Johan Tehsil


Johan, is a sub-tehsil of Kalat District in central Balochistan, Pakistan. Spanning an area of approximately, it is the smallest tehsil in the district by area. According to the 2023 national census, Johan is home to 15,731 residents, dispersed across 60 exclusively rural settlements.
Situated at an elevation exceeding, the tehsil experiences a predominantly arid highland climate, characterised by limited and irregular precipitation as well as marked seasonal temperature variation.

Geography

Johan lies approximately east of Mangocher and the N-25 National Highway, encompassing roughly. It is bordered by Gazg Tehsil to the south, Kalat Tehsil to the west, Dasht Tehsil and Mach Tehsil to the north, and Dhadar Tehsil and Sanni Tehsil to the east.
The landscape is predominantly mountainous, with elevations ranging from to over. It features arid terrain punctuated by seasonal watercourses and xerophytic vegetation, such as Artemisia-Haloxylon shrub steppe, drought-resistant trees, and ephemeral flora adapted to dry conditions.

Climate

As part of highland Balochistan, Johan has an arid to semi arid climate, marked by low erratic rainfall. Kalat District is among the coldest regions in Pakistan, with summer peak temperatures averaging around in July. Droughts occur frequently, typically every three to four years.
Climatically, the region falls within a semi-arid continental Mediterranean zone. Annual rainfall varies between and, with winter precipitation generally more significant than summer rainfall. Snowfall is common in winter, with temperatures often dropping below. One of the most severe droughts occurred in 2009, when annual rainfall declined to as low as, persisting over five consecutive years.

Population

Johan's population of 15,731 people is spread across 2,486 households. The overall literacy rate stands at 27.49% with notable gender gap: 36.65% among men and just 17.91% among women. These figures reflect ongoing challenges in access to education, particularly for girls and women in rural areas.

Languages

is the predominant language in the sub-tehsil, spoken by approximately 11,037 individual. Balochi is the second most spoken language, with 4,653 speakers. A small portion of the population speaks other local languages.