Urban Sprawl in Karachi

Abstract

In the period of 1981to1998 massive flight of population was recorded in Karachi City from the central city to the outskirts. As a result central population density sharply fell and population density gradient adopted a gentle slope. Similarly during the period 2002 to 2012, massive rural lands in Karachi had been converted into urbanized lands. As a result first time overall population density of Karachi fell. These results indicate urban sprawl phenomenon in Karachi which was first identified in America in the 1950s. This paper is an attempt: a) to investigat e urban sprawl phenomenon in Karachi b) to evaluate how urban sprawl in Karachi is dissimilar to American cities c) to probe causes and impacts of sprawl in Karachi, and d) to analyse opinions of the city dwellers about the policies of dispersal and counter dis persal.