Bangladesh
People's Republic of BangladeshGana Prajatantri Bangladesh
parliamentary republicIndependence 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
Bangladesh as the 2025 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 154 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The huge delta region at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems -- now referred to as Bangladesh -- was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires for much of the first millennium A.D. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region 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, which is primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India.
After the partition of India in 1947, the Muslim-majority area became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western areas 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 military overthrew the post-independence AL government in 1975, the first of a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and the subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that took power in 1979. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections were held in 1991. The BNP and AL alternated in power from 1991 to 2008, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime in 2007.
The country returned to fully democratic rule in 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026.
The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6.25% for the last two decades. Poverty declined from 11.8 percent in 2010 to 5.0 percent in 2022, based on the international poverty line of $2.15 a day (using 2017 Purchasing Power Parity exchange rate). The country made a rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, but still faces economic challenges.
Geography
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
19 fieldsLand useshare of 148,460 sq km
Climate
- tropical;
- mild winter (October to March);
- hot, humid summer (March to June);
- humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Brahmaputra river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,969 km; Ganges river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 2,704 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km)
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
People and Society
35 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2024 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2025 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2022 est.)
Ethnic groups
Bengali at least 99%, other indigenous ethnic groups 1% (2022 est.) note: Bangladesh's government recognizes 27 indigenous ethnic groups under the 2010 Cultural Institution for Small Anthropological Groups Act; other sources estimate there are about 75 ethnic groups
Languages
Bangla 98.8% (official, also known as Bengali), other 1.2% (2011 est.); major-language sample(s): বিশ্ব ফ্যাক্টবুক, মৌলিক তথ্যের অপরিহার্য উৎস (Bangla); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.95 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.87 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total:
- 22 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- male:
- 31.3 deaths/1,000 live births
- female:
- 26.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Environment
11 fieldsLand use(2023 est.)
Environmental issues
- flooding;
- water pollution, especially of fishing areas, from the use of commercial pesticides;
- groundwater pollution from naturally occurring arsenic;
- falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country;
- soil degradation and erosion;
- deforestation;
- destruction of wetlands;
- severe overpopulation with noise pollution
International environmental agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Climate
- tropical;
- mild winter (October to March);
- hot, humid summer (March to June);
- humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 40.5% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
125.956 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 26.967 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 42.083 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 56.906 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Methane emissions
- energy:
- 544 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- agriculture:
- 2,391.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- waste:
- 693 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- other:
- 38.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually:
- 14.778 million tons (2024 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled:
- 15.7% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 3.6 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- industrial:
- 770 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- agricultural:
- 31.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Government
Parliamentary republic; President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (since 24 April 2023); Interim Prime Minister Muhammad YUNUS (since 8 August 2024)
24 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- People's Republic of Bangladesh
- conventional short form:
- Bangladesh
- local long form:
- Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh
- local short form:
- Bangladesh
- former:
- East Bengal, East Pakistan
- etymology:
- the name is a compound of the Bengali words Bangla (Bengali) and desh (country)
Capital
- name:
- Dhaka
- geographic coordinates:
- 23 43 N, 90 24 E
- time difference:
- UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- the origins of the name are unclear, but it may be derived from either the dhak tree or Dhakeshwari, a goddess with a shrine in the city
Administrative divisions
8 divisions; Barishal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet
Legal system
- common law, incorporating elements of English common law;
- since independence, statutory law has been the primary form of legislation;
- Islamic law applies to Muslims in family and inheritance laws, with Hindu personal law applying to Hindus and Buddhists
Constitution
- history:
- previous 1935, 1956, 1962 (pre-independence); latest enacted 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended March 1982, restored November 1986
- amendment process:
- proposed by the House of the Nation; approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the House membership and assent of the president of the republic
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth:
- no
- citizenship by descent only:
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Bangladesh
- dual citizenship recognized:
- yes, but limited to select countries
- residency requirement for naturalization:
- 5 years
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (since 24 April 2023)
- head of government:
- Interim Prime Minister Muhammad YUNUS (since 8 August 2024)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet selected by the prime minister, appointed by the president
- election/appointment process:
- president indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
- the president appoints as prime minister the majority party leader in the National Parliament
- most recent election date:
- 13 February 2023
- election results:
- President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (AL) elected unopposed by the National Parliament;
- Sheikh HASINA reappointed prime minister for a fifth term following the 7 January 2024 parliamentary election but fled the country on 5 August 2024 following mass protests against her government in July and August 2024;
- Mohammad YUNIS was appointed as interim Prime Minister on 8 August 2024
- expected date of next election:
- 2028
note: On August 5, 2024, former prime minister Sheikh HASINA fled the country as protesters stormed her official residence, and army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that an interim government would be formed to run Bangladesh;
the President dissolved Parliament on 6 August and swore in Nobel laureate Muhammad YUNUS as interim prime minister on 8 August
Legislative branch
- expected date of next election:
- February 2026
note: the Parliament (House of the Nation) was dissolved on 6 August 2024 by President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wazed on 5 August 2024; new national elections will be held in February 2026
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court of Bangladesh (organized into the Appellate Division with 7 justices and the High Court Division with 99 justices)
- judge selection and term of office:
- chief justice and justices appointed by the president; justices serve until retirement at age 67
- subordinate courts:
- civil courts include: Assistant Judge's Court;
- Joint District Judge's Court;
- Additional District Judge's Court;
- District Judge's Court;
- criminal courts include: Court of Sessions;
- Court of Metropolitan Sessions;
- Metropolitan Magistrate Courts;
- Magistrate Court;
- special courts/tribunals
Political parties
- Awami League or AL
- Bangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami or JIB
- Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP
- Islami Andolan Bangladesh
- Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction)
- Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction)
- National Socialist Party (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) or JSD
- Workers Party or WP
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful ISLAM (since 5 September 2025)
- chancery:
- 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 244-0183
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 244-2771
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Washington, DC (mofa.gov.bd)
- consulate(s) general:
- Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador-designate Brent CHRISTENSEN (since 12 January 2026)
- embassy:
- Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212
- mailing address:
- 6120 Dhaka Place, Washington DC 20521-6120
- telephone:
- [880] (2) 5566-2000
- FAX:
- [880] (2) 5566-2907
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://bd.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 March (1971); Victory Day, 16 December (1971)
note: 26 March 1971 is the date of the Awami League's declaration of an independent Bangladesh, and 16 December (Victory Day) memorializes the military victory over Pakistan and the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Flag
- description:
- green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the left
- meaning:
- the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh
National coat of arms
- the water lily is the national flower and symbolizes promise, aesthetics, and elegance;
- the water under the lily, the rice sheaves on the sides, and the jute leaves at the top represent the Bangladeshi landscape and economy;
- the four stars represent the aims and ambition of the nation
National anthem(s)
- title:
- "Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal)
- lyrics/music:
- Rabindranath TAGORE
- history:
- adopted 1971; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote India's national anthem
National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites:
- 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
- selected World Heritage Site locales:
- Bagerhat Historic Mosque (c);
- Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur (c);
- Sundarbans (n)
Economy
32 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2024 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2024 est.)
Budget(2021 est.)
Economic overview
- one of the fastest growing emerging market economies;
- strong economic rebound following COVID-19;
- significant poverty reduction;
- exports dominated by textile industry;
- weakened exports and remittances resulted in declining foreign exchange reserves and 2022 IMF loan request
Agricultural products
rice, milk, potatoes, maize, sugarcane, onions, jute, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruits (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
cotton, textiles and clothing, jute, tea, paper, cement, fertilizer, sugar, light engineering
Labor force
77.355 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate
4.7% (2024 est.) · 4.5% (2023 est.) · 4.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- total:
- 11.5% (2024 est.)
- male:
- 13.7% (2024 est.)
- female:
- 9.2% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Population below poverty line
18.7% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
33.4 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Average household expenditures
- on food:
- 52.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- on alcohol and tobacco:
- 2.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Remittances
6% of GDP (2024 est.) · 5.1% of GDP (2023 est.) · 4.7% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Taxes and other revenues
7.6% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Current account balance
$1.87 billion (2024 est.) · $4.388 billion (2023 est.) · -$14.438 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
$53.848 billion (2024 est.) · $58.885 billion (2023 est.) · $60.066 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
garments, footwear, fabric, textiles, trunks and cases (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$74.96 billion (2024 est.) · $73.172 billion (2023 est.) · $93.635 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cotton fabric, natural gas, cotton, fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$21.395 billion (2024 est.) · $21.86 billion (2023 est.) · $33.747 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Debt - external
$58.02 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
taka (BDT) per US dollar - 115.604 (2024 est.) · 106.309 (2023 est.) · 91.745 (2022 est.) · 85.084 (2021 est.) · 84.871 (2020 est.)
Energy
8 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 22.699 million kW(2023 est.)
Coal
- production:
- 767,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- consumption:
- 14.05 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- imports:
- 13.305 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 3.26 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 263,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- crude oil estimated reserves:
- 28 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 22.334 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- consumption:
- 29.119 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- imports:
- 6.785 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 126.293 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2023–24 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines
- total subscriptions:
- 285,000 (2024 est.)
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
- (2024 est.) less than 1
Broadcast media
- state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) broadcasts nationally;
- some channels operate via satellite;
- the government also owns a medium-wave radio channel and some private FM radio news channels;
- of the 41 approved TV stations, 26 are currently being used to broadcast, and 23 operate under private management via cable distribution
Transportation
6 fieldsMerchant marine, 558 ships by type(2023)
Military and Security
7 fieldsMilitary and security forces
Armed Forces of Bangladesh (aka Bangladesh Defense Force): Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force
- Ministry of Home Affairs:
- Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansars, Village Defense Party (VDP) (2025)
note 1: the Armed Forces of Bangladesh are jointly administered by the Ministry of Defense (MOD) and the Armed Forces Division (AFD), both under the Prime Minister's Office; the AFD has ministerial status and parallel functions with MOD
note 2: the RAB, Ansars, and VDP are paramilitary organizations for internal security; the RAB is a joint task force comprised of Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Border Guards personnel seconded to the RAB; its mandate includes internal security, intelligence gathering related to criminal activities, and government-directed investigations
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 170,000 active Armed Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
much of the military's inventory is comprised of Chinese- and Russian-origin equipment, but in recent years suppliers have expanded to include Germany, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation
varies by service, but generally 17-23 for voluntary military service; length of service also varies (2025)
Military deployments
- approximately 1,400 Central African Republic (MINUSCA);
- 1,700 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO; plus about 200 police);
- 120 Lebanon (UNIFIL);
- 1,600 South Sudan (UNMISS);
- 500 Sudan (UNISFA) (2024)
Military - note
the military’s primary responsibility is external defense but it also has a domestic security role; following widespread domestic protests in September 2024, the Army was given law enforcement powers, including making arrests, conducting searches, and dispersing unlawful assemblies;
the military has traditionally been a significant player in the country's politics and has commercial business interests in such areas as banking, food, hotels, manufacturing, real estate, and shipbuilding, and manages government infrastructure and construction projects
the military has a long history of participating in UN peacekeeping missions, which has provided operational experience and a source of funding; it runs an international institute for the training of peacekeepers; the military also conducts multinational and bilateral exercises with foreign partners, particularly India (2025)
Space
3 fieldsSpace agency/agencies
Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO; established as a statutory body in 1991 and designated as the country's national focal point for space-related activities in 1995) (2025)
Space program overview
- has a modest space program focused on designing, building, and operating satellites, particularly those with remote sensing (RS) capabilities;
- SPARSSO's mandate is to use space and RS technology in areas such as agriculture, education, environmental studies, fisheries, forestry, geology, land use, mapping, meteorology, and oceanography;
- has a government-owned company for acquiring and operating satellites (Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited, established in 2017);
- works with several foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of France, Japan, Russia, and the US;
- member of several international space organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (2025)
Key space-program milestones
- 2017 - first educational/scientific nanosatellite (BRAC-Onnesha) acquired from Japan and launched by US
- 2018 - first communications satellite (Bangabandhu-1) built by a French company and launched by US
- 2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for the safe and responsible exploration of space
Terrorism
1 fieldTerrorist group(s)
- Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh (HUJI-B);
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) in Bangladesh (ISB);
- al-Qa'ida;
- al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
1 fieldRefugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees:
- 1,005,637 (2024 est.)
- IDPs:
- 756,743 (2024 est.)
- stateless persons:
- 1,005,520 (2024 est.)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Bangladesh.” The World Factbook 2025. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bangladesh.