150,000
Population
$2B (projected $15B)
GDP Impact
Shipping, Fishing
Key Industries
Deeply tied to China
Key Partners
Ancient Significance
A small port within the Indian Ocean trading system, Gwadar served as a maritime extension of Silk Road commerce. The natural deep-water harbor hosted Arab, Persian, and Indian traders exchanging goods with interior Asian caravans along the Makran coastal route.
Population
Trade Volume
Nationalism vs Internationalism
InternationalNational
Ancient: Maritime Gateway
Modern: Global Connectivity
Theoretically a gateway to global commerce; in practice also a symbol of resentment, debt concerns, and security risks; used politically to legitimise state-China alignment.
