Bangladesh

republicIndependence 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan

Bangladesh as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalDhaka

Area144,000 km2

Populationas each edition published it

118.43 million July 1990 · 174.37m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.35% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 21.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 54.7 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.7 children per woman 1990 · 2.25 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

136 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 22 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.8% in 1993

Geography

15 fields

Land useshare of 144,000 km2

arable land 67%permanent crops 2%meadows and pastures 4%forest and woodland 16%other 11%includes 14% irrigated

Total area

144,000km2

land area: 133,910 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Coastline

580km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

4,246km total

Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Continental shelf

up to outer limits of continental margin;

Disputes

a portion of the boundary with India is in dispute; water sharing problems with upstream riparian India over the Ganges

Climate

tropical;
cool, dry winter (October to March);
hot, humid summer (March to June);
cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Natural resources

natural gas, uranium, arable land, timber

Environment

vulnerable to droughts;
much of country routinely flooded during summer monsoon season;
overpopulation;
deforestation

People

14 fields

Population

118,433,062

(July 1990), growth rate 2.8% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

42Death

14Net migration

Religion

Muslim 83%Hindu about 16%less than 1% Buddhist; Christian; and other

Literacy

29%

(39% men, 18% women)

Nationality

noun--Bangladeshi(s); adjective--Bangladesh

Ethnic divisions

98% Bengali; 250,000 Biharis, and less than 1 million tribals

Labor force

35,100,000;
74% agriculture, 15% services, 11% industry and commerce;
extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Kuwait (FY86)

Organized labor

3% of labor force belongs to 2,614 registered unions (1986 est.)

Government

Republic

17 fields

64 districts (zillagulo, singular--zilla); Bagerhat, Bandarban, Barisal, Bhola, Bogra, Borguna, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chapai Nawabganj, Chattagram, Chuadanga, Comilla, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Feni, Gaibandha, Gazipur, Gopalganj, Habiganj, Jaipurhat, Jamalpur, Jessore, Jhalakati, Jhenaidah, Khagrachari, Khulna, Kishorganj, Kurigram, Kushtia, Laksmipur, Lalmonirhat, Madaripur, Magura, Manikganj, Meherpur, Moulavibazar, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narail, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Nator, Netrakona, Nilphamari, Noakhali, Pabna, Panchagar, Parbattya Chattagram, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Satkhira, Shariyatpur, Sherpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Tangail, Thakurgaon

Independence

16 December 1971 (from Pakistan; formerly East Pakistan)

Constitution

4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986

Legal system

based on English common law

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 March (1971)

Executive branch

president, vice president, prime minister, three deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State--President Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD (since 11 December 1983, elected 15 October 1986);
Vice President Moudad AHMED (since 12 August 1989);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Qazi Zafar AHMED (since 12 August 1989)

Political parties and leaders

Jatiyo Party, Hussain Mohammad Ershad;
Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Begum Ziaur Rahman;
Awami League, Sheikh Hasina Wazed;
United People's Party, Kazi Zafar Ahmed;
Democratic League, Khondakar Mushtaque Ahmed;
Muslim League, Khan A. Sabur;
Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (National Socialist Party), M. A. Jalil;
Bangladesh Communist Party (pro-Soviet), Saifuddin Ahmed Manik;
Jamaat-E-Islami, Ali Khan

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--last held 15 October 1986 (next to be held October 1991);
results--President Hussain Mohammad Ershad received 83.5% of vote;
Parliament--last held 3 March 1988 (next to be held March 1993);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for women) Jatiyo Party won 256 out of 300 seats

Communists

5,000 members (1987 est.)

Member of

ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WFTU, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador A. H. S. Ataul KARIM;
Chancery at 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC 20007;
telephone (202) 342-8372 through 8376;
there is a Bangladesh Consulate General in New York;
US--Ambassador-designate William B. MILAM;
Embassy at Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara Model Town, Dhaka (mailing address is G. P. O. Box 323, Ramna, Dhaka);
telephone [88] (2) 608170

Flag

green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam

Economy

The economy is based on the output of a narrow range of agricultural products, such as jute, which is the main cash crop and major source of export earnings.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$20.6billion

per capita $180; real growth rate 2.1% (FY89 est.)

Unemployment rate

30%

(FY88 est.)

External debt

$10.4billion

(December 1989)

Budget

Revenues

$1.8 billionExpenditures

$3.3 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $1.7 billion (FY89)

Overview

The economy is based on the output of a narrow range of agricultural products, such as jute, which is the main cash crop and major source of export earnings. Bangladesh is hampered by a relative lack of natural resources, a rapid population growth of 2.8% a year and a limited infrastructure, and it is highly vulnerable to natural disasters.

Despite these constraints, real GDP averaged about 3.8% annually during 1985-88. One of the poorest nations in the world, alleviation of poverty remains the cornerstone of the government's development strategy. The agricultural sector contributes over 50% to GDP and 75% to exports, and employs over 74% of the labor force. Industry accounts for about 10% of GDP.

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8-10% (FY89 est.)

Exports

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., FY89 est.);
commodities--jute, tea, leather, shrimp, manufacturing;
partners--US 25%, Western Europe 22%, Middle East 9%, Japan 8%, Eastern Europe 7%

Imports

$3.1 billion (c.i.f., FY89 est.);
commodities--food, petroleum and other energy, nonfood consumer goods, semiprocessed goods, and capital equipment;
partners--Western Europe 18%, Japan 14%, Middle East 9%, US 8%

Industrial production

growth rate 5.4% (FY89 est.)

Electricity

1,700,000 kW capacity; 4,900 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

jute manufacturing, food processing, cotton textiles, petroleum, urea fertilizer

Agriculture

accounts for about 50% of GDP and 74% of both employment and exports;
imports 10% of food grain requirements;
world's largest exporter of jute;
commercial products--jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes, beef, milk, poultry;
shortages include wheat, vegetable oils and cotton;
fish catch 778,000 metric tons in 1986

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $3.2 billion;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-87), $9.5 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $652 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $1.5 billion

Currency

taka (plural--taka); 1 taka (Tk) = 100 paise

Exchange rates

taka (Tk) per US$1--32.270 (January 1990), 32.270 (1989), 31.733 (1988), 30.950 (1987), 30.407 (1986), 27.995 (1985)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 47 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 38petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 2refrigerated cargo 3roll-on/roll-off 1bulk 347 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 331,568 GRT/493,935 DWT

Airports, 16 total, 13 usable

permanent-surface runways

13runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

4runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

7,240Railroads

2,892Pipelines

650

Highways: (1985); 3,840 km paved, 3,400 km unpaved · Railroads: (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge, 978 km 1.676 meter broad gauge