1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 144,000 sq km land: 133,910 sq km water: 10,090 sq km
Area--comparative
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
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m
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
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geographic coordinates
24 00 N, 90 00 E
Irrigated land
31,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Land use
arable land: 73% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 15% other: 5% (1993 est.)
Location
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Map references
Asia
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season
Natural resources
natural gas, arable land, timber
Terrain
mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 38% (male 24,516,722; female 23,346,904) 15-64 years: 59% (male 38,441,064; female 36,586,743) 65 years and over: 3% (male 2,303,613; female 1,922,921) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
25.2 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
8.5 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1 million
Infant mortality rate
69.68 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Bangla (official), English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 60.6 years male: 60.73 years female: 60.46 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.1% male: 49.4% female: 26.1% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh
Net migration rate
-0.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
127,117,967 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.59% (1999 est.)
Religions
Muslim 88.3%, Hindu 10.5%, other 1.2%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.86 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi note: there may be one additional division named Sylhet
Capital
Dhaka
Constitution
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times
Country name
conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh former: East Pakistan
Data code
BG
Executive branch
chief of state: President Shahabuddin AHMED (since 9 October 1996); note--the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed--at presidential direction--to supervise the elections head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed (since 23 June 1996) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 1996 (next to be held by NA October 2001); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Shahabuddin AHMED elected president without opposition; percent of National Parliament vote--NA
Flag description
green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam
Government type
republic
Independence
16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
International organization participation
AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Khwaja Mohammad SHEHABUDDIN chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John C. HOLZMAN embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212 mailing address: G.P.O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, the Chief Justices and other judges are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: Bangladesh Nationalist Party or
Legal system
based on English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad (330 seats; 300 elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies, 30 seats reserved for women; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 12 June 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party--AL 33.87%, BNP 30.87%; seats by party--AL 178, BNP 113, JP 33, JI 3, other 2, election still to be held 1; note--the elections of 12 June 1996 brought to power an Awami League government for the first time in twenty-one years; held under a neutral, caretaker administration, the elections were characterized by a peaceful, orderly process and massive voter turnout, ending a bitter two-year impasse between the former BNP and opposition parties that had paralyzed National Parliament and led to widespread street violence
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes; beef, milk, poultry
Budget
revenues: $3.8 billion expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Currency
1 taka (Tk) = 100 poisha
Debt--external
$16.7 billion (1997)
Economic aid--recipient
$1.475 billion (FY96/97)
Economy--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. The economy is largely 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), inadequate power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed's Awami League government has made some headway improving the climate for foreign investors and liberalizing the capital markets; for example, it has negotiated with foreign firms for oil and gas exploration, better countrywide distribution of cooking gas, and the construction of natural gas pipelines and power plants. Progress on other economic reforms has been halting because of opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. Severe floods, lasting from July to October 1998, endangered the livelihoods of more than 20 million people. Foodgrain production fell by 4 million tons, forcing Dhaka to triple its normal foodgrain imports and placing severe pressure on Bangladesh's balance of payments. The floods increased the country's reliance on large-scale international aid. So far the East Asian financial crisis has not had major impact on the economy.
Electricity--consumption
11.3 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
11.5 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 97.35% hydro: 2.65% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
taka (Tk) per US$1--48.500 (January 1999), 46.906 (1998), 43.892 (1997), 41.794 (1996), 40.278 (1995), 40.212 (1994)
Exports
$4.4 billion (1997)
Exports--commodities
garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood
Exports--partners
Western Europe 42%, US 30%, Hong Kong 4%, Japan 3% (FY95/96 est.)
Fiscal year
1 July--30 June
GDP
purchasing power parity--$175.5 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 30% industry: 17% services: 53% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,380 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
4% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 23.7% (1992)
Imports
$7.1 billion (1997)
Imports--commodities
capital goods, textiles, food, petroleum products
Imports--partners
India 21%, China 10%, Western Europe 8%, Hong Kong 7%, Singapore 6% (FY95/96 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
3.6% (1997)
Industries
jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing, steel, fertilizer
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
7% (1998)
Labor force
56 million note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, and Oman (1996)
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 65%, services 25%, industry and mining 10% (1996)
Population below poverty line
35.6% (1995-96 est.)
Unemployment rate
35.2% (1996)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (one of Bangladesh's two shortwave stations, Bangladesh Betar or Radio Bangladesh, transmits its programs to the world in six languages on four frequencies) (1998)
Radios
NA
Telephone system
domestic: poor domestic telephone service international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries
Telephones
249,800 (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations
11 (1997)
Televisions
350,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
16 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 204,022 km paved: 25,095 km unpaved: 178,927 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 315,855 GRT/453,002 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 33, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
natural gas 1,220 km Ports and harbors: Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port
Railways
total: 2,745 km broad gauge: 923 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (1998 est.)
Waterways
5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$559 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1.8% (FY96/97)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 33,374,195 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 19,772,013 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
a portion of the boundary with India is indefinite; dispute with India over South Talpatty/New Moore Island
Illicit drugs
transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries