# Peshawar

> capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan

**Wikidata**: [Q1113311](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1113311)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshawar)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/peshawar

## Summary
Peshawar is a large human settlement and city classified as an administrative territorial entity, serving as the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It functions as a major urban center ("big city") and is the administrative capital of Peshawar District, located in the northern region of the country.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Peshawar is defined as a city, an administrative territorial entity, a big city, and a large human settlement.
- **Capital Status:** It is the current capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (since July 1, 1970) and Peshawar District. It previously served as the capital of the North-West Frontier Province (starting November 9, 1901).
- **Location:** Situated in Pakistan since August 15, 1947; formerly part of British Raj (1849–1947), Sikh Empire (1834–1849), and Durrani Empire (1747–1834). It has been located in Peshawar District since 1849.
- **Geography:** The city covers an area of 1,257 square kilometres and sits at an elevation of 359 metres above sea level. Its coordinates are 34.01444°N latitude and 71.5675°E longitude.
- **Population:** The population was recorded as 1,970,042 in 2017, up from 982,816 in 1998. Historical census data includes 566,000 (1981), 273,000 (1972), 218,000 (1961), 152,000 (1951), and 173,000 (1941).
- **Timezone:** Peshawar operates on UTC+05:00.
- **Government:** The current head of government is Haji Ghulam Ali.
- **Demonyms:** Residents are known as "Peshawari," "Peŝavarano," or "پېښوريان".
- **Identification Codes:** The city uses the postal code 25000, the UN/LOCODE PKPEW, and the local dialing code 091.
- **Online Presence:** The official website is https://cmgp.gkp.pk/. The city has an active subreddit (r/Peshawar) established in April 2015 and a presence on Google Maps and Facebook.

## FAQs
**What is the current population of Peshawar?**
According to 2017 data, Peshawar has a population of 1,970,042, which represents a significant increase from the 982,816 residents recorded in the 1998 census.

**Which historical empires controlled Peshawar?**
Before becoming part of Pakistan in 1947, Peshawar was controlled by the British Raj (1849–1947), the Sikh Empire (1834–1849), and the Durrani Empire (1747–1834).

**What are the alternate names for Peshawar?**
The city is known by various aliases including Pekhawar, Peshawur, Peshawer, Pesháwar, and Pechaver. In native scripts, it is written as پشاور, پېښور, and پشور, while it appears as ペシャワール or ペシャワル in Japanese and 柏夏瓦 or 白夏瓦 in Chinese.

**What administrative roles does Peshawar serve?**
Peshawar serves as the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and is also the capital of the Peshawar District. It previously held the status of capital for the North-West Frontier Province.

**What is the geographic size and elevation of Peshawar?**
The city encompasses a total area of 1,257 square kilometres and features an elevation of 359 metres above sea level.

## Why It Matters
Peshawar is a critical political and geographic anchor in Pakistan as the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the country's third-largest province by population. Its history as a administrative capital stretches back to the early 20th century (North-West Frontier Province) and even earlier under the Durrani Empire, highlighting its long-standing strategic importance. The city's rapid population growth, expanding from roughly 566,000 in 1981 to nearly 2 million in 2017, marks it as a "big city" and a major hub of human settlement and economic activity in the region.

## Notable For
- **Historical Continuity:** Serving as a capital city under four distinct political entities: the Durrani Empire, Sikh Empire, British Raj, and modern Pakistan.
- **Linguistic Diversity:** Having Wikipedia entries in 105 different languages, reflecting its global recognition.
- **Digital Engagement:** Maintaining a dedicated subreddit (r/Peshawar) since 2015 and a specific presence on platforms like Quora and GitHub.
- **Nomenclature:** Possessing a wide array of aliases and native labels, including variations in Pashto, Urdu, Japanese, and Chinese.

## Body

### Geography and Location
Peshawar is situated in the northern region of Pakistan, specifically within Peshawar District, a relationship established in 1849. The city's geographic footprint spans 1,257 square kilometres. It is positioned at coordinates 34.01444° latitude and 71.5675° longitude, with an elevation of 359 metres above sea level. The city observes the UTC+05:00 timezone.

### Political History and Administration
The city's political status has evolved significantly over the centuries. Peshawar was part of the Durrani Empire from 1747 until 1834, after which it came under the control of the Sikh Empire until 1849. It subsequently became part of the British Raj in 1849, remaining so until the partition of India in 1947. On August 15, 1947, Peshawar became part of Pakistan. Administratively, it served as the capital of the North-West Frontier Province starting November 9, 1901, and continues to serve as the capital of Peshawar District. On July 1, 1970, it became the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The current head of government is Haji Ghulam Ali.

### Demographics
Peshawar has experienced substantial population growth over the last century. In 1941, the population was recorded at 173,000, which slightly dipped to 152,000 in 1951 before rising to 218,000 in 1961. By 1972, the population had reached 273,000, growing to 566,000 in 1981. The 1998 census recorded a population of 982,816, and by 2017, the city was home to 1,970,042 people.

### Naming and Identity
The city is recognized by numerous aliases and native labels, reflecting its multicultural history. Common variants include Pekhawar, Peshawur, Peshawer, Pesháwar, and Pechaver. Native labels include "پشاور" (piśāvar), "پېښور" (pēẍawar), and "پشور" (piśaur). The vocalized name is "پِشَاوَر". In East Asian languages, it is written as ペシャワール or ペシャワル (Japanese) and 柏夏瓦 or 白夏瓦 (Chinese). The demonyms for residents include Peshawari, Peŝavarano, and "پېښوريان".

### Infrastructure and Identification
Peshawar is integrated into global and national identification systems. Its postal code is 25000, and the UN/LOCODE is PKPEW. The local dialing code is 091. The city is cataloged in numerous academic and library databases, including the Library of Congress (n50059553), VIAF (123110116), and Geonames (1168197). It also possesses a GND ID (4126560-9) and an idref ID (072279400).

### Online Presence and Media
The city maintains an active digital footprint. The official website is hosted at https://cmgp.gkp.pk/. Peshawar has a dedicated subreddit on the social news aggregation site Reddit, established on April 1, 2015. Its geographic presence is detailed on Google Maps with a specific customer ID, and it has a Facebook Location ID (108061005893923). Visual media associated with the city includes a city center image, a page banner (Arcade), and a photo montage, all hosted on Wikimedia Commons.

### Knowledge and References
Peshawar is the subject of extensive encyclopedic references, including entries in the Encyclopædia Britannica (both 11th edition and online), the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, and the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary. It is categorized under "economy of Peshawar" and "history of Peshawar" in various knowledge bases, and associated categories for people born in or deceased in the city exist on Wikipedia. The city's Wikipedia page is available in 105 languages.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. MusicBrainz
5. [Source](https://www.samaa.tv/news/2017/08/pakistans-10-populous-cities-revealed/)
6. [Source](http://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/other/pocket_book2006/2.pdf)
7. GeoNames
8. BBC Things
9. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/pk.htm)
10. [Peshawar - Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Peshawar,+Khyber+Pakhtunkhwa,+Pakistan/@33.9774984,71.425384,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x38d917b90f0e79cf:0xa816b2637558a412!8m2!3d34.0151036!4d71.5247726)
11. [Source](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/pesaver)
12. museum-digital