The main aim of the series of District Profiles is to provide district specific information for all the 26 districts in Balochistan. That is why so far the data and information provided in this Profile refer to the situation in Jaffarabad. Hardly anywhere a relation has been made to the situation in other districts or to the province as a whole. To add that perspective, 32 indicators have been selected on which the districts can be compared among themselves. These indicators, and more, can be found on the next two pages. The relative position of Jaffarabad is reflected in the diagram on the third page. The diagram presents a bottom-up ranking: position nr. 1 means the lowest score on that particular indicator, while position nr. 26 means the highest score.

 An overall ranking of districts is not given, because that would require to attach a certain weight to each of the indicators.

 About Jaffarabad the following observations can be made:

• The combination of a relatively small size (the smallest in area after Ziarat) with a relatively big population (fourth biggest) makes Jaffarabad the most densely populated district in Balochistan, after Quetta. The district has a relatively high population growth rate.

• The district scores very high in the agricultural sector. It has, despite its size, the largest cultivated area and the largest agricultural production. This is due to the fact that the district can avail of irrigation water through feeder canals from the Indus, making the area suitable for what, rice, oilseeds, cotton, etc. The fruit production is the fifth lowest in the province. The value of the total production is the fourth highest, while the ranking for value per capita drops to position nr. 17, due to the relatively big population.

• Although district specific information on livestock is not present (only deduced figures and projections), the impression exists that the density of livestock is relatively high, suggesting that this sector can only be be expanded by more intensive production methods.

• The enrolment for boys in primary education, as percentage of the population, is comparatively low (fifth position from bottom); it is more favourable for girls (position nr. 16). The pupils/teachers ratio scores exactly the same for boys as for girls.

• The population per bed ratio is relatively high (fourth highest in the province), while the population per doctor ratio gives the district a better position, but still in the upper half.

• A large proportion of the population of Jaffarabad has access to water, due to the canal system in the district. The percentage of the population with access to potable water is much less and gives the district a position in the lower half of the ranking.

• The relative positions for metalled and shingle roads are completely different. Jaffarabad is the district with the highest density (length of road per square kilometre) of metalled roads; but it scores low (fourth from bottom) on density of shingle roads.

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