Template:/box-header <phonos file="Karachi_pronunciation.ogg">Karachi</phonos> (Sindhi: ڪراچي, Urdu: کراچی) is the largest city in Pakistan. It is the world's second largest city proper behind Mumbai in terms of population, which exceeds 10 million. In terms of metropolitan population, it is the twentieth largest city of the world, and is Pakistan's premier center of banking, industry, and trade. Karachi is also the home of Pakistan's largest corporations that are involved in entertainment, arts, fashion, advertising, publishing, software development, medical research. It also serves as a major hub of higher education in South Asia, and the wider Islamic World.
Karachi's prominent position, due to its geographical location on a bay, makes it the financial capital of the country. It is one of the fastest growing cities of the South Asia. It was the original capital of Pakistan until the construction of Islamabad, and is the location of Karachi Port, one of the region's largest and busiest ports. The city's population increased dramatically after the partition of British India forced hundreds of thousands of Urdu speaking "Mohajirs" (Refugees from India) to settle in the city. Since independence from Britain in 1947, the city's vibrant economy has attracted migrants from all over Pakistan, surrounding countries such as Iran, Tajikistan, Burma, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and further beyond. Despite a history of political turmoil, the city continues to attract those seeking prosperity and has shown consistent growth.
Karachi is spread over 3,530 km² (1,363 sq mi) in area. It is locally known as the "City of Lights" (روشنين جو شهر) for its liveliness, and the "City of the Quaid" (شهرِ قائد), having been the birth and burial place of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, who also made the city his home after Pakistan's independence.
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Lyari River (Urdu:لیاری ندی) is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and drains into the Arabian Sea at the Monora channel. It is one of the two rivers of Karachi, the other one being Malir River. The river is about 50 kilometres (30 miles) long. As a seasonal river it carrys the collected water after the rains in the catchment area. Until 1950s, the river held clean water and fish, with farming activities on its banks. However, after the independence of Pakistan from British colonialism in 1947, when Karachi was announced as the capital city of the new country, a large influx of refugees from various Indian states as well as from other provinces of Pakistan came to live in the city. With rapid growth of the city's economy, industry, and population, the river's ecology was transformed and it gradually continued to discharge waste water, sewage and industrial effluents. The project, Lyari Expressway comprises a 16.5 kilometre (10¼ mile) stretch of elevated expressway running along both sides of the river, cutting through the city to Karachi Port, as an extension/alternative to the Northern Bypass. (More...)
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