Bangladesh

People's Republic of Bangladesh

republicIndependence 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

Bangladesh as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 80 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 sq km

LocationSouthern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma

Populationas each edition published it

128.09 million July 1995 est. · 118.43m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.32% 1995 est. · 2.35% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 21.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

55.46 years 1995 est. · 54.7 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.39 children per woman 1995 est. · 5.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

104.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 136 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,040 1994 est. · $200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.5% 1994 est. · 3.8% in 1993

Geography

Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma | and India

13 fields

Land useshare of 144,000 sq km

arable land 67%permanent crops 2%meadows and pastures 4%forest and woodland 16%other 11%irrigated 27,380 sq km (1989)

Area

144,000sq km

land area: 133,910 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Coastline

580km

contiguous zone: 18 nmcontinental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

4,246km

total · Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Location

Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

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

Environment

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:: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

People

15 fields

Population

128,094,948

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.32% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

34.62Death

11.43Net migration

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years55.46

55.69 · 55.22

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy35%

47% · 22%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Labor force

50.1million

by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 21%, industry and mining 14% (1989)note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 40% (female 25,195,262; male 26,352,299)
15-64 years:: 57% (female 34,862,105; male 37,867,705)
65 years and over:: 3% (female 1,761,336; male 2,056,241) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

104.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

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

Government

Republic; President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991); Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN (since 20 March 1991)

20 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

Names

conventional long form:: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form:: Bangladesh
former:: East Pakistan

Administrative divisions

4 divisions; Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi

Constitution

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

Executive branch

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

National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)

elections last held 27 February 1991 (next to be held by 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

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

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Humayun KABIR
chancery:: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:: [1] (202) 342-8372 through 8376
consulate(s) general:: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador David N. MERRILL
embassy:: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka
mailing address:: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212
telephone:: [880] (2) 884700 through 884722

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

Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to | improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of | the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed | nations.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$1,040

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

4.5%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 6.9% (FY92/93 est.); accounts for 9.4% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

4.3%

(1992 est.)

External debt

$13.5billion

(June 1993)

Budget

Revenues

$2.8 billionExpenditures

$4.1 billion

expenditures including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (FY92/93)

Installed generating capacity, 2,740,000 kW

Electricity production

9.2 billionElectricity consumption per capita

70 (1993)

Overview

Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains 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, the inefficiency of state-owned enterprises, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), and inadequate power supplies. Excellent rice crops and expansion of the export garment industry led to real growth of 4% in 1992 and again in 1993.

Policy measures intended to reduce government regulation of private industry, to curb population growth, and to expand employment opportunities have had only partial success given the serious nature of Bangladesh's basic problems.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $130.1 billion (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$2.38 billion (1993)

commodities:: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, shrimp
partners:: US 33%, Western Europe 39% (Germany 8.4%, Italy 6%) (FY91/92 est.)

Imports

$3.99 billion (1993)

commodities:: capital goods, petroleum, food, textiles
partners:: Hong Kong 7.5%, Singapore 7.4%, China 7.4%, Japan 7.1% (FY91/92 est.)

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

Economic aid

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 - 40.250 (January 1995), 40.212 (1994), 39.567 (1993), 38.951 (1992), 36.596 (1991), 34.569 (1990)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 16 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

7,240Railroads

2,892

Highways: paved: 3,840 km · unpaved: 3,400 km (1985) · Railroads: broad gauge: 978 km 1.676-m gauge · narrow gauge: 1,914 km 1.000-m gauge (1992)

Railroads

total:: 2,892 km
broad gauge:: 978 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge:: 1,914 km 1.000-m gauge (1992)

Highways

total:: 7,240 km
paved:: 3,840 km
unpaved:: 3,400 km (1985)

Inland waterways

5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)

Pipelines

natural gas 1,220 km

Ports

Barisal, Chandpur, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Dacca, Khulna, Mongla (includes Chalna), Narayanganj

Merchant marine

total:: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 293,304 GRT/428,013 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 2, cargo 31, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

241,250 telephones;
1 telephone/522 persons;
poor domestic telephone service

local:: NA
intercity:: NA
international:: 2 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth stations; adequate international radio communications and landline service

Radio

broadcast stations:: AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 0
radios:: NA

Television

broadcast stations:: 11
televisions:: NA

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force | paramilitary forces: Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed | Police Reserve, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps