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

top of page


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.


top of page


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

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: 62.11%
Permanent crops: 3.07%
Other: 34.82% (2001)

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


top of page


Population: 141,340,476 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 2.08% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: 35.6% (FY95/96 est.)

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: 33.5% (male 24,359,149; female 23,013,811)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 45,557,963; female 43,626,950)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,575,519; female 2,207,084) (2004 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 21.5 years
Male: 21.5 years
Female: 21.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.08% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 30.03 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 8.52 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.71 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 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, 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: 1.06 male/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male/female
65 years and over: 1.17 male/female
Total population: 1.05 male/female (2004 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 64.32 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 65.41 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 63.16 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 61.71 years
Male: 61.8 years
Female: 61.61 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.15 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 13,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 650 (2001 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: 43.1%
Male: 53.9%
Female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


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: 6 divisions; Barisal Chittagong Dhaka Khulna Rajshahi and 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 September 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 47%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 195, AL 58, JI 17, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 3, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; 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 (Manzur)

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 CP FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt (signatory) ICFTU ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU MIGA MINURSO MONUC NAM OIC ONUB OPCW SAARC SACEP UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMEE UNMIK UNMIL UNMISET UNOCI UNOMIG UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD
In the us chancery: 3,510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
In the us fax: [1] (202) 244-5,366
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Harry K. THOMAS, Jr.
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) 885-5,500
From the us fax: [880] (2) 882-3,744

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


top of page


Economy overview: Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects Bangladesh remains a poor overpopulated and ill-governed nation. Although 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 political will to do so has been lacking in key areas. One encouraging note: growth has been a steady 5% for the past several years.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5.3% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1900 (2003 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 21.7%
Industry: 26.6%
Services: 51.7% (2003 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: 1.9% (2003 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 (2003)
By occupation agriculture: 63%
By occupation industry: 11%
By occupation services: 26% (FY95/96)

Unemployment rate: 40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 35.6% (FY95/96 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.9%
Highest 10: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 33.6 (FY95/96)

Budget
Revenues: $5.352 billion
Expenditures: $7.55 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 43.3% of GDP (2003)

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.6% (2003 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: $393 million (2003)

Exports: $6.713 billion (2003 est.)
Commodities: garments jute and jute goods leather frozen fish and seafood (2001)
Partners: US 23.9% Germany 13.6% UK 9.7% France 5.9% (2003)

Imports: $9.459 billion (2003 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment chemicals iron and steel textiles foodstuffs petroleum products cement (2000)
Partners: India 15.4% China 11.3% Singapore 10.8% Japan 5.9% Hong Kong 4.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $18.06 billion (2003)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: taka per US dollar - 58.15 (2003) 57.888 (2002) 55.8067 (2001) 52.1417 (2000) 49.0854 (1999)


top of page


Electricity
Production: 15.33 billion kWh (2001)
Consumption: 14.25 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 9.9 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 9.9 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 150.3 billion m³ (1 January 2002)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 740,000 (2003)
Mobile cellular: 1.365 million (2003)

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: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .bd
Hosts: 1 (2003)
Users: 243,000 (2003)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $606.8 million (2003)
Percent of gdp: 1.2% (2003)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 16 (2003 est.)
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 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 2012 km (2004)

Railways
Total: 2,706 km
Broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Roadways

Waterways
Note: includes 2,575 km main cargo routes (2004)

Merchant marine
Total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 319,897 GRT/440,575 DWT
By type: bulk 2, cargo 24, container 10, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1
Foreign owned: China 1, Singapore 9
Registered in other countries: 10 (2004 est.)

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries allocate divided villages and stop illegal cross-border trade migration and violence; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: 61,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2004)

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