Editing Quetta (section)

{{Short description|Capital of Balochistan, Pakistan}}
{{About|the city|the metric prefix|Quetta-|other uses}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement<!--See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields that may be available-->
| name                    = Quetta
| official_name           = 
| other_name              = 
| native_name             = {{hlist
 |{{lang|ps|کوټه}}
 |{{lang|bal|{{Nastaliq|کویٹہ}}}}
 |{{lang|ur|{{Nastaliq|کوئٹہ}}}}
 }}
| nickname                = ''Fruit Garden of Pakistan''
| etymology               = 
| settlement_type         = [[Metropolis]]<!-- Don't change without discussion -->
| motto                   = 
| image_skyline           = {{Multiple image
 |total_width             = 280px
 |perrow                  = 1/2/2/2
 |border                  = infobox
 |caption_align           = center
 |image1                  = Quetta cantt.jpg
 |caption1                = [[Quetta Cantonment]]
 |image2                  = Quetta_at_night_2.jpg
 |caption2                = Quetta at night
 |image3                  = Quetta Fort Mirri.jpg
 |caption3                = Fort Mirri
 |image4                  = Hanna Lake Quetta.jpg
 |caption4                = [[Hanna Lake]]
 }}
| image_flag              = Quetta City Flag.png
| flag_size               = 
| image_seal              = 
| seal_size               = 
| image_shield            = 
| shield_size             = 
| image_blank_emblem      = Quetta Metropolitan Corporation.png
| blank_emblem_type       = Emblem
| blank_emblem_size       = 120px
| image_map               = 
| map_caption             = 
| pushpin_map             = Balochistan Pakistan#Pakistan
| pushpin_map_caption     = 
| pushpin_mapsize         = 
| pushpin_relief          = yes
| coordinates             = {{Wikidatacoord|Q185458|region:PK_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = {{PAK}}
| subdivision_type1       = [[Provinces of Pakistan|Province]]
| subdivision_name1       = {{flagicon|Balochistan}} [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]]
| subdivision_type2       = [[Divisions of Pakistan|Division]]
| subdivision_name2       = [[Quetta Division|Quetta]]
| subdivision_type3       = [[Districts of Pakistan|District]]
| subdivision_name3       = [[Quetta District|Quetta]]
| government_footnotes    = 
| government_type         = Municipal Corporation<ref name="Government">{{cite web |url=http://www.balochistan.gov.pk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=836&Itemid=1087 |title=Government Organization – Government of Balochistan |work=balochistan.gov.pk |access-date=6 September 2016 |archive-date=7 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207154808/http://www.balochistan.gov.pk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=836&Itemid=1087 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| leader_title            = [[Mayor of Quetta|Mayor]]
| leader_name             = Seat Vacant
| leader_title1           = [[Mayor of Quetta|Deputy Mayor]]
| leader_name1            = Seat Vacant
| leader_title2           = Commissioner
| leader_name2            = [[Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat|Hamza Shafqaat]]<ref name="dawn1">{{cite news |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1797418 |title=Quetta sit-in continues as talks break down |date=13 December 2023 |access-date=19 December 2023 |work=Daen (newspaper) |archive-date=19 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219141450/https://www.dawn.com/news/1797418 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| leader_title3           = [[Deputy Commissioner (Pakistan)|Deputy Commissioner]]
| leader_name3            = Saad Bin Asad<ref name="dawn1"/>
| established_title       = Settled
| established_date        = {{start date and age|1876}}
| unit_pref               = PAK
| area_footnotes          = 
| area_metro_km2          = 3501
| area_total_km2          = 3501
| area_water_percent      = 
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 1,680
| elevation_ft            = 5,510
| elevation_max_m         = 
| elevation_min_m         = 
| population_as_of        = [[2023 Census of Pakistan|2023]]
| population_footnotes    = <ref name="census2017">{{cite report |year=2017 |title=DISTRICT WISE CENSUS RESULTS CENSUS 2017 |url=http://www.pbscensus.gov.pk/sites/default/files/DISTRICT_WISE_CENSUS_RESULTS_CENSUS_2017.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829164748/http://www.pbscensus.gov.pk/sites/default/files/DISTRICT_WISE_CENSUS_RESULTS_CENSUS_2017.pdf |archive-date=29 August 2017 |publisher=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics |page=13 |access-date=29 March 2018 }}</ref>
| population_note         = 
| total_type              = [[City]]
| population_total        = 1,565,546
| population_rank         = [[List of most populous cities in Pakistan|9th in Pakistan]];<br />[[List of cities in Balochistan, Pakistan by population|1st in Balochistan]]
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_blank1_title = [[Demonym]]
| population_blank1       = Quettan or Quettawal (kʰwətə.wal)
| timezone                = [[Pakistan Standard Time|PKT]]
| utc_offset              = +05:00
| timezone_DST            = 
| utc_offset_DST          = 
| postal_code_type        = [[Postal codes in Pakistan|Postal code]]
| postal_code             = 87300
| area_code               = 081
| area_code_type          = [[Dialling codes in Pakistan|Dialing code]]
| website                 = {{URL|http://www.balochistan.gov.pk/}}
}}

'''Quetta'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|'|k|w|ɛ|t|ə}}; {{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|کوئٹہ}}}}, ''ko'eṭa'', {{IPA|hns|ˈkweːʈə||Quetta pronunciation.ogg}} {{langx|bal|کویٹہ}} {{Langx|ps|کوټه}}}} is the capital and largest city of the [[Administrative units of Pakistan|Pakistani province]] of [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]]. It is the ninth [[List of cities in Pakistan by population|largest city]] in [[Pakistan]], with an estimated population of over 1.6 million in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Quetta Population 2024 |url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/quetta-population |website=worldpopulationreview.com }}</ref> It is situated in the south-west of the country, lying in a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides. Quetta is at an average elevation of {{convert|1680|m|ft|abbr=off}} above sea level,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://population.mongabay.com/population/pakistan/1167528/quetta |title=Mongabay -environmental science and conservation news |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052058/http://population.mongabay.com/population/pakistan/1167528/quetta |archive-date=4 March 2016 }}</ref> making it Pakistan's highest altitude major city. The city is known as the ''"Fruit Garden of Pakistan,"'' due to the numerous fruit orchards in and around it and the large variety of fresh and dried fruits produced there.<ref name="Quetta fruit garden of Pakistan">{{cite news |url=https://www.bolnews.com/trending/2020/01/winter-destinations-mesmerizing-places-in-pakistan/ |title=Winter destinations – Mesmerizing places in Pakistan |work=[[Bol News]] |date=18 January 2020 |access-date=7 January 2022 |archive-date=24 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624133958/https://www.bolnews.com/trending/2020/01/winter-destinations-mesmerizing-places-in-pakistan/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Located in northern [[Balochistan]] near the [[Durand line|Pakistan-Afghanistan border]] and the road across to [[Kandahar]], Quetta is a trade and communication centre between the two countries.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gazdar |first1=Haris |last2=Kaker |first2=Sobia Ahmad |last3=Khan |first3=Irfan |title=Buffer zone, colonial enclave or urban hub? Quetta: between four regions and two wars |website=www.crisisstates.com |date=February 2010 |url=https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/28472/ |language=en |archive-date=28 May 2024 |access-date=28 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528184740/https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/28472/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The city is near the [[Bolan Pass]], which was on a major gateway from [[Central Asia]] to [[South Asia]].