Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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:
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Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
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Geographic coordinates:
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24 00 N, 90 00 E
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Map references:
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Asia
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Area:
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total: 144,000 sq km
land: 133,910 sq km
water: 10,090 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Iowa
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Land boundaries:
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total: 4,246 km
border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
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Coastline:
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580 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin
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Climate:
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tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
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Terrain:
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mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m
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Natural resources:
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natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
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Land use:
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arable land: 55.39%
permanent crops: 3.08%
other: 41.53% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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47,250 sq km (2003)
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Natural hazards:
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droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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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:
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147,365,352 (July 2006 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 32.9% (male 24,957,997/female 23,533,894)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 47,862,774/female 45,917,674)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 2,731,578/female 2,361,435) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 22.2 years
male: 22.2 years
female: 22.2 years (2006 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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2.09% (2006 est.)
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Birth rate:
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29.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Death rate:
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8.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 60.83 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 61.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 62.46 years
male: 62.47 years
female: 62.45 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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13,000 (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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650 (2001 est.)
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: leptospirosis
animal contact disease: rabies (2005)
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Nationality:
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noun: Bangladeshi(s)
adjective: Bangladeshi
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Ethnic groups:
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Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)
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Religions:
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Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
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Languages:
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Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 43.1%
male: 53.9%
female: 31.8% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form: Bangladesh
former: East Pakistan
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy
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Capital:
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Dhaka
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Administrative divisions:
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6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet
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Independence:
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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
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National holiday:
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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
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Constitution:
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4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended many times
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Legal system:
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based on English common law
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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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 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
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Legislative branch:
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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 no later than January 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 41%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 193, AL 58, JI 17, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Manzur) 4, other 12; note - the election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - JI, IOJ, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA]; 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]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA
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International organization participation:
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AsDB, BIMSTEC, 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, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Shamsher Mobin CHOWDHURY
chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Pat BUTENIS
embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500
FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently-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. 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.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$301.4 billion (2005 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$63.39 billion (2005 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.4% (2005 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$2,100 (2005 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 20.5%
industry: 26.7%
services: 52.8% (2004 est.)
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Labor force:
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66.6 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 (2005 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 63%
industry: 11%
services: 26% (FY95/96)
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Unemployment rate:
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2.5% (includes underemployment) (2005 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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45% (2004 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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31.8 (2000)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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6.7% (2005 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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24.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $5.993 billion
expenditures: $8.598 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
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Public debt:
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46.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
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Industries:
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cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
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Industrial production growth rate:
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6.7% (2005 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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17.42 billion kWh (2003)
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Electricity - consumption:
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16.2 billion kWh (2003)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2003)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2003)
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Oil - production:
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6,825 bbl/day (2003)
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Oil - consumption:
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84,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day
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Oil - proved reserves:
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28.45 million bbl (1 January 2002)
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Natural gas - production:
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11.9 billion cu m (2003 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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11.9 billion cu m (2003 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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300.2 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
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Current account balance:
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-$591 million (2005 est.)
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Exports:
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$9.372 billion (2005 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001)
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Exports - partners:
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US 22.4%, Germany 14.5%, UK 11.2%, France 6.9%, Italy 4% (2004)
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Imports:
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$12.97 billion (2005 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)
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Imports - partners:
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India 15.1%, China 12.5%, Singapore 7.5%, Kuwait 5.5%, Japan 5.3%, Hong Kong 4.5% (2004)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$3.45 billion (2005 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$21.25 billion (2005 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$1.575 billion (2000 est.)
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Currency (code):
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taka (BDT)
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Exchange rates:
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taka per US dollar - 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004), 58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002), 55.807 (2001)
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June
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Airports:
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16 (2005)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 5 (2005)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)
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Pipelines:
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gas 2,012 km (2004)
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Railways:
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total: 2,706 km
broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
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Roadways:
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total: 239,226 km
paved: 22,726 km
unpaved: 216,500 km (2003)
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Waterways:
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8,372 km
note: includes 5,635 km main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in dry season (2005)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 44 ships (1000 GRT or over) 360,053 GRT/511,789 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 30, container 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4
foreign-owned: 11 (China 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 9)
registered in other countries: 11 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Comoros 1, Malta 3, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 1) (2005)
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Ports and terminals:
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Chittagong, Mongla Port
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This page was last updated on 16 May, 2006
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