1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
142,500 km2 ; 66% arable (including cultivated and fallow), 18% not available for cultivation, 16% forested
Coastline
580 km
Land boundaries
2,535 km WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
12 nm (economic including fishing 200 nm)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
predominantly Bengali; fewer than one million "Biharis" and fewer than one million tribals
Labor force
30.7 million; extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Kuwait; 80% of labor force is in agriculture, 15% services, 11% industry (FY79)
Language
Bengali
Literacy
24.3% (1979-80)
Nationality
noun—Bangladeshi(s); adjective—Bangladesh
Population
93,040,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 2.6%
Religion
85% Muslim, about 12% Hindu, less than 1% Buddhist, Christian, or other
Government
Branches
constitution provides for unicameral legislature, strong President; independent judiciary; President has substantial control over the judiciary
Capital
Dacca
Communists
2,500 members (est.)
Elections
Second Parliament (House of the Nation) elected in February 1979; elections every five years; most recent presidential election November 1981 Political parties and leaders: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (formed September 1978), Abdus Sattar; Awami League, Sheikh Hasina Wajed; United People's Party, Kazi Zafar Ahmed; Democratic League, Khondakar Mushtaque Ahmed; Muslim League, Khan A. Sabur; Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (National Socialist Party), M. A. Jalil; Bangladesh Communist Party (pro-Soviet), Manindra Moni Singh; numerous small parties; political activity banned following March 1982 coup
Government leader
President Abdus Sattar replaced by martial law administrator Lt. Gen. H. M. ERSHAD in March 1982 coup
Legal system
based on English common law; constitution adopted December 1972; amended January 1975 to more authoritarian presidential system, changed by proclamation in April 1977 to reflect Islamic character of nation; further change, by proclamation in December 1978, to provide for the appointments of the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister, as well as other ministers of Cabinet rank, and to further define the powers of the President
Member of
ADB, Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMCO, ISCON, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 March
Official name
People's Republic of Bangladesh
Political subdivisions
19 districts, 413 thanas (counties), 4,365 unions (village groupings)
Suffrage
universal over age 18
Type
independent republic since December 1971; Government of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman overthrown in August 1975; two other coups followed; after four years of martial law rule, presidential elections were held in June 1978 and a new parliament was elected in February 1979; President Ziaur Rahman assassinated in failed military coup on 30 May 1981; former Vice President Justice Abdus Sattar became President in election on 15 November 1981; martial law imposed 24 March 1982; government dissolved
Economy
Agriculture
large subsistence farming, heavily dependent on monsoon rainfall; main crops are jute and rice; shortages—grain, cotton, and oilseed
Budget
(FY81) domestic revenue, $2,379 million; expenditures, $2,203 million
Electric power
1,302,000 kW capacity (1980); 1.750 billion kWh produced (1980), 20 kWh per capita
Exports
$759 million (f.o.b. 1980); raw and manufactured jute, leather, tea
Fiscal year
1 July-30 June
Fishing
catch 835,000 metric tons (FY78)
GNP
$9.1 billion est. (FY79, current prices), $100 per capita; real growth, 4.4% (FY79)
Imports
$2,348 million (f.o.b. 1980); foodgrains, fuels, raw cotton, fertilizer, manufactured products
Major industries
jute manufactures, food processing and cotton textiles
Major trade partners
exports—US 14%, USSR 8%; imports—US 19%, Japan 12% (FY79)
Monetary conversion rate
16 taka=US$1 (June 1981)
Communications
Airfields
23 total, 15 usable; 17 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 7 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
9 major transport aircraft
Highways
45,633 km total; 4,076 km paved, 2,693 km gravel, 38,864 km earth
Inland waterways
7,000 km; river steamers navigate main waterways
Pipelines
854 km natural gas
Ports
1 major (Chittagong), 2 minor
Railroads
4,085 km total (1980); 2,198 km meter gauge (1.000 m),l,852 km broad gauge (1.676 m), 35 km narrow gauge (0.762 m), 300 km double track; government owned
Telecommunications
adequate international radio-communications and landline service; fair domestic wire and microwave service; fair broadcast service; 100,000 (est.) telephones (0.1 per 100 popl.); 9 AM, 6 FM, 7 TV stations, and 1 ground satellite station
Military and Security
Military budget
for fiscal year ending 30 June 1982, $1.7 billion; about 10.8% of central government budget
Military manpower
males 15-49, 21,456,000; 11,190,000 fit for military service