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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: poor domestic telephone service international : satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

249,800 (1994 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

350,000 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes; beef, milk, poultry

Budget [time series]

revenues : $4.1 billion expenditures: $6 billion, including capital expenditures of $3 billion (FY95/96 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 taka (Tk) = 100 poiska

Debt - external [time series]

$17.1 billion (1996)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient : $1.585 billion (FY95/96)

Economic overview (Economy - 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. Annual GDP growth has averaged over 4% in recent years from a low base. Its 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. Frequent strikes that crippled the economy in 1995 and early 1996 subsided after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina WAJED's Awami League government assumed power in mid-1996, allowing a return to normal economic activity. The current 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.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

2.98 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

76 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

10.01 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates [time series]

taka (Tk) per US$1 - 42.450 (January 1997), 41.794 (1996), 40.278 (1995), 40.212 (1994), 39.567 (1993), 38.951 (1992)

Exports [time series]

total value: $3.9 billion (FY95/96 est.) commodities : garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood partners: Western Europe 42%, US 30%, Hong Kong 4%, Japan 3% (FY95/96 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

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

purchasing power parity - $155.1 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 31% industry: 18% services: 51% (1995 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $1,260 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

4.7% (1996)

Imports [time series]

total value: $6.8 billion (FY95/96 est.) commodities: capital goods, textiles, food, petroleum products partners: India 21%, China 10%, Western Europe 8%, Hong Kong 7%, Singapore 6% (FY95/96 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5.7% (1996 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

4% (FY95/96)

Labor force [time series]

total: 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)

Unemployment rate [time series]

35.9% (1996)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 144,000 sq km land: 133,910 sq km water : 10,090 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Reng Tlang 957 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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 [time series]

24 00 N, 90 00 E

Irrigated land [time series]

31,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total : 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 73% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures : 5% forests and woodland: 15% other: 5% (1993 est.)

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 hazards [time series]

droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season

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 note: there may be two new divisions named Barisal and Sylhet

Constitution [time series]

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

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador David N. MERRILL embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212 mailing address : G.P.O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000 telephone: [880] (2) 884700 through 884722

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Khwaja Mohammad SHEHABUDDIN chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone : [1] (202) 342-8372 through 8376 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Executive branch [time series]

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

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

[880] (2) 883-744

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

International organization participation [time series]

AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, the Chief Justices and other judges are appointed by the president

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law

Legislative branch [time series]

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

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Dhaka

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; Jamaat-E-Islami (JI), Motiur Rahman NIZAMI; Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$481 million (FY95/96)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.7% (FY95/96)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 32,797,816 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males: 19,406,790 (1997 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 38% (male 24,397,316; female 23,417,919) 15-64 years : 59% (male 37,758,378; female 35,715,343) 65 years and over: 3% (male 2,204,445; female 1,846,860) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

29.8 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

10.9 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

100 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

Bangla (official), English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 56.26 years male: 56.35 years female : 56.16 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.1% male: 49.4% female : 26.1% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun : Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

125,340,261 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.82% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 88.3%, Hindu 10.5%, other 1.2%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.45 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

a portion of the boundary with India in dispute; Bangladesh and India signed a treaty 12 December 1996 to share water from the Ganges

Illicit drugs [time series]

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries BARBADOS

Transportation

Airports [time series]

15 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 14 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: 6 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total : 168,513 km paved: 15,672 km unpaved: 152,841 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 323,057 GRT/464,090 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 32, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1996 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

natural gas 1,220 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Chittagong, Dhaka, Chalna Port (Mongla)

Railways [time series]

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

Waterways [time series]

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