Quick facts
Rawalpindi overview
Rawalpindi (orange) and the other large cities of Pakistan
Rawalpindi lies in Punjab in Pakistan at 33.6°N, 73.05°E, about 501 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Karachi (UTC+5); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Faisalabad (3,800,193) and larger than Gujranwala (2,511,118). The largest city in Pakistan is Lahore with 13,004,135 people; the capital, Islamabad, has 601,600.
The national capital, Islamabad, is about 14 km away; the nearest large city is Islamabad, 14 km from Rawalpindi.
Pakistan as a whole has a live population of 260,511,004 (+1.6% a year) and ranks #5 of 238 countries — see the Pakistan population page for the full statistics and the Pakistan atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Rawalpindi
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| IslamabadCapital Islamabad | 14 km | 601,600 |
| Abbottabad Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 63 km | 275,890 |
| Attock City Punjab | 66 km | 141,945 |
| Dhirkot Azad Kashmir | 69 km | 195,000 |
| Chakwal Punjab | 76 km | 101,200 |
| New Mirpur City Azad Kashmir | 82 km | 124,352 |
| Tordher Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 83 km | 150,000 |
| Muzaffarābād Azad Kashmir | 94 km | 725,000 |
Largest cities in Pakistan
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lahore | Punjab | 13,004,135 |
| 2 | Karachi | Sindh | 11,624,219 |
| 3 | Peshawar | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 4,758,762 |
| 4 | Faisalabad | Punjab | 3,800,193 |
| 5 | Rawalpindi | Punjab | 3,357,612 |
| 6 | Gujranwala | Punjab | 2,511,118 |
| 7 | Multan | Punjab | 2,169,915 |
| 8 | Hyderabad | Sindh | 1,921,275 |
| 9 | Quetta | Balochistan | 1,565,546 |
| 10 | Bannu | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 1,357,890 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rawalpindi?
Rawalpindi has about 3,357,612 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Rawalpindi the capital of Pakistan?
No. The capital of Pakistan is Islamabad (601,600 people), about 14 km away. Rawalpindi is the 5th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Rawalpindi compared with the rest of Pakistan?
Its 3,357,612 residents are 1.3% of the 260,511,004 people living in Pakistan today. Lahore is larger with 13,004,135 people.
Where is Rawalpindi?
In Punjab, Pakistan, at latitude 33.6 and longitude 73.05, 501 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Islamabad (14 km), Abbottabad (63 km), Attock City (66 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Rawalpindi Population 2026 — Pakistan. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/pakistan/rawalpindi/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/pakistan/rawalpindi/">Rawalpindi Population 2026 — Pakistan</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.