Makran Coast
Makran coastal region of Baluchistan, in southeastern Iran and southwestern Pakistan, constituting the Makran Coast, is a 600 mi (1,000 km) stretch along the Gulf of Oman from Raʾs (cape) al-Kūh, Iran (west of Jask), to Lasbela District in Pakistan (near Karachi). The name is applied to a former province of Iran, and the Makran of Pakistan is sometimes known as Kech Makran to distinguish it from the Iranian portion.
Pakistani Makran, a former princely state that acceded in 1948, was constituted after 1955 a district of Kalāt division. Now a part of Balochistan Province it is bounded east by Khuzdār and Lasbela districts, south by the Arabian Sea, west by Iran, and north by the Siāhān Range. Turbat is district headquarters and Panjgūr the chief town of the interior. Aside from the coastal areas, the terrain is mostly mountainous, consisting of east–west parallel ranges rising to about 7,000 ft (2,100 m) and enclosing fertile narrow valleys, including those of the Kech (upper Dasht) and Bolida. Makran’s 200-mi sandy coastline in Pakistan lies longitudinally with many hammerhead peninsulas. Past volcanic action is evidenced by occasional volcanoes of boiling mud along the coast. The chief ports are Gwadar (which belonged to the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman till 1958), Ormara and Pasni - all being difficult of approach because of off-shore sandbars. Fishing is the main coastal occupation.
The population is predominantly Arab, the Arabs having held Makran before they conquered Sindh in the 5th century. Other groups are the Darzadis (regarded of aboriginal descent), Mēds (fishermen) and Koras (seamen). The coastal blacks are descended from imported slaves.
Makran Coastal Highway is over 770 km and is very scenic. Alexander the Great had passed through the coastal belt of Balochistan in 325 BC covering a long trail.
Pakistani Makran, a former princely state that acceded in 1948, was constituted after 1955 a district of Kalāt division. Now a part of Balochistan Province it is bounded east by Khuzdār and Lasbela districts, south by the Arabian Sea, west by Iran, and north by the Siāhān Range. Turbat is district headquarters and Panjgūr the chief town of the interior. Aside from the coastal areas, the terrain is mostly mountainous, consisting of east–west parallel ranges rising to about 7,000 ft (2,100 m) and enclosing fertile narrow valleys, including those of the Kech (upper Dasht) and Bolida. Makran’s 200-mi sandy coastline in Pakistan lies longitudinally with many hammerhead peninsulas. Past volcanic action is evidenced by occasional volcanoes of boiling mud along the coast. The chief ports are Gwadar (which belonged to the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman till 1958), Ormara and Pasni - all being difficult of approach because of off-shore sandbars. Fishing is the main coastal occupation.
The population is predominantly Arab, the Arabs having held Makran before they conquered Sindh in the 5th century. Other groups are the Darzadis (regarded of aboriginal descent), Mēds (fishermen) and Koras (seamen). The coastal blacks are descended from imported slaves.
Makran Coastal Highway is over 770 km and is very scenic. Alexander the Great had passed through the coastal belt of Balochistan in 325 BC covering a long trail.
Places of interest
There are more than 80 active mud volcanoes in Balochistan province. In the province's Miani Hor-Hingol Valley region, the heights of mud volcanoes range between 800 to 1,550 feet.
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Princess of Hope is a natural rock formation that manifests a princess looking beyond horizons. The sea breeze coming from the Arabian Sea has worked for many years an expert craftsman to carve this beautiful sculpture.
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Hingol National Park spread over an area of about 1,650 square km² along the Makran Coast, Balochistan is the largest of National Park of Pakistan, and is located approximately 190 km from Karachi.
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Hinglaj Mata (Hinglaj Devi, Hingula Devi and Nani Mandir) is a Hindu temple in Hinglaj, a town on the Makran coast of Balochistan, and is in the middle of the Hingol National Park.
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Kund Malir (a desert beach) is located approximately 250 km from Karachi in the province of Baluchistan and on the Makran Coastal Highway. The desert beach provides fabulous beach view along with sand dunes.
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People will not believe if it is said that a Sphinx existed in any country other than Egypt. But in fact there is a naturally curved shape like sphinx in the world, at about 250 km from Karachi, Pakistan on the Makran coastal highway.
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Ormara Beach is one of the most beautiful long beach around the edge. Amazing blue green beaches, golden sand, and incredible natural beauty and fauna makes it worth a visit. Stay at the beach hut at Ormara Beach Resort city.
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Buzi Makola Wildlife Sanctuary
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Astola Island is an uninhabited island in the Arabian Sea in Pakistan's territorial waters. Locally it is known as Jezira Haft Talar or 'Island of the Seven Hills" as it has a series of seven small hillocks .
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Gwadar is a city on the southwestern Arabian Sea coastline of Pakistan, in Balochistan province. Under development as a free trade port, in 2011, it was designated the winter capital of Balochistan province.
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Jiwani or Jwani, is a town and commercial port that is located along the Gulf of Oman in the Gwadar District of the Balochistan province in Pakistan. It is located near the Pakistani border with Iran.
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