Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Karachi is located in the south of Pakistan in the province of Sindh. It sits on the coast of the Arabian Sea, northwest of India and the Indus River's delta. Due to its location, Karachi serves as a major port for Pakistan. Karachi's climate is mild most of the year, although summers can be very hot. According to UrbanPK.com, most tourists visit Karachi during the winter months.
Karachi is known as Pakistan's economic capital. According to UrbanPK.com, Karachi brings in 65 percent of the country's GDP. Pakistan's port handles goods from nearby landlocked countries like Afghanistan. Most of the country's banks are headquartered in Karachi. According to UrbanPK.com, many software and IT companies are setting up shop in Karachi. The city is home to numerous other industries such as cars, pharmaceuticals and iron.
For visitors to Karachi, there are numerous cultural attractions that are worth seeing. The National Museum of Pakistan features a two-million-year-old Stone Age axe, as well as historical artifacts from the country's independence. The Empress Market is a traditional bazaar with numerous stalls to wander through. There are also plenty of beaches in the area such as Clifton Beach. While not ideal for swimming, the beach is an interesting place to go people-watching.
According to UrbanPK.com, Karachi began as a fishing village but became an important trading port in the 1700s. The British captured the town and annexed it as part of the British Indian Empire in 1843. It remained under British control until 1947, when Pakistan gained its independence.
According to Lonely Planet, Karachi is not a destination many tourists visit any longer. It is home to many Al-Qaeda extremists and, following 9/11, attacks on Westerners became a problem. The city is also notorious for traffic, which makes getting around close to impossible sometimes. Karachi also struggles with poverty and power and water shortages.