Mastung Tehsil
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Mastung Tehsil
Brahui: مستونگ تحصیل | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Rural areas of Mastung Tehsil | |
  Mastung Tehsil  Mastung Tehsil | |
| Coordinates: 29°48′N 66°50′E / 29.800°N 66.833°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province | Balochistan |
| District | Mastung District |
| Tehsil | Mastung |
| Area | |
| 692 km2 (267 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 2,214 m (7,264 ft) |
| Population (2023)[2] | |
| 162,319 | |
| • Density | 234.57/km2 (607.5/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 40,374 (24.87%) |
| • Urban density | 94.70/km2 (245.3/sq mi) |
| • Rural | 121,945 (7,513%) |
| Literacy | |
| • Literacy rate |
|
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| Main languages | 132,804 Brahui, 20,484 Balochi, 4,103 Pashto[4] |
Mastung[a] is a tehsil in Mastung District, located in the northwestern part of Balochistan, Pakistan. Located approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Quetta, the provincial capital, the tehsil has a population, as per the 2023 national census, of 162,319 across 511 settlements, including 121,945 people living in rural areas and 40,374 residents in the town of Mastung.[5]
According to local tradition, the name 'Mastung' derives from two Brahui words: Mas, meaning mountain, and Tung, meaning hole.[6]
Agriculture is central to the local economy; yet persistent water scarcity significantly limits the productivity of arable land, particularly affecting the growth of temperate fruit orchards and winter vegetables.[6]
The district is also vulnerable to natural hazards. Earthquakes, floods, and droughts occur periodically and are recognised as major environmental risks in the region.[7]
Covering covers an area of approximately 692 square kilometres and shares borders with Khad Koocha Tehsil to the south, Panj Pai Tehsil to the west, Quetta Saddar and Quetta City to the north, and Dasht Tehsil to the east.[8] The landscape is largely arid and mountainous, with elevations generally above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) and some peaks rising over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft). Seasonal streams traverse, or nalas, cross the rugged terrain, which is characterised by desert-like features and sparse vegetation.
