2004 Edition

Background

Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.

Area

land

133,910 sq km

total

144,000 sq km

water

10,090 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Iowa

Climate

tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Coastline

580 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Keokradong 1,230 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation

Environment - international agreements

Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

24 00 N, 90 00 E

Geography - note

most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing

of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal

from the Himalayas

the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel

Irrigated land

38,440 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

total

4,246 km

Land use

arable land

62.11%

other

34.82% (2001)

permanent crops

3.07%

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 inundated during the summer monsoon season

Natural resources

natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Terrain

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.5% (male 24,359,149; female 23,013,811) 15-64 years: 63.1% (male 45,557,963; female 43,626,950) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,575,519; female 2,207,084) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

30.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

8.52 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

650 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

13,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

63.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

male

65.41 deaths/1,000 live births

total

64.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Life expectancy at birth

female

61.61 years (2004 est.)

male

61.8 years

total population

61.71 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

31.8% (2003 est.)

male

53.9%

total population

43.1%

Median age

female

21.5 years (2004 est.)

male

21.5 years

total

21.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Bangladeshi

noun

Bangladeshi(s)

Net migration rate

-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

141,340,476 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

2.08% (2004 est.)

Religions

Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Sex ratio

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.15 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Administrative divisions

6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, and 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744

chief of mission

Ambassador Harry K. THOMAS, Jr.

embassy

Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212

mailing address

G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000

telephone

[880] (2) 885-5500

Diplomatic representation in the US

FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366

chancery

3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles and New York

telephone

[1] (202) 244-0183

Executive branch

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

2001)

president

term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president

elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA

cabinet

Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the

chief of state

President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002);

election results

Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission

elections

president elected by National Parliament for a five-year

head of government

Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October

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

parliamentary democracy

Independence

16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

International organization participation

AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve five-year terms

2006)

partners 47%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 195, AL 58, JI 17, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 3, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; note - the election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)

election results

percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance

elections

last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

Political parties and leaders

Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Budget

(2003)

expenditures

$7.55 billion, including capital expenditures of NA

revenues

$5.352 billion

Currency

taka (BDT)

Currency code

BDT

Current account balance

$393 million (2003)

Debt - external

$18.06 billion (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

33.6 (FY95/96)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Economy - overview

past several years.

Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key

areas. One encouraging note

growth has been a steady 5% for the

Electricity - consumption

14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

15.33 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

taka per US dollar - 58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002), 55.8067 (2001), 52.1417 (2000), 49.0854 (1999)

Exports

$6.713 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001)

Exports - partners

US 23.9%, Germany 13.6%, UK 9.7%, France 5.9% (2003)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $258.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

21.7%

industry

26.6%

services

51.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.3% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

28.6% (1995-96 est.)

lowest 10%

3.9%

Imports

$9.459 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)

Imports - partners

India 15.4%, China 11.3%, Singapore 10.8%, Japan 5.9%, Hong Kong 4.5% (2003) Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $2.624 billion (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

1.9% (2003 est.)

Industries

cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

23.2% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

64.02 million

Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99 (2003)

note

extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 63%, industry 11%, services 26% (FY95/96)

Natural gas - consumption

9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

150.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption

71,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

3,581 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

28.45 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

35.6% (FY95/96 est.)

Public debt

43.3% of GDP (2003)

Unemployment rate

40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.)

Internet country code

.bd

Internet hosts

1 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

10 (2000)

Internet users

243,000 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios

6.15 million (1997)

Telephone system

include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities

Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

domestic

modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems

general assessment

totally inadequate for a modern country

international

country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2

Telephones - main lines in use

740,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.365 million (2003)

Television broadcast stations

15 (1999)

Televisions

770,000 (1997)

Airports

16 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1

over 3,047 m

1

total

15

under 914 m

6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

total

1

Highways

paved

19,773 km

total

207,486 km

unpaved

187,713 km (1999)

Merchant marine

tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1

by type

bulk 2, cargo 24, container 10, passenger 1, petroleum

foreign-owned

China 1, Singapore 9

registered in other countries

10 (2004 est.)

total

40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 319,897 GRT/440,575 DWT

Pipelines

gas 2,012 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj

Railways

broad gauge

884 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge

1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

total

2,706 km

Waterways

8,372 km

note

includes 2,575 km main cargo routes (2004)

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$606.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.2% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

39,523,128 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

23,441,482 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Disputes - international

discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, and violence; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources

Illicit drugs

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005 @Barbados

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 61,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2004)