Taunsa District

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Taunsa District
{{Nastaliq|ضِلع تونسا,تونسہ دمگ}}

| native_name =

| settlement_type = District of Punjab

| other_name =

| image_skyline = Beautiful view of the mountains from Fort Munro 05.jpg

| image_caption = Mountains viewed from Fort Munro

| image_map = Pakistan - Punjab - Taunsa.svg

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{PAK}}

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_name1 = {{flagicon|Punjab, Pakistan}} Punjab

| subdivision_type2 = Division

| subdivision_name2 = Dera Ghazi Khan

| subdivision_type4 = Union councils

| subdivision_name4 = 13

| seat_type = Headquarters

| seat = Taunsa Sharif

| government_footnotes =

| government_type = District Administration

| leader_party =

| leader_title = Deputy Commissioner

| leader_name = Shahid Zaman Lak

| leader_title1 = District Police Officer

| leader_name1 = N/A

| leader_title2 = District Health Officer

| leader_name2 = Dr. Muhammad Ahsan

| area_total_km2 = 8,108

| population_as_of = 2023

| population_footnotes =

| population_note =

| population_total = 1,045,460

| population_density_km2 = auto

| coordinates = {{coord|30|42|20|N|70|39|28|E|display=

inline}}

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m =

| timezone = PST

| utc_offset = +5

| timezone_DST = PDT

| utc_offset_DST = +6

| postal_code_type = Post code

| postal_code = 32100

| area_code =

| footnotes =

| name =

| established_title = Established

| established_date =

| blank1_name_sec1 = Number of Tehsils

| blank1_info_sec1 = 35

| demographics1_title1 = Main language(s)

| demographics1_info1 =

| website =

}}

Taunsa District (Punjabi:{{Nastaliq|تونسہ دمگ }}) is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It was created in 2022 from part of Dera Ghazi Khan district, and was officially notified in 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-21 |title=Kot Addu, Taunsa notified as districts in DG Khan Division |url=https://www.nation.com.pk/21-Dec-2024/kot-addu-taunsa-notified-as-districts-in-dg-khan-division |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=The Nation |language=en-US}} It is situated on the bank of River Indus. It consists of three tehsils: Koh-e-Suleman, Taunsa and Vehowa.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=December 22, 2022 |title=Taunsa’s district status approved |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2392292/taunsas-district-status-approved |access-date=December 19, 2024 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}} The eastern part of district consists of fertile plaines irrigated by River Indus and its canal systems, while the western half comprises mountains of Koh e Sulaiman range.

History

The region around Taunsa district was an ancient settlement and remained a village or town earlier to 21st century. The region was conquered by Arab Umayyads in 8th century CE spreading Islam in the region. After Baloch Civil War in 14th century Baloch tribes settled in waves in Taunsa and the adjoining mountain range. Taunsa Sharif was part of the Khanate of Kalat from 1717 to 1795, and later controlled by Afghans before being surrendered to the Sikh Empire in 1819. Sakhani (a Baloch tribe was ruler,who pledged allegiance to the Maharaja, before arrival of British rule which made them semi autonomous as part of British divide and rule policy.

==Demography==

{{Historical populations

|1951 |…

|1961 |…

|1972 |…

|1981 |…

|1998 |491882

|2017 |890437

|2023 |1045460

|align=left

|percentages=pagr

|footnote=Sources:{{cite web |title=Population by administrative units 1951-1998 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/1998/administrative_units.pdf |publisher = Pakistan Bureau of Statistics}}

}}

As of the 2023 census, Taunsa district has 161,806 households and a population of 1,045,460.{{cite web |title=7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 20 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/punjab/dcr/table_20.pdf |website=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics}} The district has a sex ratio of 104.69 males to 100 females and a literacy rate of 53.05%: 64.59% for males and 40.81% for females.{{cite web |title=7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 1 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/punjab/dcr/table_1.pdf |website=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics}}{{cite web |title=7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 12 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_12_punjab_district.pdf |website=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics}} 353,488 (33.83% of the surveyed population) are under 10 years of age.{{cite web |title=7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 5 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/punjab/dcr/table_5.pdf |website=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics |publisher=}} 158,122 (15.12%) live in urban areas.

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ Religion in Taunsa District ! rowspan="2" \|Religion ! colspan="2" \|1941{{cite web \|title=CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI PUNJAB PROVINCE \|url=https://www.jstor.org/site/south-asia-open-archives/saoa/censusofindia1941-28216851/ \|access-date=21 July 2022}}{{rp\|62-63}}{{efn\|1941 figures are for Taunsa and part of De-Excluded Area tehsil of erstwhile Dera Ghazi Khan District, which roughly corresponds to the present-day district. Population corresponding to de-excluded area was computed based on population of area remaining in the district after the formation of Rajanpur district, with ratios of religions assumed to be the same. Historic district borders may not be an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.}} ! colspan="2" \|2017{{cite web \|title=District Wise Results / Tables (Census - 2017) \|url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/census-2017-district-wise \|website=www.pbscensus.gov.pk \|publisher=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics}} ! colspan="2" \|2023{{cite web \|title=7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 9 \|url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/punjab/dcr/table_9.pdf \|website=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics}}
{{abbr\|Pop.\|Population}} !{{Abbr\|%\|percentage}} !{{abbr\|Pop.\|Population}} !{{Abbr\|%\|percentage}} !{{abbr\|Pop.\|Population}} !{{Abbr\|%\|percentage}}
Islam 15px \| 133,302 \|91.70% \|890,172 \|99.97% \|1,042,464 \|99.76%
Hinduism 15px{{efn\|name=ad-dharmi\|1941 census: Including Ad-Dharmis}} \|12,019 \|8.27% \|50 \|0.01% \|28 \|~0%
Christianity 15px \|6 \|~0% \|20 \|~0% \|2,189 \|0.21%
Ahmadi \|{{N/a}} \|{{N/a}} \|175 \|0.02% \|216 \|0.02%
Others{{efn\|Including Jainism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, or not stated}} \|36 \|0.03% \|20 \|~0% \|40 \|0.01%
Total Population ! 145,363 !{{Percentage\|133585\|133585\|2}} !890,437 !{{Percentage\|1347501\|1347501\|2}} !1,044,937 !100%

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Religion in Taunsa District

! rowspan="2" |Religion

! colspan="2" |1941{{cite web |title=CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI PUNJAB PROVINCE |url=https://www.jstor.org/site/south-asia-open-archives/saoa/censusofindia1941-28216851/ |access-date=21 July 2022}}{{rp|62-63}}{{efn|1941 figures are for Taunsa and part of De-Excluded Area tehsil of erstwhile Dera Ghazi Khan District, which roughly corresponds to the present-day district. Population corresponding to de-excluded area was computed based on population of area remaining in the district after the formation of Rajanpur district, with ratios of religions assumed to be the same.

Historic district borders may not be an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases.}}

! colspan="2" |2017{{cite web |title=District Wise Results / Tables (Census - 2017) |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/census-2017-district-wise |website=www.pbscensus.gov.pk |publisher=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics}}

! colspan="2" |2023{{cite web |title=7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 9 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/punjab/dcr/table_9.pdf |website=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}

!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}

Islam 15px

| 133,302

|91.70%

|890,172

|99.97%

|1,042,464

|99.76%

Hinduism 15px{{efn|name=ad-dharmi|1941 census: Including Ad-Dharmis}}

|12,019

|8.27%

|50

|0.01%

|28

|~0%

Christianity 15px

|~0%

|20

|~0%

|2,189

|0.21%

Ahmadi

|{{N/a}}

|175

|0.02%

|216

|0.02%

Others{{efn|Including Jainism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, or not stated}}

|36

|0.03%

|20

|~0%

|40

|0.01%

Total Population

! 145,363

!{{Percentage|133585|133585|2}}

!890,437

!{{Percentage|1347501|1347501|2}}

!1,044,937

!100%

= Language =

{{Pie chart

|thumb = left

|caption = Languages of Taunsa district (2023)

|label1 = Saraiki |value1 = 66.79 |color1 = firebrick

|label2 = Balochi |value2 = 31.18 |color2 = mediumaquamarine

|label3 = Pashto |value3 = 1.19 |color3 = lightgreen

|label4 = Others |value4 = 0.8 |color4 = grey

}}

At the time of the 2023 census, 66.79 of the population spoke Saraiki, 31.18 Balochi and 1.19% Pashto as their first language.{{cite web |title=7th Population and Housing Census - Detailed Results: Table 11 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/punjab/dcr/table_11.pdf |website=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics}}

Administration

The district is administratively subdivided into three tehsils.

class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers static-row-header-hash"

!Tehsil[http://www.ecp.gov.pk/content/District.html Divisions/Districts of Pakistan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060930093025/http://www.ecp.gov.pk/content/District.html|date=2006-09-30}} Note: Although divisions as an administrative structure has been abolished, the election commission of Pakistan still groups districts under the division names

!Area

(km²){{Cite web |title=TABLE 1 : AREA, POPULATION BY SEX, SEX RATIO, POPULATION DENSITY, URBAN POPULATION, HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND ANNUAL GROWTH RATE, CENSUS-2023, PUNJAB |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/punjab/dcr/table_1.pdf}}

!Pop.

(2023)

!Density

(ppl/km²)

(2023)

!Literacy rate

(2023){{Cite web |title=LITERACY RATE, ENROLMENT AND OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION BY SEX AND RURAL/URBAN, CENSUS-2023 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_12_punjab_districts.pdf}}

!Union Councils

Koh-e-Suleman

|5,339

|248,683

|46.58

|36.04%

Taunsa

|2,769

|796,777

|287.75

|57.96%

|...

Vehowa

|...

References

Category:Districts of Punjab, Pakistan

Category:Taunsa District