Muslim conversions and settlement in the region now referred to as Bangladesh began in the 10th century primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans established trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half became part of British India. Partition in 1947 resulted in an eastern wing of Pakistan in the Muslim-majority area which became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India won the independence war for Bangladesh in 1971.
The post-independence AL government faced daunting challenges and in 1975 was overthrown by the military triggering a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 1978. That government also ended in a coup in 1981 followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections occurred in 1991. The BNP and AL alternated in power between 1991 and 2013 with the exception of a military-backed emergency caretaker regime that suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. That government returned the country to fully democratic rule in December 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. In January 2014 the incumbent AL won the national election by an overwhelming majority after the BNP boycotted extending HASINA's term as prime minister. With the help of international development assistance Bangladesh has reduced the poverty rate from over half of the population to less than a third achieved Millennium Development Goals for maternal and child health and made great progress in food security since independence. The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6% over the last two decades and the country reached World Bank lower-middle income status in 2015.

arable land: 59%
permanent crops: 6.5%
permanent pasture: 4.6%

urban: 86.5% of population
rural: 87% of population
total: 86.9% of population
urban: 13.5% of population
rural: 13% of population
total: 13.1% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 57.7% of population
rural: 62.1% of population
total: 60.6% of population
urban: 42.3% of population
rural: 37.9% of population
total: 39.4% of population (2015 est.)

Bangladesh's economy has grown roughly 6% per year since 1996 despite prolonged periods of political instability poor infrastructure endemic corruption insufficient power supplies and slow implementation of economic reforms. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the services sector almost half of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector with rice as the single-most-important product.
Garment exports the backbone of Bangladesh's industrial sector accounted for more than 80% of total exports and surpassed $25 billion in 2016. The sector continues to grow despite a series of high-profile factory accidents that have killed more than 1000 workers and crippling strikes including a nationwide transportation blockade orchestrated by the political opposition during the first several months of 2015. Steady export growth in the garment sector combined with remittances from overseas Bangladeshis - which totaled about $15 billion and 8% of GDP in 2015 - are key contributors to Bangladesh's sustained economic growth and rising foreign exchange reserves.

$629.7 billion (2016 est.)
$580.1 billion (2015 est.)
$537.3 billion (2014 est.)

7.2% (2016 est.)
6.8% (2015 est.)
6.3% (2014 est.)

$3,900 (2016 est.)
$3,700 (2015 est.)
$3,500 (2014 est.)

30.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
30.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
29.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

4.1% (2016 est.)
4.1% (2015 est.)

32.1 (2010)
33.6 (1996)

26.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
26.7% of GDP (2015 est.)

5.7% (2016 est.)
6.2% (2015 est.)

5% (30 October 2016)
5% (30 October 2015)

10.41% (31 December 2016 est.)
11.71% (31 December 2015 est.)

$25.94 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$21.44 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$121.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$106.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$133.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$115.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$50.98 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$41.73 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$23.55 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$1.381 billion (2016 est.)
$2.58 billion (2015 est.)

$34.14 billion (2016 est.)
$31.74 billion (2015 est.)

$40.37 billion (2016 est.)
$37.86 billion (2015 est.)

$32.28 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$27.49 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$41.85 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$38.64 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$13.24 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$12.91 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$228.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$188 million (31 December 2015 est.)

taka (BDT) per US dollar -
78.468 (2016 est.)
78.468 (2015 est.)
77.947 (2014 est.)
77.614 (2013 est.)
81.86 (2012 est.)

1.44% of GDP (2016)
1.46% of GDP (2015)
1.36% of GDP (2014)
1.33% of GDP (2013)
1.41% of GDP (2012)