1989 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1989 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Administrative divisions
64 districts (zillagulo, singular — zilla); Bagerhat, Bandarban, Barisal, Bhola, Bogra, Borguna, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chapai Nawabganj, Chattagram, Chuadanga, Comilla, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Farldpur, Feni, Gaibandha, GSzipur, Gopalganj, Habiganj, Jaipurhat, Jamalpur, Jessore, Jhalakati, Jhenaidah, Khagrachari, Khulna, Kishorganj, KurlgrSm, Kushtia, Laksmipur, Lslmonirhat, Madarlpur, Magura, Manikganj, Meherpur, Moulavibazar, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narail, NSrSyanganj, Narsingdi, Nator, Netrakona, Nilph5m3ri, Noakhali, Pabna, PanchSgar, Parbattya Chattagram, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Satkhira, Shariyatpur, Sherpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Tangail, and Thakurgaon
Capital
Dhaka
Climate
tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)
Coastline
580 km
Communists
5,000 members (1987 est.)
Comparative area
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Constitution
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986
Contiguous zone
18 nm
Continental shelf
up to outer limits of continental margin
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 Willard A. DE PREE; Embassy at Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara Model Town, Dhaka (mailing address is G. P. O. Box 323, Ramna, Dhaka); telephone [88] (2) 608170
Disputes
a portion of the boundary with India is in dispute; water sharing problems with upstream riparian India over the Ganges
Elections
President — last held 1 5 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
Environment
vulnerable to droughts; much of country routinely flooded during summer monsoon season; overpopulation; deforestation
Executive branch
president, vice president, prime minister, three deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Extended economic zone
200 nm
Flag
green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam
Independence
16 December 1971 (from Pakistan; formerly East Pakistan)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Land boundaries
4,246 km total; Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Land use
67% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 16% forest and woodland; 1 1 % other; includes 14% irrigated
Leaders
Chief of State — President Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD (since 1 1 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
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)
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, QIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WFTU, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
Natural resources
natural gas, uranium, arable land, timber
Note
almost completely surrounded by
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Terrain
mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Territorial sea
1 2 nm
Total area
144,000 km2; land area: 133,910 km2
Total area
Stfrrlicinilm.il VI 1 1
Type
republic
Economy
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