Bangladesh

republicIndependence 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

Bangladesh as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 121 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

LocationSouthern Asia, at the head of the Bay of Bengal, almost completely

Populationas each edition published it

125.15 million July 1994 est. · 118.43m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.33% 1994 est. · 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

4.47 children per woman 1994 est. · 5.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

106.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 136 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,000 1993 est. · $200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.3% 3.8% in 1993

Geography

Southern Asia, at the head of the Bay of Bengal, almost completely | surrounded by India

24 fields

Coastline

580km

Land boundaries

4,246km

total · Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Irrigated land

27,380sq km

(1989)

Location

Southern Asia, at the head of the Bay of Bengal, almost completely surrounded by India

total area

144,000 sq km

land area

133,910 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

contiguous zone

18 nm

continental shelf

up to outer limits of continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

International 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

arable land

67%

permanent crops

meadows and pastures

forest and woodland

16%

other

11%

current issues

many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land;
limited access to potable water;
water-borne diseases prevalent;
water pollution especially of fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides;
intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country;
soil degradation;
deforestation;
severe overpopulation

natural hazards

vulnerable to droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season

international agreements

party to - Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

People

22 fields

Population

125,149,469

(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.33% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth

35.02Death

11.68Net migration

Labor force

50.1million

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

106.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

55.08 years

male

55.35 years

female

54.8 years (1994 est.)

noun

Bangladeshi(s)

adjective

Bangladesh

Ethnic divisions

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

Religions

Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other

total population

35%

male

47%

female

22%

by occupation

agriculture 65%, services 21%, industry and mining 14% (1989)

note

extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)

Government

Republic

30 fields

Legislature, 329 seatsseats by party

(330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for women) BNP 168AL 93JP 35JI 20BCP 5Workers Party 1JSD 1Ganotantri Party 1Islami Oikya Jote 1NDP 1independents 3

conventional long form

People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form

Bangladesh

former

East Pakistan

64 districts (zillagulo, singular - zilla); Bagerhat, Bandarban, Barguna, Barisal, Bhola, Bogra, 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)

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 March (1971)

Constitution

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

Legal system

based on English common law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state

President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991);
election last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October 1996);
results - Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote

head of government

Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN (since 20 March 1991)

cabinet

Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch

unicameral

National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)

elections last held 27 February 1991 (next to be held NA February 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for women) BNP 168, AL 93, JP 35, JI 20, BCP 5, National Awami Party (Muzaffar) 1, Workers Party 1, JSD 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami Oikya Jote 1, NDP 1, independents 3

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN;
Awami League (AL), Sheikh Hasina WAJED;
Jatiyo Party (JP), Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD (in jail);
Jamaat-E-Islami (JI), Ali KHAN;
Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK;
National Awami Party (Muzaffar);
Workers Party, leader NA;
Jatiyo Samajtantik Dal (JSD), Serajul ALAM KHAN;
Ganotantri Party, leader NA;
Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA;
National Democratic Party (NDP), leader NA;
Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR;
Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed;
Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed;
United People's Party, Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed

Member of

AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WFTU, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador Abul AHSAN

chancery

2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone

(202) 342-8372 through 8376

consulate(s) general

New York

chief of mission

Ambassador David MERRILL

embassy

Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka

mailing address

G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212

telephone

[880] (2) 884700-22

FAX

[880] (2) 883-744

Flag

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

Economy

Bangladesh is one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and | least developed nations.

26 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,000

(1993 est.)

Real growth rate

4.3%

(FY93)industrial production growth: growth rate 6.9% (FY93 est.); accounts for 9.4% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

1.4%

(FY93)

External debt

$13.5billion

(June 1993)

Overview

Bangladesh is one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Its economy is overwhelmingly agricultural, with the cultivation of rice the single most important activity in the economy. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, government interference with the economy, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, a low level of industrialization, failure to fully exploit energy resources (natural gas), and inefficient and inadequate power supplies.

Excellent rice crops and expansion of the export garment industry helped growth in FY92 and FY93. Policy reforms intended to reduce government regulation of private industry and promote public-sector efficiency have been announced but are being implemented only slowly.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $122 billion (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

revenues

$2.5 billion

expenditures

$3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92)

Exports

$2.1 billion (FY93)

commodities

garments, jute and jute goods, leather, shrimp

partners

US 33%, Western Europe 39% (Germany 8.4%, Italy 6%) (FY92 est.)

Imports

$3.5 billion (FY93)

commodities

capital goods, petroleum, food, textiles

partners

Hong Kong 7.5%, Singapore 7.4%, China 7.4%, Japan 7.1% (FY92 est.)

capacity

2,400,000 kW

production

9 billion kWh

consumption per capita

75 kWh (1992)

Industries

jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing, steel, fertilizer

Agriculture

accounts for 33% of GDP, 65% of employment, and one-fifth of exports;
world's largest exporter of jute;
commercial products - jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes, beef, milk, poultry;
shortages include wheat, vegetable oils, cotton

Illicit drugs

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

recipient

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.4 billion;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $11.65 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $6.52 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $1.5 billion

Currency

1 taka (Tk) = 100 poiska

Exchange rates

taka (Tk) per US$1 - 40.064 (January 1994), 39.567 (1993), 38.951 (1992), 36.596 (1991), 34.569 (1990), 32.270 (1989)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

15 fields

Railroads

2,892 km total (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge, 978 km 1.676 meter broad gauge

total

7,240 km

paved

3,840 km

unpaved

3,400 km (1985)

total

usable

with permanent-surface runways

with runways over 3,659 m

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications

adequate international radio communications and landline service;
poor domestic telephone service;
241.250 telephones - only one telephone for each 522 persons;
fair broadcast service;
broadcast stations - 9 AM, 6 FM, 11 TV;
2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth stations

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force

4 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

paramilitary forces

Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 31,955,948; fit for military service 18,967,602

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $355 million, 1.5% of GDP (FY92/93)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Bangladesh.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bangladesh/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →

Geography

total area

land area

comparative area

contiguous zone

continental shelf

exclusive economic zone

territorial sea

arable land

permanent crops

meadows and pastures

forest and woodland

other

current issues

natural hazards

international agreements

People

total population

male

female

noun

adjective

total population

male

female

by occupation

note

Government

conventional long form

conventional short form

former

chief of state

head of government

cabinet

chief of mission

chancery

consulate(s) general

chief of mission

embassy

mailing address

Economy

revenues

expenditures

commodities

partners

commodities

partners

capacity

production

consumption per capita

recipient

Communications

total

paved

unpaved

total

usable

with permanent-surface runways

with runways over 3,659 m

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Defense Forces

paramilitary forces

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