Karachi began as a small fishing settlement on the Arabian Sea coast, known locally as Kolachi, and was developed into a fortified town by traders and rulers of the region in the early eighteenth century. The British East India Company captured it in 1839, and after Sir Charles Napier conquered Sindh in 1843 it was developed as a port, with a railway link to the interior and harbour works that connected the Indus valley to world trade. At Partition in 1947 Karachi became the first capital of Pakistan, receiving enormous numbers of migrants from India. Although the capital moved to Islamabad, Karachi remained the country's largest city, its main port and its commercial and financial centre.
Before and after
- 1727Founding of Palmer
- 20 March 1727Death of Isaac Newton
- 10 February 1728Birth of Peter III of Russia
- 27 October 1728Birth of James Cook
- 1729Founding of Karachi
- 12 January 1729Birth of Edmund Burke
- 2 May 1729Birth of Catherine II of Russia
- 1730Founding of Southbridge
- from c. 1730s to 1780sRise of Rococo
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- from 15th century to 18th centuryAge of Discovery
- from c. 1583 to 1997British Empire
- from 16th century to 18th centuryBaroque
- from 1616 to 1912Qing dynasty
- 1623Founding of Barbados
- from 22 October 1721 to 1 September 1917Russian Empire
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.