Map of Bangladesh | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season hampering economic development.


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Location: Southern Asia bordering the Bay of Bengal between Burma and India

Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N 90 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 144,000 km²
Land: 133,910 km²
Water: 10,090 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Iowa

Land boundaries
Total: 4,246 km
Border countries: (2) Burma 193 km; , India 4,053 km

Coastline: 580 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 18 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM
Continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot humid summer (March to June); humid warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Natural resources: natural gas arable land: timber coal

Land use
Arable land: 60.7%
Permanent crops: 2.61%
Other: 36.69% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 38,440 km² (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: droughts cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season

Geography
Note: most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal


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Population: 133,376,684 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 1.59% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: 36%

Nationality
Noun: Bangladeshi
Adjective: Bangladeshi

Ethnic groups: Bengali 98% tribal groups non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

Languages: Bangla (official also known as Bengali) English

Religions: Muslim 83% Hindu 16% other 1% (1998)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 33.8% (male 23,069,242; female 21,995,457)
15-64 years: 62.8% (male 42,924,778; female 40,873,077)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,444,314; female 2,069,816) (2002 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.59% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 25.12 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.47 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.75 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution especially of fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male/female
65 years and over: 1.18 male/female
Total population: 1.05 male/female (2002 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 68.05 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 60.92 years
Female: 60.74 years (2002 est.)
Male: 61.08 years

Total fertility rate: 2.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: 13,000 (1999 est.)
Deaths: 1000 (1999 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 56%
Male: 63%
Female: 49% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
Conventional short form: Bangladesh
Former: East Pakistan

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Dhaka

Administrative divisions: 5 divisions; Barisal Chittagong Dhaka Khulna Rajshahi; note - there may be one additional division named Sylhet

Dependent areas

Independence: 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

National holiday: Independence Day 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

Constitution: 4 November 1972 effective 16 December 1972 suspended following coup of 24 March 1982 restored 10 November 1986 amended many times

Legal system: based on English common law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 Sepember 2002); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ('Caretaker Government Amendment'), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections
Head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October 2001)
Cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president
Election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October 2006)
Election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 46%, AL 42%; seats by party - BNP 201, AL 62, JI 18, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Naziur) 1, other 4; note - the election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, and Jatiya Party (Naziur)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [[Naziur Rahman MANZUR]

International organization participation: AsDB C CCC CP ESCAP FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICFTU ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU MINURSO MONUC NAM OIC OPCW SAARC UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIKOM UNMEE UNMIBH UNMIK UNMOP UNMOT UNOMIG UNTAET UNU UPU WCL WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles and New York
In the us fax: [1] (202) 244-5,366
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
In the us chancery: 3,510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20,008
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS
From the us embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
From the us mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
From the us telephone: [880] (2) 8,824,700 through 8,824,722
From the us fax: [880] (2) 8,823,744

Flag description: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside and secondarily the traditional color of Islam

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects Bangladesh remains a poor overpopulated and ill-governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector with rice as the single most important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods inefficient state-owned enterprises inadequate port facilities a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas) insufficient power supplies and slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the bureaucracy public sector unions and other vested interest groups. The BNP government led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms but the party's level of political will to do so has been lacking.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5.6% (2001 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1750 (2001 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 30%
Industry: 18%
Services: 52% (2000 est.)

Agriculture products: rice jute tea wheat sugarcane potatoes tobacco pulses oilseeds spices fruit; beef milk poultry

Industries: cotton textiles jute garments tea processing paper newsprint cement chemical fertilizer light engineering sugar

Industrial production growth rate: 6.2% (2001 est.)

Labor force
Note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99 (1998)
By occupation agriculture: 63%
By occupation services: 26%
By occupation industry: 11% (FY95/96)

Unemployment rate: 35% (2001 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 36%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 4%
Highest 10: 29%

Distribution of family income gini index: 34 (1995-96 )

Budget
Revenues: $4.9 billion
Expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.8% (2000 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $6.6 billion (2001)
Commodities: garments jute and jute goods leather frozen fish and seafood
Partners: US 31.8% Germany 10.9% UK 7.9% France 5.2% Netherlands 5.2% Italy 4.42% (2000)

Imports: $8.7 billion (2001)
Commodities: machinery and equipment chemicals iron and steel textiles raw cotton food crude oil and petroleum products cement
Partners: India 10.5% EU 9.5% Japan 9.5% Singapore 8.5% China 7.4% (2000)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $17 billion (2000) (2000)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: taka per US dollar - 57.756 (January 2002) 55.807 (2001) 52.142 (2000) 49.085 (1999) 46.906 (1998) 43.892 (1997)


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Electricity
Production: 13.493 billion kWh (2000)
Production by source fossil fuel: 92%
Production by source hydro: 8%
Production by source other: 0% (2000)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 12.548 billion kWh (2000)
Exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 500,000 (2000)
Mobile cellular: 283,000 (2000)

Telephone system
General assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country
Domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities
International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .bd
Service providers isps: 10 (2000)
Users: 150,000 (2002)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $559 million (FY96/97)
Percent of gdp: 1.8% (FY96/97)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 18 (2001)
With paved runways total: 15
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 6 (2002)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Heliports

Pipelines: natural gas 1250 km

Railways
Total: 2,745 km
Broad gauge: 923 km 1.676-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)

Roadways

Waterways
Note: includes 3,058 km main cargo routes

Merchant marine
Total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 269,932 GRT/379,271 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 26, container 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, includes s foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 5 (2002 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: only a small portion of the boundary with India remains undelimited; discussions to demarcate the boundary exchange 162 miniscule enclaves and allocate divided villages remain stalled; skirmishes illegal border trafficking and violence along the border continue; Bangladesh has protested India's attempts to fence off high traffic sections of the porous boundary; Burmese attempts to construct a dam on the border stream in 2001 prompted an armed response halting construction; Burmese Muslim refugees migrate into Bangladesh straining meager resources

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries