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  Bangladesh  
Flag of Bangladesh
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  Introduction
  Geography
  People
  Government
  Economy
  Communications
  Transportation
  Military
  Transnational Issues

In general, information available as of 1 January 2003
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2003.


This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003


Map of Bangladesh

Legend: Definition Definition Field Listing Field Listing Rank Order Rank Order
   Introduction    Bangladesh
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
   Geography    Bangladesh
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
24 00 N, 90 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Asia
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 144,000 sq km
land: 133,910 sq km
water: 10,090 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly smaller than Iowa
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4,246 km
border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
580 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 60.7%
permanent crops: 2.61%
other: 36.69% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
38,440 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
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
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
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
   People    Bangladesh
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
138,448,210 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 34.1% (male 24,255,300; female 23,007,632)
15-64 years: 62.5% (male 44,261,739; female 42,281,331)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,506,606; female 2,135,602) (2003 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 21.2 years
male: 21.2 years
female: 21.1 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.06% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
29.9 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 66.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 67.21 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 61.33 years
male: 61.46 years
female: 61.2 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
13,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
650 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Bangladeshi(s)
adjective: Bangladeshi
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 43.1%
male: 53.9%
female: 31.8% (2003 est.)
   Government    Bangladesh
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form: Bangladesh
former: East Pakistan
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Dhaka
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi; note - there may be one additional division named Sylhet
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on English common law
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve five-year terms
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 191, AL 62, JI 18, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, 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 (Naziur)
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
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]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, 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, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366
telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS
embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
telephone: [880] (2) 8824700 through 8824722
FAX: [880] (2) 8823744
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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
   Economy    Bangladesh
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $239 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.4% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 35%
industry: 19%
services: 46% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
35.6% (FY95 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
33.6 (FY95)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.1% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
64.1 million
note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture 63%, services 26%, industry 11% (FY95)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $4.9 billion
expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.8% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15.33 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:
Definition Field Listing
fossil fuel: 93.7%
hydro: 6.3%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
14.26 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,581 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
71,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
28.45 million bbl (January 2002 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
150.3 billion cu m (January 2002 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$6.2 billion (2002)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001)
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 29.6%, Germany 10.3%, UK 8.5%, France 5.4%, Italy 4.6%, Netherlands (2001)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$8.5 billion (2002)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
India 13.1%, Singapore 9.1%, China 8.5%, Japan 7.9%, Hong Kong 5.1% (2001)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$16.5 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$1.575 billion (2000 est.)
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
taka (BDT)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
BDT
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
taka per US dollar - 57.888 (2002), 55.8067 (2001), 52.1417 (2000), 49.0854 (1999), 46.9057 (1998)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 July - 30 June
   Communications    Bangladesh
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
500,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
283,000 (2000)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
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)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
15 (1999)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.bd
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Definition Field Listing
10 (2000)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
150,000 (2002)
   Transportation    Bangladesh
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 2,706 km
broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Highways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 201,182 km
paved: 19,112 km
unpaved: 182,070 km (1997)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing
up to 8,046 km depending on season
note: includes 3,058 km main cargo routes
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
natural gas 1,250 km
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 314,437 GRT/436,465 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 23, container 11, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
18 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
   Military    Bangladesh
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, Armed Police Battalions, National Cadet Corps)
Military manpower - availability:
Definition Field Listing
males age 15-49: 38,436,912 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 15-49: 22,807,339 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$559 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.8% (FY96)
   Transnational Issues    Bangladesh
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, demarcate and fence the porous land boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade 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 Island in the Bay of Bengal prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003


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