1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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
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
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
Area
total area: 144,000 sq km land area: 133,910 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Birth rate
35.02 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force paramilitary forces: Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps
Budget
revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92)
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
Constitution
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times
Currency
1 taka (Tk) = 100 poiska
Death rate
11.68 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $355 million, 1.5% of GDP (FY92/93)
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(s) general: New York
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
Electricity
capacity: 2,400,000 kW production: 9 billion kWh consumption per capita: 75 kWh (1992)
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: 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
Ethnic divisions
Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1 million
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)
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
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.)
External debt
$13.5 billion (June 1993)
FAX
[880] (2) 883-744
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Flag
green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam
Highways
total: 7,240 km paved: 3,840 km unpaved: 3,400 km (1985)
Illicit drugs
transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
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.)
Independence
16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
Industrial production
growth rate 6.9% (FY93 est.); accounts for 9.4% of GDP
Industries
jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing, steel, fertilizer
Infant mortality rate
106.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.4% (FY93)
Inland waterways
5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
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 sq km (1989)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Labor force
50.1 million by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 21%, industry and mining 14% (1989) note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)
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%
Languages
Bangla (official), English
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 55.08 years male: 55.35 years female: 54.8 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 35% male: 47% female: 22%
Location
Southern Asia, at the head of the Bay of Bengal, almost completely surrounded by India
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 31,955,948; fit for military service 18,967,602
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
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
Merchant marine
41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 312,172 GRT/458,131 DWT, bulk 3, cargo 33, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3
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 (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
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $122 billion (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$1,000 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
4.3% (FY93)
Nationality
noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh
Natural resources
natural gas, arable land, timber
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
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.
Pipelines
natural gas 1,220 km
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
Population
125,149,469 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
2.33% (1994 est.)
Ports
Chittagong, Chalna
Railroads
2,892 km total (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge, 978 km 1.676 meter broad gauge
Religions
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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
Terrain
mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Total fertility rate
4.47 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
republic
Unemployment rate
NA%
US diplomatic representation
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