Pakistan is home to one of the world's youngest and most rapidly expanding populations.

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: With a median age of just 19, Pakistan stands as a youthful giant on the global stage. Since 1951, its population has surged more than sevenfold, reaching over 247 million. This demographic shift is reshaping the nation, fueling the rise of massive urban centers and complex social dynamics.

The 2023 census confirmed that Pakistan’s population has reached 247,541,947, cementing its status as the fifth-most populous nation globally. This growth is driven by high fertility rates, which were estimated at 3.5 in 2022, alongside declining mortality. Consequently, the country remains in the third stage of its demographic transition, characterized by a youthful profile where over 40% of residents were under 15 years old as of the 2017 census.

Urbanization is transforming the landscape, though the country remains predominantly rural. While the urban population tripled between 1981 and 2017, nearly 65% of Pakistanis still lived in rural areas at the time of the 2017 count. Today, the nation is anchored by two major megacities: Karachi, with 18.9 million residents, and Lahore, with 13 million. These hubs serve as vital centers for commerce, though they also reflect the uneven distribution of people across the country's provinces.

The nation’s social fabric is defined by deep diversity, hosting dozens of ethnolinguistic groups and languages. While Urdu serves as the national lingua franca, Punjabi, Pashto, and Sindhi remain the most widely spoken mother tongues. Beyond its citizens, Pakistan has long been a destination for displaced people, including an estimated 1.4 million refugees as of mid-2021. Despite this complexity, the country faces significant challenges, including a lack of a comprehensive vital registration system, which complicates the tracking of births and deaths.

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