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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

241,250 telephones; 1 telephone/522 persons; poor domestic telephone service local: NA intercity: NA international: 2 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth stations; adequate international radio communications and landline service

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 11 televisions: NA

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force paramilitary forces: Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $448 million, 1.7% of GDP (FY93/94) BARBADOS

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 33,039,035; males fit for military service 19,607,817 (1995 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $2.8 billion expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (FY92/93)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 taka (Tk) = 100 poiska

Economic aid [time series]

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 [time series]

capacity: 2,740,000 kW production: 9.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 70 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

taka (Tk) per US$1 - 40.250 (January 1995), 40.212 (1994), 39.567 (1993), 38.951 (1992), 36.596 (1991), 34.569 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$2.38 billion (1993) commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, shrimp partners: US 33%, Western Europe 39% (Germany 8.4%, Italy 6%) (FY91/92 est.)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$13.5 billion (June 1993)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Illicit drugs [time series]

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

Imports [time series]

$3.99 billion (1993) commodities: capital goods, petroleum, food, textiles partners: Hong Kong 7.5%, Singapore 7.4%, China 7.4%, Japan 7.1% (FY91/92 est.)

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

growth rate 6.9% (FY92/93 est.); accounts for 9.4% of GDP

Industries [time series]

jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing, steel, fertilizer

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4.3% (1992 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power parity - $130.1 billion (1994 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$1,040 (1994 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

4.5% (1994 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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. 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, the inefficiency of state-owned enterprises, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), and inadequate power supplies. Excellent rice crops and expansion of the export garment industry led to real growth of 4% in 1992 and again in 1993. Policy measures intended to reduce government regulation of private industry, to curb population growth, and to expand employment opportunities have had only partial success given the serious nature of Bangladesh's basic problems.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 144,000 sq km land area: 133,910 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

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

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

27,380 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 4,246 km, 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%

Location [time series]

Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Map references [time series]

Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

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 resources [time series]

natural gas, arable land, timber

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

4 divisions; Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi

Capital [time series]

Dhaka

Constitution [time series]

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

Digraph [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Humayun KABIR chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-8372 through 8376 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

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

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

[880] (2) 883-744

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)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh former: East Pakistan

Legislative branch (National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)) [time series]

elections last held 27 February 1991 (next to be held by 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 holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 26 March (1971)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador David N. MERRILL embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212 telephone: [880] (2) 884700 through 884722

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 40% (female 25,195,262; male 26,352,299) 15-64 years: 57% (female 34,862,105; male 37,867,705) 65 years and over: 3% (female 1,761,336; male 2,056,241) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

34.62 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

11.43 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

104.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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)

Languages [time series]

Bangla (official), English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 55.46 years male: 55.69 years female: 55.22 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 35% male: 47% female: 22%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

128,094,948 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.32% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.39 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 16 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 7

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

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]

total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 293,304 GRT/428,013 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 31, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3

Pipelines [time series]

natural gas 1,220 km

Ports [time series]

Barisal, Chandpur, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Dacca, Khulna, Mongla (includes Chalna), Narayanganj

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

total: 2,892 km broad gauge: 978 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,914 km 1.000-m gauge (1992)