The National Institute of Oceanography, commonly known as NIO, is an executive and federal department of Pakistan Government

Government of Pakistan

The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...

, and a major research institute of Ministry of Science and Technology

Ministry of Science and Technology (Pakistan)

The Ministry of Science and Technology , is a Cabinet-level ministry of government of Pakistan concerned with science and technology in Pakistan and in general, Pakistan's science policies, planning, coordination and directing of efforts to initiate and launch scientific and technological programs...

. The NIO is a science and research executive organization located in Karachi

Karachi

Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...

, Sindh province

Sindh

Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...

 of Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

. The NIO' research and studies are funded by the Federal Government of Pakistan while the facilities are provided by Sindh Government.

History

NIO was established in 1981 through a Government Resolution to conduct multidisciplinary research in oceanography

Oceanography

Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...

in the coastal and offshore areas of Pakistan (EEZ 24,000 km²). The institute has 30 qualified marine scientists working on ocean biology/productivity, marine chemistry and environment, physical oceanography/coastal hydraulics, marine geology and geophysics.