Basic Facts About Bangladesh
Bangladesh is located in the delta of the Padma (Ganges [Ganga]) and Jamuna (Brahmaputra) rivers in the northeastern part of South Asia. It is bordered by the Indian states of West Bengal to the west and north, Assam to the north, Meghalaya to the north and northeast, and Tripura and Mizoram to the east. To the southeast, it shares a boundary with Myanmar (Burma). The southern part of Bangladesh opens into the Bay of Bengal. In its southern region, Bangladesh is fringed by the Sunderbans, a huge expanse of marshy deltaic forest.
Modern day Bangladesh was part of the Mughal Empire until the arrival of the British East India Company. When the British left in 1947, it became the eastern wing of Pakistan. Bangladesh became an independent country in 1971 after nine months of war of independence under the leadership of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In last one-decade Bangladesh has experienced huge economic growth due to sound macroeconomic management and massive investment in human resources and infrastructures. The economy of the country is growing close to 8% in last two fiscal years. Goldman Sachs branded Bangladesh in ‘Next 11’-list after the BRIC nations.
Government
Official Name | People’s Republic of Bangladesh |
System of Government | Parliamentary democracy: The President is the Head of State while the Government is headed by the Prime Minister. |
Capital | Dhaka |
Official Language | Bangla (Bengali) is the official language; However, English, as second language, is widely spoken and used in medium of instructions and business communications across the country. |
Independence Day | 26 March 1971 |
National Anthem | “Amar Sonar Bangla” (My Golden Bengal) |
Nationality | Bangladeshi |
Name of Currency | Taka |
Administrative Divisions | 8 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet |
Business hours: | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday to Thursday. Friday and Saturday are weekly holidays |
Standard Time | GMT +6 hours |
People and Society
Population | 162.7 Million (2017 est.) |
Male | 81.4 Million (2017 est.) |
Female | 81.3 Million (2017 est) |
Population Growth Rate | 1.34 |
Life Expectancy at Birth | 72 |
Male | 70.6 |
Female | 73.5 |
Literacy Rate (7+years) | 72.3 |
Mother Tongue | Bangla (Bengali) 98.8%, other 1.2% (2011 est.) |
Ethnic Groups | Bengali at least 98%, other indigenous ethnic groups 1.1% (2011 est.) |
Religion | Muslim 89.1%, Hindu 10%, other 0.9% (includes Buddhist, Christian) (2013 est.) |
Geography
Location | South Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Myanmar (Burma) and India. North: India, West: India, South: Bay of Bengal and East: India and Myanmar |
Land Boundaries | Total: 4,413 km (Bangladesh – Myanmar: 271 km and Bangladesh – India: 4142 km) |
Area | 56,977 sq. miles or 147,570 sq. km (2017 Est) |
Geographic Coordinates | Between 200 34′ and 260 38′ north latitude and between 880 01′ and 92041′ east longitude. |
Maritime Claims | Territorial sea: 12 nm Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Main Rivers | Padma, Meghna, Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Teesta, Surma, Kusiara, Feni and Karnaphuli (total 310 rivers including tributaries) |
Climate | Tropical; Mild Winter (October to March); Hot, Humid Summer (March to June); Humid, Warm Rainy Monsoon (June to October) |
Main Seasons | Spring (February-March), Summer (April-June), Monsoon (July-September), Autumn (October-November) and Winter (December-January) |
Terrain | Mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast |
Natural resources | Natural Gas, Limestone, White Clay, Hard Rock, Arable land, Timber, Coal |
Principal Crops and Fruits | Rice, Jute, Wheat, Tobacco, Pulses, Sugarcane, Oil Seeds, Spices, Vegetables, Potatoes, Jack-fruit, Banana, Mango, Coconut, Pineapple |
Land Use | Agricultural Land: 70.1% (2016 est.), Forest: 11.1% (2016 est.) and Other: 18.8% (2016 est.) |
Communication and Transportation
Telephone – Fixed Lines | 1,449,646 |
Telephone – Mobile Cellular | 161,771,617 |
Internet Users | 28,499,324 |
Broadband | 10,237,003 |
Railway | 2,460 km (2014) |
Roadways | 369,105 km (2018) |
Waterways | 8,370 km (includes up to 3,060 km of main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in the dry season) |
Airports | Bangladesh has 8 domestic airports, 3 international airports (which are also used for domestic flights) and 4 STOL (Short Take-off and Landing) ports International Airports: Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet Domestic Airports: Cox’s Bazar, Jessore, Rajshahi, Syedpur, Barisal, Iswardi, Comilla and Thakurgaon |
Seaports | Chittagong and Mongla. Paira Port is under construction |
Economy
GDP | US$ 347.991 billion in nominal terms (IMF 2019 Est) US$ 860.916 billion in purchasing power parity (PPP) (IMF 2019 Est) |
GDP Growth | 8.13 % (2018-2019 FY Est) 7.86 % (2017-2018 FY Est) |
GDP Rank | 39th (nominal, 2019) 30th (PPP, 2020)
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GDP Per Capita | US$ 2,068 (nominal, 2020 est) US$ 5,453 (PPP, 2020 est.) |
GDP by Sector | Agriculture (13.1%), Industry (27.8%) and Services (53.5%) |
Employment by Sector | Agriculture (37.6%), Industry (21.4%) and Services (39.8%) |
Inflation (CPI) | 5.5% (IMF 2020 est.) |
Main Industries | Textiles, Jute, Pharmaceuticals, Electronics, Food and Beverages, Cement, Tea, leather, Electrical Machinery, Ship Building and Ship Breaking, Ceramics, Glass, Paper, Iron Steel, Oil and Gas, Light Engineering, Bicycles and Automobile Assembling. |
Exports | US$ 40.53 billion (July 2018-June 2019) US$ 36.66 billion (July 2017-June 2018) |
Export Goods | Knitwear, Woven Garments, Leather & Leather Products, Agricultural Products, Jute and Jute products (natural biodegradable fiber), Pharmaceuticals, Electrical and Electronic Goods, Ceramic Products, Bicycles, IT products, Frozen Foods (fish and seafood), Agricultural Products and Ocean-going Feeder Vessels and Ferry Boats. |
Main Export Partners | Germany 12.9%, US 12.2%, UK 8.7%, Spain 5.3%, France 5.1%, Italy 4.1% |
Imports | US$ 55.44 billion (July 2018- June 2019) US$ 54.46 billion (July 2017- June 2018)
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Import Goods | Capital Machinery, Cotton, Petroleum Products, Electrical Equipment, Iron and Steel, Plastic and Rubber Products, Vehicles, Metal and Metal Products, Chemicals, Mineral Products and Edible Oils |
Main Import Partners | China 21.9%, India 15.3%, Singapore 5.7%, Hong Kong 5.5% |
Remittances | US$ 16.4 billion (2018-2019 FY), US$ 14.98 Billion (2017-2018 FY) |
Foreign Exchange Reserve | US$ 37.10 Billion (July 2020) |