census enumeration:
(a) De-jure in which persons are counted at their usual place of residence and
(b) De-fecto in which persons are counted where they are found on the census data. In 1998
census both the approaches were applied simultaneously during enumeration, but the data was
tabulated and published on de-jure basis for comparability of data over time. The census is
undertaken with the legal cover of Census Ordinance, 1959 amended from time to time.
The Census Ordinance, 1959
Ordinance No. X of 1959
[21st March, 1959]

DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS - 1998 CENSUS

Indicators
Area(Sq. Kms)
Population (in thousand)
Male ( % )
Female ( % )

Pakistan NWFP* FATA# Punjab Sindh Balochistn Islamabad

20534 14091
796096 74521 27220
5
4 347190
906
132352 17744 3176 73621 30440
52.03 51.22 52.01 51.74 52.88
47.97 48.78 47.99 48.26 47.12

6566
53.40
46.60

805
53.93
46.07

Urban Proportion

32.50

16.87

2.70 31.27 48.75

23.90

65.70

Population Density(Persons per Sq. Km)

166.3

238.1 116.7 358.5 216.0

18.9

880.8

Sex Ratio

108.5

105.0 108.4 107.2 112.2

114.6

117.0

2.80

2.47

5.19

Avg. Annual Growth Rate(1981-98)

2.69

2.82

2.19

2.64

Population Under 15 (%)

43.40

47.20 25.90 42.52 42.76

46.67

37.90

Population 15 - 64 Years (%)

53.09

49.79 24.30 53.46 54.47

50.81

59.38

Population 65 & Above (%)

3.50

2.77

2.52

2.73

Age Dependency Ratio

88.34 100.83 114.00 87.07 83.58

96.79

68.42

Literacy Ratio (10 +)

Male
Female

43.92
54.81
32.02

35.41 17.42 46.56 45.29

51.39 29.51 57.20 54.50
18.82 3.00 35.10 34.78

24.83
34.03
14.09

72.88
80.64
62.39

Enrolment Ratio (5 - 24)

Male
Female

35.98
41.19
30.35

31.46
40.99
21.30

- 39.38 32.78
- 43.83 37.35
- 34.63 27.70

23.53
29.49
60.40

57.50
57.70
57.30

Economically Active Population

22.24

19.41

- 22.55 22.75

24.05

23.00

Labour Force Participation Rate (10 +

31.98

29.09

- 31.98 32.73

36.45

30.68

Un-employment Rate

19.68

26.83

- 19.10 14.43

33.48

15.70

2.54

2.12

2.23

1.05

Disabled Population (%)

3.01

1.80

4.02

2.48

3.05

AREA, POPULATION, DENSITY AND URBAN/RURAL PROPORTION BY

ADMN. UNITS
Area
Administrative Unit
(Sq. Km.)
PAKISTAN
NWFP
FATA
PUNJAB
SINDH
BALOCHISTAN
ISLAMABAD

1998 Population Population

..........Proportion...........
Number
Density per
Urban
Rural
Percentage
Sq. Km.

796096

13235227 100.0
9
0

166.3

32.5

67.5

74521

17743645 13.41

238.1

16.9

83.1

27220

3176331

2.40

116.7

2.7

97.3

205345

73621290 55.63

358.5

31.3

68.7

140914

30439893 23.00

216.0

48.8

51.2

347190

6565885

4.96

18.9

23.9

76.1

906

805235

0.61

888.8

65.7

34.3

Simple bar chart of Area in (Sq. Km.) of each province

POPULATION BY PROVINCE/REGION SINCE 1951

Province /
Region
Pakistan
Rural
Urban
NWFP
Rural
Urban
FATA
Rural
Urban
Punjab
Rural
Urban
Sindh
Rural
Urban
Balochistan
Rural
Urban
Islamabad
Rural
Urban

1951
33,740,167
27,754,670
5,985,497
4,556,545
4,051,800
504,745
1,332,005
1,332,005
20,540,762
16,972,686
3,568,076
6,047,748
4,279,621
1,768,127
1,167,167
1,022,618
144,549
95,940
95,940
-

1961
42,880,378
33,225,806
9,654,572
5,730,991
4,972,475
758,516
1,847,195
1,822,547
24,648
25,463,974
19,988,052
5,475,922
8,367,065
5,200,047
3,167,018
1,353,484
1,125,016
228,468
117,669
117,669
-

Population
1972
65,309,340
48,715,689
16,593,651
8,388,551
7,192,896
1,195,655
2,491,230
2,477,930
13,300
37,607,423
28,424,728
9,182,695
14,155,909
8,430,133
5,725,776
2,428,678
2,029,094
399,584
237,549
160,908
76,641

1981
84,253,644
60,412,173
23,841,471
11,061,328
9,395,675
1,665,653
2,198,547
2,198,547
47,292,441
34,240,795
13,051,646
19,028,666
10,785,630
8,243,036
4,332,376
3,655,604
676,772
340,286
135,922
204,364

1998
132,352,279
89,315,875
43,036,404
17,743,645
14,749,561
2,994,084
3,176,331
3,090,858
85,473
73,621,290
50,602,265
23,019,025
30,439,893
15,600,031
14,839,862
6,565,885
4,997,105
1,568,780
805,235
276,055
529,180

Componenet bar chart of Urban & rural population from 1951 to 1998

POPULATION SIZE AND GROWTH OF MAJOR CITIES

Population of 1998
City
KARACHI
LAHORE
FAISALABAD
RAWALPINDI
MULTAN
HYDERABAD
GUJRANWALA
PESHAWAR
QUETTA
ISLAMABAD
SARGODHA
SIALKOT
BAHAWALPUR
SUKKUR
JHANG M.C
SHEIKHUPURA
LARKANA
GUJRAT
MARDAN

Househol
ds
1,368,056
722,319
274,027
212,429
160,232
174,159
148,587
119,515
65,677
86,575
66,156
57,445
55,552
43,643
42,059
36,876
36,693
35,688
29,116

Both
Both
Sexes
Male
Female
Sexes
9,339,023 5,029,900 4,309,123 9,339,023
5,143,495 2,707,220 2,436,275 5,143,495
2,008,861 1,053,085 955,776 2,008,861
1,409,768 750,530
659,238 1,409,768
1,197,384 637,911
559,473 1,197,384
1,166,894 612,283
554,611 1,166,894
1,132,509 588,512
543,997 1,132,509
982,816 521,901
460,915 982,816
565,137 307,759
257,378 565,137
529,180 290,717
238,463 529,180
458,440 239,837
218,603 458,440
421,502 227,398
194,104 421,502
408,395 222,228
186,167 408,395
335,551 175,679
159,872 335,551
293,366 153,123
140,243 293,366
280,263 146,739
133,524 280,263
270,283 140,622
129,661 270,283
251,792 128,524
123,268 251,792
245,926 129,247
116,679 245,926

1981-1998
Avg.
Houshold Avg.Anual
Size
Growth Rate
6.83
3.49
7.12
3.32
7.33
3.58
6.64
3.43
7.47
2.93
6.70
2.62
7.62
3.79
8.22
3.29
8.60
4.09
6.11
5.76
6.93
2.70
7.34
1.99
7.35
4.93
7.69
3.38
6.98
2.41
7.60
4.11
7.37
4.69
7.06
2.89
8.45
3.03

POPULATION BY SELECTIVE AGE GROUPS

ministrative
it
less than5 Years less than10 Years less than15 Years 18 Years and above 15 to 64 Years 65 Years and ab
kistan
14.80
30.45
43.40
51.25
53.09
3.50
Rural
15.69
32.18
45.06
50.05
51.16
3.78
Urban
13.00
26.98
40.07
53.66
56.98
2.94
WFP
16.25
33.29
47.20
47.25
49.79
3.01
Rural
16.68
34.10
48.05
46.39
48.84
3.11
Urban
14.17
29.27
43.00
50.76
54.51
2.49
njab
14.24
29.48
42.52
52.00
53.46
4.02
Rural
14.90
30.73
43.62
51.33
52.01
4.36
Urban
12.77
26.74
40.10
53.5
56.62
3.28
dh
15.00
30.50
42.76
52.21
54.47
2.77
Rural
16.94
34.21
46.10
49.95
50.99
2.92
Urban
12.95
26.61
39.25
54.59
58.13
2.61
uchistan
16.64
34.01
46.67
48.69
50.81
2.52
Rural
17.09
35.02
47.72
47.79
49.63
2.65
Urban
15.20
30.82
43.31
51.58
54.59
2.10
amabad
11.93
25.04
37.90
55.43
59.38
2.73
Rural
13.38
27.73
41.23
52.06
55.79
2.98
Urban
11.17
23.63
36.16
57.19
61.25
2.60

PIE CHART OF POPULATION BY SELECTIVE AGE GROUPS

LITERACY RATIO BY SEX 1981 & 1998

Administrative

1998-Census

1981 Census

Unit

Both Sexes Male Female

Pakistan

Both Sexes Male Female

Rural
Urban

43.92
33.64
63.08

54.81
46.38
70.00

32.02
20.09
55.16

26.17
17.33
47.12

35.05
26.24
55.32

15.99
7.33
37.27

Rural
Urban

35.41
31.29
54.33

51.39
47.65
67.48

18.82
14.69
39.10

16.7
13.18
35.77

25.85
21.73
46.96

6.48
3.82
21.88

Rural
Urban

17.42
16.80
39.27

29.51
28.59
59.69

3.00
2.75
12.01

6.38
6.38
_

10.93
10.93
_

0.79
0.79
_

Rural
Urban

46.56
37.95
64.48

57.20
50.40
70.94

35.10
24.78
57.23

27.42
20.01
46.72

36.82
29.56
55.23

16.81
9..38
36.72

Rural
Urban

45.29
25.73
63.72

54.50
37.89
69.75

34.78
12.23
56.66

31.45
15.57
50.77

39.74
24.54
55.77

21.64
5.21
44.23

Rural
Urban

24.83
17.47
46.86

34.03
25.75
58.14

14.09
7.94
33.08

10.32
6.18
32.16

15.20
9.82
42.42

4.32
1.75
18.54

Rural
Urban

72.88
62.52
77.25

80.64
75.09
83.20

62.39
48.78
69.68

47.8
32.5
57.60

59.10
48.10
68.80

33.50
17.70
46.80

NWFP

FATA

Punjab

Sindh

Balochistan

Islamabad

EDUCATED POPULATION BY LEVEL OF EDUCATION

BA/BSc MA/MSc
&
&
Others
Equivalent Equivalent
0.41
4.38
1.58 0.44
0.23
1.96
0.75 0.40
0.58
6.78
2.40 0.48
0.40
3.43
1.56 0.54
0.29
2.40
1.12 0.50
0.68
6.12
2.74 0.66
0.32
3.23
1.07 0.28
0.19
1.51
0.44 0.24
0.48
5.33
1.82 0.32
0.61
7.43
2.65 0.58
0.34
3.54
1.80 0.51
0.72
8.90
2.97 0.60
0.47
4.43
2.37 2.49
0.33
2.67
1.23 3.17
0.62
6.33
3.59 1.76
0.69
10.26
5.24 0.41
0.35
2.88
1.10 0.21
0.83
13.21
6.90 0.49

Administrative Below
Inter- Diploma/
Primary Middle Matric
Unit
Primary
mediate Certificate
Pakistan
Rural
Urban
NWFP
Rural
Urban
Punjab
Rural
Urban
Sindh
Rural
Urban
Balochistan
Rural
Urban
Islamabad
Rural
Urban

18.30
22.57
14.06
19.78
22.05
13.82
19.16
22.92
14.58
15.56
21.36
13.37
19.23
23.00
15.16
14.05
22.46
10.70

30.14
34.88
25.45
29.64
31.50
24.75
31.73
35.65
26.96
27.13
36.46
23.61
25.91
28.56
23.06
22.68
29.96
19.78

20.90
20.25
21.54
19.94
19.74
20.48
21.81
21.38
22.33
19.20
15.19
20.71
20.05
19.44
20.72
18.91
22.29
17.56

17.29
14.71
19.85
18.61
17.45
21.64
16.78
14.07
20.09
17.84
14.28
19.19
18.58
16.94
20.33
17.90
15.45
18.88

6.56
4.24
8.86
6.09
4.94
9.11
5.63
3.60
8.09
9.00
6.53
9.93
6.48
4.66
8.43
9.84
5.30
11.65

SIMPLE BAR CHART OF EDUCATED POPULATION BY LEVEL

POPULATION BY RELIGION

Administrative

Muslim Christian Hindu Qadiani

Scheduled Others

Unit
Pakistan
Rural
Urban

96.28
96.49
95.84

1.59
1.10
2.59

(Jati) (Ahmadi)
1.60
0.22
1.80
0.18
1.16
0.29

Castes
0.25
0.34
0.06

0.07
0.08
0.06

Rural
Urban

99.44
99.65
98.42

0.21
0.03
1.06

0.03
*
0.11

0.24
0.22
0.31

*
*
0.01

0.08
0.08
0.09

Rural
Urban

99.6
99.63
98.16

0.07
0.04
1.17

0.03
0.03
0.32

0.21
0.21
0.10

0.03
0.03
.007

0.07
0.06
0.23

Rural
Urban

97.21
97.66
96.25

2.31
1.87
3.27

0.13
0.15
0.06

0.25
0.19
0.37

0.03
0.05
0.02

0.07
0.08
0.03

Rural
Urban

91.31
88.12
94.67

0.97
0.14
1.84

6.51
9.77
3.08

0.14
0.12
0.17

0.99
1.79
0.14

0.08
0.06
0.10

Rural
Urban

98.75
99.42
96.61

0.40
0.06
1.49

0.49
0.15
1.58

0.15
0.14
0.16

0.10
0.12
0.05

0.10
0.10
0.10

95.53
4.07
Rural 98.80
0.94
Urban 93.83
5.70
Refers to a very small proportion.

0.02
*
0.03

0.34
0.23
0.40

*
*
*

0.03
0.03
0.03

NWFP

FATA

Punjab

Sindh

Balochistan

Islamabad

POPULATION BY MOTHER TONGUE

Administrative

Urdu

Punjabi Sindhi Pushto Balochi Saraiki Others

Unit
Pakistan
Rural
Urban
NWFP
Rural
Urban
Punjab
Rural
Urban
Sindh
Rural
Urban
Balochistan
Rural
Urban
Islamabad
Rural
Urban
FATA
Rural
Urban

7.57
1.48
20.22
0.78
0.24
3.47
4.51
1.99
10.05
21.05
1.62
41.48
0.97
0.21
3.42
10.11
2.33
14.18
0.18
0.18
0.18

44.15
42.51
47.56
0.97
0.24
4.58
75.23
73.63
78.75
6.99
2.68
11.52
2.52
0.43
9.16
71.66
83.74
65.36
0.23
0.18
1.85

14.1
16.46
9.20
0.04
0.02
0.11
0.13
0.15
0.09
59.73
92.02
25.79
5.58
5.27
6.57
0.56
0.08
0.81
0.01
0.01
*

15.42
18.06
9.94
73.9
73.98
73.55
1.16
0.87
1.81
4.19
0.61
7.96
29.64
32.16
21.61
9.52
7.62
10.51
99.1
99.15
97.00

3.57
3.99
2.69
0.01
0.01
0.03
0.66
0.90
0.14
2.11
1.50
2.74
54.76
57.55
45.84
0.06
0.02
0.08
0.04
0.04
*

10.53
12.97
5.46
3.86
3.99
3.15
17.36
21.44
8.38
1.00
0.32
1.71
2.42
1.87
4.16
1.11
0.3
1.53
-

PIE CHART OF POPULATION BY MOTHER TONGUE

LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATES

4.66
4.53
4.93
20.43
21.52
15.11
0.95
1.02
0.78
4.93
1.25
8.80
4.11
2.51
9.24
6.98
5.91
7.53
0.45
0.43
0.96

Administrative

Total

Labour Force Participation Rate-1998

1981

Unit
Pakistan

Labour Force Both Sexes

28,734,533
31.98
Rural
18,677,566
31.94
Urban
10,056,967
32.07

Male
59.24
60.19
57.53

Female
2.23
1.88
2.89

NWFP
Rural
Urban

3,443,432
2,805,229
638,203

29.09
28.86
30.13

55.52
56.22
52.55

1.64
1.12
4.18

26.3
26.5
24.7

Rural
Urban

16,602,907
5,337,918
11,264,989

31.98
31.65
32.14

59.76
57.77
60.75

2.06
2.38
1.90

27.8
25.5
28.7

Rural
Urban

6,923,766
3,342,209
3,581,557

32.73
32.56
32.88

58.83
59.66
58.07

2.96
2.51
3.39

27.7
29.4
25.4

Baluchistan
Rural
Urban

1,579,215
1,208,818
370,397

36.45
37.23
34.13

65.88
67.8
60.29

2.07
2.04
2.18

27.6
28.5
22.3

185,213
56,321
128,892

30.68
28.23
31.89

51.89
52.35
51.68

5.01
1.86
6.70

27.3
26.1
28.2

Punjab

Sindh

Islamabad
Rural
Urban

Census
27.6
28.5
25.4

Labour Force Participation Rate : It is the percentage of economically active population

to the total population aged 10 years and above.

UN-EMPLOYMENT RATES
Administrative
Unit
Pakistan

1998-Census
Both Sexes
Male
19.68

20.19

Female

1981
Census

5.05

3.1

Rural
Urban
NWFP
Rural
Urban
Punjab
Rural
Urban
Sindh
Rural
Urban
Balochistan
Rural
Urban
Islamabad
Rural
Urban

19.98
19.13
26.83
28.16
21.00
19.10
18.60
20.10
14.43
11.95
16.75
33.48
35.26
27.67
15.70
28.70
10.10

20.40
19.77
27.51
28.64
22.34
19.60
19.00
20.7
14.86
12.26
17.31
34.14
35.92
28.33
16.80
29.40
11.00

5.50
4.49
2.58
4.00
0.74
5.50
6.00
4.70
4.69
3.70
5.40
8.67
9.81
5.35
1.70
8.20
0.80

2.3
5.2
2.2
2.0
3.7
3.2
2.5
5.0
3.3
1.6
5.8
3.1
3.0
4.0
10.7
13.5
9.0

Un-Employment Rate:- It is the percentage of persons un-employed (those looking for

work and temporary laid off) to the total economically active population (10 years& above)

POPULATION (15 YEARS AND ABOVE) BY

MARITAL STATUS

Administrative
Unit

Total
Population

Pakistan

Marital Status (Percentage)

Never
Currentl Widowed Divorced
y
Married Married

73,111,20

31.22

63.04

5.40

0.34

47,373,57

28.47

65.58

5.60

0.36

25,737,62

36.28

58.38

5.03

0.31

9,368,54

30.78

64.72

4.35

0.15

7,661,90

29.64

65.75

4.45

0.15

1,706,64

35.88

60.13

3.90

0.12

42,317,25

31.84

61.76

5.95

0.45

28,529,18

29.86

63.36

6.28

0.50

13,789,07

35.94

58.44

5.28

0.34

17,423,66

30.62

64.11

5.04

0.23

8,408,94

23.49

71.31

5.06

0.14

9,014,71

37.26

57.39

5.03

0.31

3,501,65

27.27

69.12

3.47

0.14

2,612,31

25.50

71.08

3.31

0.11

889,34

32.48

63.37

3.92

0.23

500,08

35.48

60.24

4.02

0.26

162,23

34.33

60.25

5.14

0.28

337,85

36.03

60.24

3.48

0.25

1
Rural
6
Urban
5
NWFP
9
Rural
0
Urban
9
Punjab
4
Rural
4
Urban
0
Sindh
1
Rural
7
Urban
4
Baluchistan
3
Rural
2
Urban
1
Islamabad
4
Rural
3
Urban
1

ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS BY PROVINCES/REGION

Province/
Region

District Tehsil/ Mauza/

Urban Localities
Taluka Deh/ Total Metro/
Mun.
Town CantonVillage
M.Corp. Commtt. Commtt. ment

NWFP

24

62

7326

55

30

13

11

Punjab

34

121

25873

245

78

141

18

Sindh

20

88

5875

163

31

116

Balochistan

26

118

6584

46

14

28

Islamabad

132

FATA

42

2559

112

432

48349

515

19

153

303

40

Total