1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 144,000 km2 land area: 133,910 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Climate
tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)
Coastline
580 km
Environment
vulnerable to droughts; much of country routinely flooded during summer monsoon season; overpopulation; deforestation
International disputes
a portion of the boundary with India is in dispute; water-sharing problems with upstream riparian India over the Ganges
Irrigated land
27,380 km2 (1989)
Land boundaries
total 4,246 km, Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Land use
arable land: 67% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 16% other: 11%
Location
South Asia, at the head of the Bay of Bengal, almost completely surrounded by India
Map references
Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: up to outer limits of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
natural gas, arable land, timber
Terrain
mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
People and Society
Birth rate
35.41 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
11.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1 million
Infant mortality rate
109.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
35.1 million by occupation: agriculture 74%, services 15%, industry and commerce 11% (FY86) note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)
Languages
Bangla (official), English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 54.7 years male: 55 years female: 54.38 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 35% male: 47% female: 22%
Nationality
noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
122,254,849 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
2.35% (1993 est.)
Religions
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other
Total fertility rate
4.55 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
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
Capital
Dhaka
Chief of State
President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991)
Constitution
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended NA March 1991
Digraph
BG
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Abul AHSAN chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: (202) 342-8372 through 8376 consulate general: New York
Executive branch
president, prime minister, Cabinet
FAX
[880] (2) 883648
Flag
green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam
Head of Government
Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAur Rahman (since 20 March 1991)
Independence
16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)
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, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNTAC, UNPROFOR, UPU, WHO, WFTU, WIPO, WCL, WMO, WTO
Names
conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh former: East Pakistan
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
National Parliament
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
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
President
last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October 1996); results - Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
republic
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador William B. MILAM embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212 telephone: [880] (2) 884700-22
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for about 40% of GDP, 60% of employment, and one-fifth of 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, cotton; fish catch 778,000 metric tons in 1986
Budget
revenues $2.5 billion; expenditures $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92)
Currency
1 taka (Tk) = 100 paise
Economic aid
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
Electricity
2,400,000 kW capacity; 9,000 million kWh produced, 75 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
taka (Tk) per US$1 - 39.000 (January 1993), 38.951 (1992), 36.596 (1991), 34.569 (1990), 32.270 (1989), 31.733 (1988)
Exports
$2.0 billion (FY92) commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, shrimp partners: US 28%, Western Europe 39% (FY91)
External debt
$11.8 billion (FY92 est.)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Illicit drugs
transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
Imports
$3.4 billion (FY91/92) commodities: capital goods, petroleum, food, textiles partners: Japan 10.0%, Western Europe 17%, US 5.0% (FY91)
Industrial production
growth rate 4.0% (FY92 est.); accounts for less than 10% of GDP
Industries
jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing, steel, fertilizer
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.09% (FY92)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $23.8 billion (FY92)
National product per capita
$200 (FY92)
National product real growth rate
3.8% (FY92)
Overview
Bangladesh is one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Its economy is overwhelmingly agricultural. 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. An excellent rice crop and expansion of the export garment industry helped growth in FY91/92. Policy reforms intended to reduce government regulation of private industry and promote public-sector efficiency have been announced but are being implemented only slowly.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
total: 16 usable: 12 with permanent-surface runways: 12 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 6
Highways
7,240 km total (1985); 3,840 km paved, 3,400 km unpaved
Inland waterways
5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Merchant marine
42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 314,228 GRT/461,607 DWT; includes 34 cargo, 2 oil tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 3 bulk
Pipelines
natural gas 1,220 km
Ports
Chittagong, Chalna
Railroads
2,892 km total (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge, 978 km 1.676 meter broad gauge
Telecommunications
adequate international radio communications and landline service; fair domestic wire and microwave service; fair broadcast service; 241,250 telephones; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 6 FM, 11 TV; 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth stations
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force paramilitary forces: Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $355 million, 1.5% of GDP (FY92/93)
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 30,909,597; fit for military service 18,348,702 (1993 est.)