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Dir (Urdu, Pashto: دیر) is a city in the Upper Dir District of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is sometimes known as Dir Khas (Proper Dir) to distinguish it from the district's name, Dir (Upper and Lower).[citation needed] It lies along the Dir River, a tributary of the Panjkora River.[1] It is at the base of the Lowarai Pass, the main road to Chitral.[citation needed]
Dir
دیر | |
|---|---|
City | |
  Dir  Dir | |
| Coordinates: 35°12′24″N 71°52′36″E / 35.20667°N 71.87667°E | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| District | Upper Dir District |
| Elevation | 1,420 m (4,660 ft) |
| Population (2023) | |
| • Total | 47,842 |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PKT) |
Dir was founded in the 17th century.[citation needed] Mullā Ilyās, a 17th-century holy man, is said to have been the founder.[1] It was the capital of the former princely state of Dir, until its abolition in 1969.[citation needed] The former royal palace is on a hill above the city. Dir was then the capital of the Dir District. When the Dir District was divided in 1996 into Upper and Lower Dir, Dir city and Timergara became its district headquarters respectively.[citation needed] Yusufzay Pashtuns make up the primary ethnic group in the region and in the city.[1]
Demographics
editThe population of city in 1998 was 22,901 but according to the 2023 Census of Pakistan, the population has risen to 47,842.[2]
| Census | Population |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 22,901 |
| 2017 | 44,100 |
| 2023 | 47,842 |
Climate
editLike most of the southern slopes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dir has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Owing to the city's exposed location, rainfall from frontal cyclones from the west is heavier than in any other part of Pakistan, and their passage, as well as very penetrative monsoonal periods, are usually accompanied by heavy thunderstorms.
| Climate data for Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 22.2 (72.0) |
23.9 (75.0) |
30.6 (87.1) |
33.9 (93.0) |
38.1 (100.6) |
41.5 (106.7) |
38.1 (100.6) |
37.4 (99.3) |
35.0 (95.0) |
33.9 (93.0) |
28.0 (82.4) |
23.0 (73.4) |
41.5 (106.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 11.3 (52.3) |
12.0 (53.6) |
16.1 (61.0) |
22.5 (72.5) |
27.9 (82.2) |
32.4 (90.3) |
31.2 (88.2) |
30.1 (86.2) |
28.9 (84.0) |
25.3 (77.5) |
20.1 (68.2) |
13.9 (57.0) |
22.6 (72.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.4 (39.9) |
5.3 (41.5) |
9.5 (49.1) |
15.0 (59.0) |
19.8 (67.6) |
23.9 (75.0) |
25.1 (77.2) |
24.2 (75.6) |
21.2 (70.2) |
16.3 (61.3) |
11.2 (52.2) |
6.4 (43.5) |
15.1 (59.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.5 (27.5) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
3.0 (37.4) |
7.6 (45.7) |
11.6 (52.9) |
15.5 (59.9) |
19.1 (66.4) |
18.3 (64.9) |
13.5 (56.3) |
7.3 (45.1) |
2.4 (36.3) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
7.8 (46.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −10.6 (12.9) |
−13.9 (7.0) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
2.9 (37.2) |
8.3 (46.9) |
10.0 (50.0) |
7.9 (46.2) |
3.3 (37.9) |
0.1 (32.2) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−9.4 (15.1) |
−13.9 (7.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 120.6 (4.75) |
176.7 (6.96) |
253.7 (9.99) |
178 (7.0) |
86.1 (3.39) |
54.4 (2.14) |
160.0 (6.30) |
168.6 (6.64) |
83.7 (3.30) |
50.3 (1.98) |
58.1 (2.29) |
90.3 (3.56) |
1,480.5 (58.3) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 131.6 | 129.7 | 145.8 | 195.4 | 254.2 | 282.4 | 247.1 | 223.8 | 224.1 | 221.7 | 202.5 | 140.0 | 2,398.3 |
| Source: NOAA (1971-1990)[3] | |||||||||||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Dir, Pakistan". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "Khyber Pakhtūnkhwā / incl. FATA (Pakistan): Province, Major Cities, Municipalites & Towns - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ "Dir Climate Normals 1971-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 16, 2013.