Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District: 3 Tehsils, Population & Area

Swat Valley: Two Districts, Swat and Bar Swat

Since the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government notification of 27 January 2026 the Swat valley has two districts: Bar Swat (Upper Swat) — tehsils Matta, Khwazakhela and Bahrain, headquarters Matta — and Swat District — tehsils Babuzai, Kabal, Charbagh and Barikot, headquarters Gulkada. The full Swat valley history, heritage, places and famous people are on the Swat District page.

Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District: Quick Answers

Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District is one of the 38 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with its headquarters at Matta. It has 3 tehsils: Matta, Bahrain and Khwazakhela. The 2023 census counted 1,130,354 people on 3,975 km², and 41.78% of residents aged 10 and over were literate.

Population: 1,130,354 (2023 census)
Area: 3,975 km² · 284.37 people per km²
Literacy rate (age 10+): 41.78%
Largest urban localities (2023): Behrain 76,728 · Khawaza Khela 57,113 · Matta 51,821
Tehsils: 3 – Matta, Bahrain and Khwazakhela
Headquarters: Matta
Province / territory: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Known for: Bar Swat, also called Upper Swat, was created in December 2025 when Swat district was divided, with Matta as its headquarters.
Culture: The district covers the upper Swat valley including Kalam, Bahrain and Matiltan, long known as one of Pakistan's most scenic tourist areas.
Education: Most higher education still runs through University of Swat's main campus in the remaining Swat district.
Healthcare: New district health facilities are being organised in Matta; patients also use hospitals in Saidu Sharif.
Villages / local areas: Kalam, Bahrain and Matiltan.

Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District: 2023 census figures by tehsil
Name	Type	Population	Area (km²)	Urban	Literacy (10+)
Matta	Tehsil	552,431	684	9.38%	42.54%
Bahrain	Tehsil	270,623	2,899	28.35%	39.26%
Khwazakhela	Tehsil	307,300	392	18.59%	42.63%

The 2023 census counted Bar Swat (Upper Swat) and Swat as one district (Swat). Since the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government notification of 27 January 2026, Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District consists of Matta, Bahrain and Khwazakhela; the population and area shown are the sum of those units' 2023 census rows. Current tehsils: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government notification of 27 January 2026, reported by Dawn on 28 January 2026.

Source: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Census 2023, Table 1. Checked 2026-09-29.

Bar Swat is the official name on the January 2026 revenue notification. Upper Swat is the English name people already use. Headquarters is Matta. The three tehsils taken out of old Swat are Matta, Bahrain (Behrain) and Khwazakhela. Mingora, Saidu Sharif and Gulkada stay in Swat district.

PBS has not published a new district book. The figures below are the 2023 tehsil rows added together. That sum is about 1,130,354 people (Matta 552,431 + Khwazakhela 307,300 + Bahrain 270,623).

Matta — 684 km², 552,431 people. Headquarters town, east-bank bazaar.

Khwazakhela — 392 km², 307,300 people. Mid-valley town on the road toward Bahrain.

Bahrain — 2,899 km², 270,623 people. Largest land, thinnest settlement. Madyan and Kalam sit in this tehsil.

University of Swat and Saidu Group of Teaching Hospitals remain in the other district. Matta is where the new offices are supposed to sit. Tourism in Kalam and Bahrain is the cash and the pressure: crowds, riverbed building, and a thin winter road.

Sources: KP cabinet 19 December 2025; Board of Revenue notification January 2026 (Dawn, 28 January 2026); PBS 2023 tehsil rows. September 2026.

Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District: FAQ

How many tehsils are in Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District?

Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District has 3 tehsils: Matta, Bahrain and Khwazakhela.

What is the population of Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District?

The 2023 census counted 1,130,354 people in Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District.

What is the area of Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District?

Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District covers 3,975 km² according to the 2023 census, a density of 284.37 people per km².

What are the main towns and cities in Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District?

The 2023 census lists 3 urban localities in Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District: Behrain (76,728, municipal committee), Khawaza Khela (57,113, municipal committee) and Matta (51,821, municipal committee).

What is the literacy rate of Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District?

41.78% of people aged 10 and over were literate in the 2023 census. Computed from the 2023 Table 12 rows of its 3 tehsils (literate persons aged 10+ ÷ population aged 10+).

Which province is Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District in?

Bar Swat (Upper Swat) District is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Its headquarters is Matta.

When was Bar Swat made a district?

The division of Swat was notified on 27 January 2026. Matta, Bahrain and Khwazakhela tehsils became Bar Swat District, with its headquarters at Matta. (Dawn)