| Divisions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | |
|---|---|
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| Category | Administrative division |
| Location | Pakistan |
| Found in | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| Number | 7 (as of 2023) |
| Populations | Greatest: Peshawar — 10,035,171 (2023 census) Least: Bannu — 3,092,078 (2023 census) |
| Areas | Largest: Malakand — 31,162 km2 (12,032 sq mi) Smallest: Mardan —3,175 km2 (1,226 sq mi) |
| Government | Divisional Administration |
| Subdivisions | Districts Tehsils Union councils |
The divisions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa constitute the primary administrative units of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. These territorial subdivisions serve as intermediate governmental structures between the provincial authority and district-level administration.
As of recent administrative restructuring, the province is organised into seven divisions — namely Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Hazara, Kohat, Malakand, Mardan, and Peshawar.
Each division is subsequently subdivided into multiple districts, with the count ranging approximately from two to nine districts per division, though this distribution varies considerably across the province.
Administratively, divisions are overseen by Commissioner officers appointed by the provincial government, who exercise supervisory authority over constituent districts. Districts, in turn, fall under the jurisdiction of Deputy Commissioners, who serve as chief executive officers responsible for local administration, revenue collection, and coordination of government services within their respective territories.
The province currently encompasses approximately 40 districts following the creation of additional subdivisions in late 2025.
List of divisions[edit | edit source]
In Pakistan, the division is the administrative unit which is higher than a district, but lower than a province. Divisions and are separated by color on the map.
| Division | Districts[1][2][3] | Population (2023)[1] | Area[1] | Population Density (2023)[1] | Literacy (2023)[1] | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannu Division | 3,092,078 | 9,975 km2 (3,851 sq mi) | 309.98/km2 | 42.11% | 
| |
| Dera Ismail Khan Division | 3,188,779 | 18,854 km2 (7,280 sq mi) | 169.13/km2 | 41.73% | 
| |
| Hazara Division | 6,188,736 | 17,064 km2 (6,588 sq mi) | 362.68/km2 | 60.95% | 
| |
| Kohat Division | 3,752,436 | 12,377 km2 (4,779 sq mi) | 303.18/km2 | 50.89% | 
| |
| Malakand Division | 9,959,399 | 31,162 km2 (12,032 sq mi) | 319.6/km2 | 47.51% | 
| |
| Mardan Division | 4,639,498 | 3,175 km2 (1,226 sq mi) | 1461.26/km2 | 56.90% | 
| |
| Peshawar Division | 10,035,171 | 9,134 km2 (3,527 sq mi) | 1098.66/km2 | 51.32% | 
|
List of divisions by population over the years[edit | edit source]
| Division | Population
2023[4] |
Population
2017 |
Population
1998 |
Population
1981 |
Population
1972 |
Population
1961 |
Population
1951 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannu | 3,092,078 | 2,044,074 | 1,165,692 | ||||
| Dera Ismail Khan | 3,188,779 | 2,019,017 | 1,091,211 | ||||
| Hazara | 6,188,736 | 5,325,121 | 3,505,581 | 2,701,257 | ... | ... | |
| Kohat | 3,752,436 | 2,218,971 | 1,307,969 | ||||
| Malakand | 9,959,399 | 7,514,694 | 4,262,700 | ||||
| Mardan | 4,639,498 | 3,997,677 | 2,486,904 | ||||
| Peshawar | 10,035,171 | 7,403,817 | 3,923,588 |
Notes and References[edit | edit source]
Notes[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Literacy Rate, Enrollment, and Out of School Population by Sex and Rural/Urban: Census 2023 - Punjab Province" (PDF). www.pbs.gov.pk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-09-30.
- ↑ "KP govt notifies new divisions following FATA merger". Pakistan Today. 20 July 2018. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ↑ "KP Districts". kp.gov.pk. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
- ↑ "TABLE 1 : AREA, POPULATION BY SEX, SEX RATIO, POPULATION DENSITY, URBAN POPULATION, HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND ANNUAL GROWTH RATE, CENSUS-2023, PUNJAB" (PDF).