Faisalabad (;
Lyallpur until 1979), historically one of the first planned cities within
British India, has long since developed into the third most populated
metropolis after
Karachi and
Lahore in the
Punjab province of eastern
Pakistan. Faisalabad was restructured into
City District status; a devolution promulgated by the 2001
Local Government Ordinance (LGO). The total area of Faisalabad District covers while the area controlled by the
Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) is . Faisalabad has grown to become a major industrial and distribution center because of its central location in the region and connecting roads, rails, and air transportation. It has been referred to as the "
Manchester of Pakistan" because it contributes over 20% toward Pakitan's annual GDP. Faisalabad's average annual
GDP is $20.55 billion (USD), of which 21 omes from agriculture.