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Communications

Airports [time series]

16 total, 12 usable; 12 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

15 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

7,240 km total (1985); 3,840 km paved, 3,400 km unpaved

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)

Merchant marine [time series]

47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 339,081 GRT/500,008 DWT; includes 38 cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 3 bulk

Pipelines [time series]

1,220 km natural gas

Ports [time series]

Chittagong, Chalna

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

2,892 km total (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge, 978 km 1.676 meter broad gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

adequate international radio communications and landline service; fair domestic wire and microwave service; fair broadcast service; 241,250 telephones; stations--9 AM, 6 FM, 11 TV; 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth stations

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary forces--Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Coastal Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$319 million, 1.5% of GDP (FY91)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 28,896,632; 17,154,593 fit for military service

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for about 40% of GDP, 60% of employment, and one third 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 and cotton; fish catch 778,000 metric tons in 1986

Budget [time series]

revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $3.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (FY90)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

taka (plural--taka); 1 taka (Tk) = 100 paise

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-88), $10.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $652 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $1.5 billion

Electricity [time series]

1,990,000 kW capacity; 5,700 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

taka (Tk) per US$1--35.790 (January 1991), 34.567 (1990), 32.270 (1989), 31.733 (1988), 30.950 (1987), 30.407 (1986), 27.995 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$1.5 billion (FY90 est.); commodities--jute, tea, leather, shrimp, textiles; partners--US 25%, Western Europe 22%, Middle East 9%, Japan 8%, Eastern Europe 7%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$10.9 billion (FY90 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$20.4 billion, per capita $180; real growth rate 4.0% (1990 est.)

Imports [time series]

$3.6 billion (FY90 est.); commodities--food, petroleum and other energy, nonfood consumer goods, semiprocessed goods, and capital equipment; partners--Western Europe 18%, Japan 14%, Middle East 9%, US 8%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 4.1% (FY90 est.); accounts for 15% of GDP

Industries [time series]

jute manufacturing, base metals, food processing, cotton textiles, tobacco processing, chemicals

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

10% (FY90 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Bangladesh is one of the poorest nations in the world. 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, population growth of more than 2% a year, large-scale unemployment, and a limited infrastructure; furthermore, it is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. Despite these constraints, real GDP growth averaged about 3.5% annually during 1985-89. A strong agricultural performance in FY90 pushed the growth rate up to 5.5%. Alleviation of poverty remains the cornerstone of the government's development strategy.

Unemployment rate [time series]

30% (FY90 est.)

Geography

Climate [time series]

tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)

Coastline [time series]

580 km Contiguous zone: 18 nm; Continental shelf: up to outer limits of continental margin; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

a portion of the boundary with India is in dispute; water sharing problems with upstream riparian India over the Ganges

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

vulnerable to droughts; much of country routinely flooded during summer monsoon season; overpopulation; deforestation

Land boundaries [time series]

4,246 km total; Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Land use [time series]

arable land 67%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 16%; other 11%; includes irrigated 14%

Natural resources [time series]

natural gas, uranium, arable land, timber

Note [time series]

almost completely surrounded by India

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Area (Total area) [time series]

144,000 km2; land area: 133,910 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Dhaka

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

5,000 members (1987 est.)

Constitution [time series]

4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended NA March 1991

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

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 William B. MILAM; Embassy at Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka (mailing address is G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212); telephone [880] (2) 884700-22

Executive branch [time series]

president, prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam

Independence [time series]

16 December 1971 (from Pakistan; formerly East Pakistan)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court Chief of State--President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991) Head of Government--Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAUR Rahman (since 20 March 1991) Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Khaleda ZIAUR Rahman; Awami League, Sheikh Hasina WAZED; Jatiyo Party, Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD; Jamaat-E-Islami, Ali KHAN; Bangladesh Communist Party (pro-Soviet), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK; National Awami Party (Muzaffar); Workers Party, leader NA; Jatiyo Samajtantik Dal (National Socialist Party--SIRAJ), M. A. JALIL; Ganotantri Party, leader NA; Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA; National Democratic Party, leader NA; Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; United People's Party, Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

People's Republic of Bangladesh

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WHO, WFTU, WIPO, WCL, WMO, WTO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 26 March (1971)

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18 President--last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by October 1996); results--Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote National Parliament--last held 27 February 1991 (next to be held 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, CBP 5, National Awami Party (Muzaffar) 1, Workers Party 1, SIRAJ 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami Oikya Jote 1, NDP 1, independents 3

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

People

Birth rate [time series]

36 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

13 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, and tribals less than 1 million

Infant mortality rate [time series]

118 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

35,100,000; agriculture 74%, services 15%, industry and commerce 11% (FY86); extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)

Languages (Language) [time series]

Bangla (official), English widely used

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

54 years male, 52 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

35% (male 47%, female 22%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Bangladeshi(s); adjective--Bangladesh

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

3% of labor force belongs to 2,614 registered unions (1986 est.)

Population [time series]

116,601,424 (July 1991), growth rate 2.3% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, and other less than 1%

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.7 children born/woman (1991)