The third largest province of Pakistan by area, and the second largest by population, Sindh is home to Pakistan’s largest city, with Karachi, with the third highest population in the world. The population of Sindh was recorded at around 47 million, and occupies a land area of 14.091 million ha (34.81 million acres), with a population density of around 340/km². The province forms the ‘lower Indus basin’ and covers 140,915 square kilometres. 

The province is divided into ‘Divisions’, namely Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas and Larkana with their respective districts, while two new divisions namely Banbore and Nawab Shah/Shaheed Benazirabad. These are then further divided into 29 districts, 6 of which are Karachi.

In terms of the GDP and economy, Sindh is the second largest economy in Pakistan, and its coastal ports play a large role in this, as well as its manufacturing industry and agriculture. The province has 2 sea ports, both located in Karachi, and contribute to its economic activity. 

Source: Pakistan Labour Force Survey 2010-2011

Literacy rates in Sindh, while improving are still low, with the difference between male and female literacy at 13%.

8% of the total area of the province is under the control of the Sindh Forest Department, which makes up 2.782 acres of the total land area, which includes the protected areas of mangroves and rangelands, which are an important ecological resource.

As the province relies heavily on the development of industries, as well as facing a rapid population increase, the electricity demand in the province is extremely high, and relies almost solely on fossil fuel energy to meet its demand.

The long term average precipitation, recorded over a period of 50 years from 1960 to 2010 was noted at 160 mm (Pakistan Meteorological department). The province is a drought prone area with occasional surplus extremes that result in floods. The province lies between two monsoons- the southwest monsoon from the Indian Ocean and the northeast or ‘retreating monsoon’ deflected toward it by the Himalayan Mountains. Sindh is in a subtropical region, meaning it is hot in the summer and cold in the winter, with temperatures frequently rising above 46 degrees between May and August, while a minimum of 2 degrees occurs during December and January.

The Indus is an important source of water for the province- of the total length of 2880 km of the Indus river, one third (about 944 km) transverses the province. Agriculture in the province, given the meager rainfall, relies heavily on the Indus for its sustenance. Cotton, rice, wheat and sugarcane are some of the major crops cultivated in the province.

Other than the seaports, the waters around Karachi are highly productive with rich marine biodiversity that contribute to the ocean economy.