Bangladesh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

10 (2000)

Internet country code

.bd

Internet users

30,000 (2000)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios

6.15 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Telephones - main lines in use

500,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

283,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations

15 (1999)

Televisions

770,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $4.9 billion expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)

Currency

taka (BDT)

Currency code

BDT

Debt - external

$17 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Economy - overview

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. Although more than 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. Reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Even so, Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA's Awami League government has made some headway improving the climate for foreign investors and liberalizing the capital markets. Progress on other economic reforms has been halting because of opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups.

Electricity - consumption

11.216 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

12.06 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 93.7% hydro: 6.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Exchange rates

taka per US dollar - 54.000 (January 2001), 52.142 (2000), 49.085 (1999), 46.906 (1998), 43.892 (1997), 41.794 (1996)

Exports

$5.9 billion (2000)

Exports - commodities

garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood

Exports - partners

US 31.2%, Germany 9.95%, UK 8.06%, France 5.82%, Italy 4.42% (1999)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $203 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 30% industry: 18% services: 52% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,570 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.3% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Imports

$8.1 billion (2000)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, raw cotton, food, crude oil and petroleum products, cement

Imports - partners

India 12.2%, Singapore 7.8%, Japan 6.7%, China 6.4%, US 5.3% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

6.1% (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.8% (2000 est.)

Labor force

64.1 million (1998) note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

35.6% (FY95/96 est.)

Unemployment rate

35.2% (1996)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

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

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Keokradong 1,230 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

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

24 00 N, 90 00 E

Irrigated land

31,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

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

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

Administrative divisions

5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi; note - there may be one additional division named 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

chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS embassy: Road 27, House 110, Banani, Dhaka mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000 telephone: [880] (2) 8824700 through 8824722

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador-designate A. Tariq KARIM chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Executive branch

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 (since 13 July 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%

FAX

[880] (2) 8823744

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, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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 (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 before 13 October 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 3; 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

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 ZIAur Rahman]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Azizol HAQ]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 annually floods during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$559 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.8% (FY96/97)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 36,005,553 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 21,362,279 (2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 35.04% (male 23,550,607; female 22,451,006) 15-64 years: 61.6% (male 41,432,123; female 39,434,633) 65 years and over: 3.36% (male 2,389,639; female 2,011,852) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

25.3 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.02% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

13,000 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

69.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 60.54 years male: 60.74 years female: 60.33 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56% male: 63% female: 49% (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladeshi

Net migration rate

-0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

131,269,860 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

1.59% (2001 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.78 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

a portion of the boundary with India is indefinite; exchange of 151 enclaves along border with India subject to ratification by Indian parliament; dispute with India over South Talpatty/New Moore Island

Illicit drugs

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

Airports

18 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 15 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Highways

total: 201,182 km paved: 19,112 km unpaved: 182,070 km (1997)

Merchant marine

total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 268,566 GRT/375,110 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 25, container 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.)

Pipelines

natural gas 1,250 km

Ports and harbors

Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj (2001)

Railways

total: 2,745 km broad gauge: 923 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2000)

Waterways

up to 8,046 km depending on season note: includes 3,058 km main cargo routes