Swabi is a city and district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, located in the northwestern part of Pakistan. Bordered by Mardan District to the north, Nowshera District to the west, Haripur District to the east, and the Indus River forming its southern boundary, Swabi occupies a strategically significant position between the plains of central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the foothills of the Himalayas. The district covers an area of approximately 1,543 square kilometers and is known for its fertile land, strong agricultural base, and hardworking population.
Swabi District was established as a separate district in 1988, having earlier been part of Mardan District. The district headquarters is Swabi, which serves as the main administrative, commercial, and educational center. Other notable towns include Topi, Lahor, Yar Hussain, and Marghuz. The district is predominantly rural, with villages spread across fertile plains irrigated by canals and rivers, particularly the Indus.
Population Of Swabi
According to the 2023 population census, Swabi District has a population of around 1.89 million people, making it one of the moderately populated districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The population is largely rural, with a significant proportion engaged in agriculture and related activities, while a smaller share resides in urban areas. Within the district, Swabi has an estimated population of about 156,000 residents and serves as the main administrative, commercial, and service center for surrounding towns and villages.
The population of Swabi District mainly consists of Pashtuns, with Yousafzai being the dominant tribe. Pashto is the primary language spoken, while Urdu is commonly understood and used for official and educational purposes. The people of Swabi are known for their strong cultural values, hospitality, and adherence to Pashtun traditions. Social life revolves around family, agriculture, and community gatherings, while traditional customs remain deeply rooted.
Education has seen steady growth in Swabi over recent decades. The district hosts several colleges and universities, including the well-known Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI) located in Topi, which attracts students from across Pakistan. Government and private schools are spread throughout the district, contributing to improving literacy rates and educational awareness.
Agriculture and Economy
Agriculture is the backbone of Swabi’s economy. Major crops include wheat, maize, tobacco, sugarcane, and vegetables. Swabi is especially famous for high-quality tobacco production, which contributes significantly to both local livelihoods and the national economy. In addition to agriculture, small-scale industries, trade, and overseas employment also play an important role in supporting the district’s economy. Many residents work in major Pakistani cities or abroad, particularly in the Middle East.
Villages & Rural Towns of Swabi
There are 396 villages / rural localities in Swabi District. According to 2017 census, only 16.98 percent of its population resides in urban areas, while the remaining lives in villages and towns situated in rural areas. Among the villages in Swabi, 76 have population of 5,000 or more. While, 36 villages have between 2,000 to 4,999 residents. There are also 16 villages in Swabi with population ranging from 1,000 to 1,999 inhabitants.
Here is the list of villages and rural towns / localities of Swabi district:
| S. No | Name of village | Population (2017) | Male % | Female % |
| 1 | ANBAR | 10,563 | 5,442 | 5,119 |
| 2 | JANGI DHER | 2,765 | 1,387 | 1,378 |
| 3 | SHEIKH DHERI | 4,043 | 2,080 | 1,960 |
| 4 | BEKA | 11,193 | 5,799 | 5,394 |
| 5 | NABI | 5,555 | 2,861 | 2,694 |
| 6 | DHERI ZAKRIA | 1,273 | 667 | 606 |
| 7 | HARYAN | 3,246 | 1,652 | 1,594 |
| 8 | SALLAH | 3,915 | 2,042 | 1,873 |
| 9 | HUND | 11,460 | 5,810 | 5,650 |
| 10 | ALLAH DHER | 3,162 | 1,594 | 1,567 |
| 11 | CHAK KUND | 285 | 149 | 135 |
| 12 | JAHANGIRA | 38,745 | 19,863 | 18,882 |
| 13 | JAL BAI | 34,038 | 17,310 | 16,727 |
| 14 | JALBAI-MERA | 3,441 | 1,793 | 1,648 |
| 15 | JAL-SAI MERA | 3,089 | 1,638 | 1,451 |
| 16 | JALSAI | 23,582 | 12,177 | 11,405 |
| 17 | KUNDA | 13,300 | 6,475 | 6,824 |
| 18 | KUNDA MERA | 6,617 | 3,376 | 3,241 |
| 19 | LAHOR PORE (SHARQI) | 23,340 | 11,738 | 11,601 |
| 20 | LAHOR RAPORE | 23,102 | 11,649 | 11,453 |
| 21 | MANKI | 22,998 | 11,545 | 11,449 |
| 22 | BAZAR | 4,070 | 2,057 | 2,013 |
| 23 | JABAR | 2,092 | 1,037 | 1,054 |
| 24 | TANNON | 8,589 | 4,188 | 4,401 |
| 25 | DAULAT | 6,246 | 3,074 | 3,172 |
| 26 | DHOBIAN | 21,934 | 11,005 | 10,929 |
| 27 | BAZARGAI | 10,949 | 5,414 | 5,534 |
| 28 | SARD CHINA | 19,645 | 9,800 | 9,845 |
| 29 | ARMAL DHERI | 10,075 | 5,102 | 4,973 |
| 30 | GHAZI KOT | 4,298 | 2,192 | 2,106 |
| 31 | SADRI | 7,061 | 3,503 | 3,558 |
| 32 | SUDHER | 12,177 | 6,031 | 6,146 |
| 33 | CHAK-YAR-HUSSAIN | 10,896 | 5,545 | 5,351 |
| 34 | YAQUBI | 24,672 | 12,099 | 12,573 |
| 35 | YAR HUSSAIN | 42,088 | 20,589 | 21,497 |
| 36 | ZIAM | 7,079 | 3,625 | 3,454 |
| 37 | ADINA | 20,165 | 9,723 | 10,442 |
| 38 | ASOTA | 8,671 | 4,211 | 4,460 |
| 39 | ASPIN KANI | 5,082 | 2,384 | 2,698 |
| 40 | CHAK-KHALIL | 2,931 | 1,429 | 1,502 |
| 41 | GANGOO DHER | 3,559 | 1,810 | 1,749 |
| 42 | KHALIL | 2,434 | 1,195 | 1,239 |
| 43 | BACHAI | 9,071 | 4,569 | 4,502 |
| 44 | SIKANDARI | 11,970 | 6,127 | 5,843 |
| 45 | AHAD KHAN | 5,623 | 2,758 | 2,865 |
| 46 | CHAK NAUDEH | 16,997 | 8,427 | 8,568 |
| 47 | HAMZA DHER | 5,972 | 2,933 | 3,039 |
| 48 | MANSAB DAR | 3,054 | 1,559 | 1,495 |
| 49 | DAGAI | 32,014 | 15,858 | 16,154 |
| 50 | GHULAMAN | 5,907 | 3,080 | 2,827 |
| 51 | KHESHA | 2,351 | 1,152 | 1,199 |
| 52 | MEHAR ALI | 2,914 | 1,501 | 1,410 |
| 53 | SANG BATI | 1,029 | 519 | 510 |
| 54 | SHER DARRA | 5,137 | 2,538 | 2,599 |
| 55 | ISMAILA | 30,617 | 15,388 | 15,229 |
| 56 | NAZAR | 4,448 | 2,236 | 2,212 |
| 57 | KALU KHAN | 39,561 | 19,715 | 19,845 |
| 58 | AMAN KOT KHADAR ZAI | 3,291 | 1,683 | 1,608 |
| 59 | AMAN KOT MAHMOOD ZAI | 2,318 | 1,166 | 1,151 |
| 60 | BAHI | 3,034 | 1,520 | 1,514 |
| 61 | KHAN PUR | 1,132 | 576 | 556 |
| 62 | NAIAN (NATVAN) | 123 | 73 | 50 |
| 63 | NARANJI | 16,338 | 8,378 | 7,958 |
| 64 | NAUDEH (KERNAL SHER K. | 11,995 | 6,008 | 5,986 |
| 65 | PAR MOOLI | 18,631 | 9,200 | 9,430 |
| 66 | SHEIKH JANA | 27,295 | 13,225 | 14,069 |
| 67 | SHEWA | 28,967 | 14,666 | 14,300 |
| 68 | MANAGI | 5,873 | 2,843 | 3,030 |
| 69 | SHAHEEDA | 4,600 | 2,303 | 2,297 |
| 70 | TARAKI | 18,118 | 8,851 | 9,267 |
| 71 | TURLANDI | 20,320 | 10,038 | 10,281 |
| 72 | BAJA | 18,271 | 9,080 | 9,189 |
| 73 | BAM KHEL | 25,956 | 13,078 | 12,878 |
| 74 | DARRA | 8,666 | 4,059 | 4,605 |
| 75 | KALA | 9,267 | 4,427 | 4,840 |
| 76 | GAR MUNARA | 10,969 | 5,350 | 5,619 |
| 77 | YOUSAFI | 5,211 | 2,587 | 2,623 |
| 78 | BOQA | 3,804 | 1,828 | 1,976 |
| 79 | JHANDA | 7,084 | 3,448 | 3,636 |
| 80 | DOODHER | 3,668 | 1,787 | 1,881 |
| 81 | KADDI | 9,639 | 4,720 | 4,918 |
| 82 | MARGHUZ AKA KHEL | 12,040 | 5,921 | 6,119 |
| 83 | MARGHUZ-YARA KHEL | 15,889 | 7,716 | 8,173 |
| 84 | MIAN DHERI | 1,586 | 739 | 847 |
| 85 | PABINI | 11,711 | 5,718 | 5,992 |
| 86 | PANJ MAN | 6,105 | 3,025 | 3,079 |
| 87 | PANJ PIR | 22,084 | 10,883 | 11,201 |
| 88 | SALIM KHAN | 32,970 | 16,382 | 16,585 |
| 89 | SHAH MANSOOR | 19,652 | 9,429 | 10,223 |
| 90 | THANDKOI | 18,121 | 9,001 | 9,119 |
| 91 | ZAIDA | 8,223 | 4,206 | 4,017 |
| 92 | BEESAK | 6,015 | 3,166 | 2,845 |
| 93 | KAK BANI | 1,826 | 901 | 924 |
| 94 | ACHELAI | 1,583 | 782 | 801 |
| 95 | CHANAI | 4,413 | 2,245 | 2,168 |
| 96 | DEWAL GARHI BALA | 2,003 | 997 | 1,006 |
| 97 | DEWAL GARHI PAYAN | 1,089 | 540 | 549 |
| 98 | GEERO | 119 | 47 | 72 |
| 99 | KATGRAM | 704 | 337 | 367 |
| 100 | BADA | 2,881 | 1,424 | 1,457 |
| 101 | DHERO | 1,485 | 713 | 771 |
| 102 | GANDAF | 34,737 | 22,662 | 12,070 |
| 103 | ATALI | 969 | 465 | 504 |
| 104 | DAGAI | 972 | 493 | 479 |
| 105 | DEWAL | 4,689 | 2,267 | 2,422 |
| 106 | GANI CHHATRA | 3,704 | 1,828 | 1,876 |
| 107 | NAROBANDA | 784 | 401 | 383 |
| 108 | PANAWAL | 1,275 | 658 | 617 |
| 109 | POLA | 544 | 260 | 284 |
| 110 | SAKELAI | 1,160 | 504 | 656 |
| 111 | SANDWA | 2,373 | 1,160 | 1,213 |
| 112 | SHANGRAI | 1,002 | 520 | 482 |
| 113 | BEERG ALI | 914 | 459 | 455 |
| 114 | BORI | 283 | 137 | 146 |
| 115 | GHABAI | 2,460 | 1,250 | 1,208 |
| 116 | GHABASNI | 3,726 | 1,871 | 1,855 |
| 117 | GHANI KOT | 1,281 | 626 | 654 |
| 118 | KUND | 938 | 484 | 454 |
| 119 | SAT KHETRA | 710 | 367 | 341 |
| 120 | SERI UTMAN ZAI | 1,204 | 589 | 615 |
| 121 | SHALMAN | 369 | 191 | 178 |
| 122 | MALAK ABAD | 10,126 | 4,975 | 5,150 |
| 123 | DALORI BALA | 2,416 | 1,196 | 1,220 |
| 124 | DALORI PITAO | 1,001 | 495 | 506 |
| 125 | DALORI SARKOI(PIAN) | 510 | 256 | 254 |
| 126 | KOLAGAR | 675 | 336 | 339 |
| 127 | MANGAL CHAI | 5,614 | 2,842 | 2,772 |
| 128 | SHANAI | 605 | 301 | 304 |
| 129 | BADGAH | 469 | 256 | 213 |
| 130 | GAJAI | 2,267 | 1,160 | 1,107 |
| 131 | JOGIA | 38 | 18 | 20 |
| 132 | MERAGAI | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| 133 | QADRA | 5,030 | 2,632 | 2,392 |
| 134 | SERI HASA ZAI | 225 | 125 | 100 |
| 135 | TAKAIL | 5,872 | 3,101 | 2,771 |
| 136 | AMRAI BALA | 1,545 | 746 | 799 |
| 137 | AMRAI PAYAN | 464 | 231 | 233 |
| 138 | LERAN | 3,943 | 1,924 | 2,019 |
| 139 | UTLA | 6,718 | 3,389 | 3,329 |
| 140 | BATA KARA | 8,737 | 4,289 | 4,447 |
| 141 | PANTIA | 2,558 | 1,240 | 1,318 |
| 142 | GALLAH | 7,668 | 3,876 | 3,792 |
| 143 | PEHUR | 2,671 | 1,459 | 1,212 |
| 144 | KALA BAT | 18,635 | 9,167 | 9,467 |
| 145 | KHAZANA | 1,771 | 910 | 861 |
| 146 | KOTHA | 37,523 | 18,863 | 18,660 |
| 147 | HAJI KHEL | 975 | 495 | 480 |
| 148 | MAINI | 32,189 | 16,314 | 15,875 |
| 149 | TOPI | 10,295 | 5,733 | 4,562 |
| 150 | ZAROBI | 18,710 | 9,129 | 9,578 |