Bangladesh emerged as an independent and sovereign country on 16 December 1971 following a nine-month war of liberation. Dhaka (previously spelt Dacca) is its capital.

Information brief

Official name

People's Republic of Bangladesh (Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh)

Capital

Dhaka.

Government

Parliamentary form of government, president is head of the State and prime minister is head of government.

Geographical location

In South Asia, between 20 34' to 26 38' north latitude and 88 01' to 92 41' east longitude. Maximum extension is about 440 km in E-W direction and 760 km in NNW-SSE direction.

Time

GMT +6.00 hours.

Area and boundaries Area

147,570 sq km. Boundaries: west bengal (India) on the west; West Bengal, assam and Meghalaya (all the Indian states) on the north; Indian states of Assam, tripura and Mizoram together with Myanmar on the east; and bay of bengal on the south. The total length of the land border is about 4,246 km, of which 93.9% is shared with India and the rest 6% with Myanmar. Limit of territorial water is 12 nautical miles (22.22 km) and the area of the high seas extending to 200 nautical miles (370.40 km) measured from the baselines constitutes the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Administrative units

division 6 (Dhaka, chittagong, khulna, rajshahi, barisal, sylhet); district 64; upazila and thana 507, union 4,484, mouza 59,990, village 87,319; city corporation 4 (Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi); municipality 223.

Physiography

A humid lowlying alluvial region, Bangladesh is composed mainly of the great combined delta of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna rivers. It is one of the largest deltas in the world. The monotony of flatness has been relieved inland by two elevated tracts - the madhupur and the barind tracts, and on the northeast and southeast by rows of hills. Some 75% of the land is less than 3m above mean sea level (MSL) and vulnerable to floods and cyclones. The maximum elevation is 1,280m above MSL at Saichal Range in rangamati district. Tajingdong is the highest peak and called as Bijoy.

Rivers

Total rivers including tributaries and distributaries are about 700 under three mighty river systems: ganges-padma river system, brahmaputra-jamuna river system and surma-meghna river system. Rivers of the southeastern hilly region are considered as the chittagong region river system. Principal rivers are: ganges, padma, brahmaputra, jamuna, surma, kushiyara, meghna, karnafuli, old brahmaputra, arial khan, buriganga, shitalakshya, tista, atrai, gorai, madhumati, kobadak, rupsa-pashur, feni.

Climate

Sub-tropical monsoon. Average maximum and minimum winter temperatures are 29C and 11C respectively; average maximum and minimum summer temperatures are 34C and 21C respectively. Annual rainfall 1,194 mm to 3,454 mm. Highest humidity 80% to 100% (August-September), lowest 36% (February-March).

Archaeological sites

paharpur (5 km west of Jamalganj railway station in Joypurhat district, actually the site includes the badalgachi upazila of Naogaon district), mahasthangarh (about 12 km north of Bogra town, the site includes partly shibganj and partly bogra sadar upazilas of Bogra district), bhasu vihara (about 4.8-6.4 km northwest of Mahasthangarh), mainamati (8 km west of Comilla town), halud vihara (about 14.5 km west-south-west of Paharpur), sitakot vihara (nawabganj upazila of Dinajpur district), Wari-Bateshwar (Narsingdi).

Tourist spots

cox's Bazar, rangamati, chittagong, sylhet, Kuakata (patuakhali), sundarbans (Khulna). The 120-km long Cox's Bazar sea beach is considered to be the longest in the world. Kuakata is a unique beach for viewing sunrise as well as sun-setting.

Population

(2001) total population 123.1 million; density 834 persons per sq km, annual growth rate (1991-2001) 1.47%, male-female ratio 106:100, urban population 28.8 million, rural population 94.34 million. Life expectancy at birth (1998) 61 years. At the point of ethnicity Bangladeshi people are amalgamation of Dravidian, Proto-Australoaid, Mongoloid, and Arian. Tribal people with a population of just over 1.2 million occupy mainly khagrachhari, bandarban, Rangamati, Chittagong, cox's bazar, habiganj, Sylhet, sunamganj, maulvi bazar, dinajpur, joypurhat, Rajshahi, naogaon, rangpur, bogra, nawabganj, mymensingh, netrokona, barguna and bhola districts. There are some 45 tribal groups in Bangladesh and among those chakma, garo, hajong, khasia, magh, santals, rakhain, manipuri, murong are notable.

Religion

Muslims 88%, Hindus 11%, the rest being Buddhists, Christian and animist.

Language

National Language: Bangla (99.5% speak Bangla and 0.5% other dialects). English is the second most important language.

Literacy (7 years and above)

48.7 % (1997-98).

Educational institutions

Public university (1998) 14, private university (2001) 19, government medical college 16, private medical college 19, engineering college 6, polytechnic institute 21, college (general education) 2288, secondary school 14069 and primary school 65610.

Health facilities (1999)

Hospitals 1,289 (of which Upazila Health Complex and Rural Health Complexes are 398); hospital beds 43,143; registered physician 30,864; households per physician 674;

Employment and occupation

(Labour Force Survey 1990-91, in million) technical and professional 1.46; administrative and managerial 0.19; clerical works 1.10; sales works 4.02; service works 1.68; agriculture, forestry and fisheries 34.35; production and transport 6.98; not adequately defined 0.38.

Artisans

kamar (blacksmith), kumar (potter), tanti (weaver), modak or moyra (sweetmeat maker), sutradhar or chutar (carpenter), kalu (oil presser), kansaru (brazier), shankhari (shell cutter), swarnakar (goldsmith), gharami (house builder), kahar (palanquin bearer), karati (sawyer), patial(matmaker).

Mineral resources

natural gas, coal, peat, limestone, hardrock, beach sand heavy mineral (zircon, rutile, Ilmenite, Garnet, Magnetite, Monazite, Leucoxene, Kyanite), glass sand, white clay, brick clay and metallic minerals.

Water resources

Bangladesh is endowed with plenty of surface water and groundwater resources. Surface water inflows of the country vary from a maximum of about 140,000 cumec in August to a minimum of about 7,000 cumec in February. The alluvial aquifer systems of Bangladesh are some of the most productive groundwater reservoirs. Groundwater in Bangladesh occurs at a very shallow depth where the recent river-borne sediments form prolific aquifers in the floodplains. In the higher terraces, the Barind and Madhupur tracts, the Pleistocene Dupi Tila sands act as aquifers. In the hilly areas, the Pliocene Tipam sands serve as aquifers. The groundwater table over most of Bangladesh lies very close to the surface and fluctuates with the annual recharge discharge conditions.

Energy sources

Fuelwood, natural gas, liquid petroleum fuels, coal, hydropower, solar power, biogas, etc.

Financial system

one central bank (bangladesh bank), 45 commercial banks (4 nationalised commercial banks or NCBs), 27 private domestic banks and 13 foreign banks), 5 state-owned specialised banks, also known as development finance institutions (DFIs), 23 non-bank financial institutions, 27 merchant bankers, 556 money changers, the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB), 2 stock exchanges (the Dhaka Stock Exchange and Chittagong Stock Exchange), 2 state-owned and 39 private sector insurance companies, about 10 leasing companies, Post Office Savings Bank and the Postal Life Insurance schemes. There are 145,000 co-operatives. Bangladesh Samabaya Bank Ltd is the apex institution of the co-operative sector. There are over 1,200 non-governmental and non-profit micro finance institutions.

Industries

Jute, tea, textile, garments, paper, newsprint, fertiliser, leather and leather goods, cement, sugar, fish processing, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

Export Processing Zone (EPZ)

Existing: Chittagong EPZ (1983) and Dhaka EPZ. Proposed: Gazipur, Mongla, Ishwardi, Comilla, Saidpur and Sirajganj. The government has signed an agreement with the Republic of Korea to establish a Korean EPZ in Chittagong.

Exports

Ready made garments, raw jute, jute manufactures, tea, leather and leather products, frozen shrimps and other fish products, newsprint, handicraft.

Imports

Wheat, oil seeds, crude petroleum, raw cotton, edible oil, petroleum products, fertiliser, cement, yarn.

Foreign trade

xport: 5 billion US$; Import: 7 billion US$ (1999).

Currency

Taka (Tk 68.10 = US$1, April 2009)

Per-capita income

US$ 284.11 (1998-99)

Transport and communication

Metalled road 10,000 km; Railways 2,891 km. Waterways 8,900 km.

Major Bridges

bangabandhu jamuna multipurpose bridge, opened in June 1998 with a length of 4.8 km; Japan-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge (on the Meghna river at Gazaria upazila, Munshiganj); Meghna-Gumti Bridge (on the Meghna river at Daudkandi upazila, Comilla); Tarra Bridge (on the Dhaleshwari river at ghior upazila, Manikganj); China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge 1 (on the Buriganga river in Dhaka); China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge 2 (on the Buriganga river in Dhaka); Shitalakshya Bridge, popularly known as Kanchpur Bridge (on the Shitalakshya river at Sonargaon upazila, Narayanganj); karnafuli bridge (on the Karnafuli river at Chandgaon upazila, Chittagong) are notable.

Railway Bridges

hardinge bridge (on the Ganges river at Ishwardi upazila, pabna), Bhairab Bridge (on the Meghna river at bhairab upazila, kishoreganj); Tista Bridge (on the Tista river at kaunia upazila, Rangpur) are notable.

Major inland riverports

Dhaka, Chandpur, Barisal, Khulna, Narayanganj, Bhairab Bazar, Ashuganj, Sirajganj.

Seaports

Chittagong Port and Mongla Port.

Airports

Zia International Airport, Dhaka; Amanat Shah International Airport, Chittagong; Osmany Airport, Sylhet; Cox's Bazar Airport; Jessore Airport; Barisal Airport; Rajshahi Airport; Saidpur Airport, Nilphamari; Ishwardi Airport, Pabna; Tejgaon STOL Port, Dhaka; Shamsernagar STOL Port, Maulvi Bazar; Comilla STOL Port, comilla; Lalmonirhat STOL Port; Thakurgaon STOL Port.

Radio stations

Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet, Rangamati, Comilla and Thakurgaon.

TV stations

Transmission centres: Dhaka and Chittagong. Relay stations: Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Natore, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Noakhali, Satkhira, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati and Thakurgaon.

Satellite station

Three communication satellite ground receiving stations: Betbunia, Chittagong; Talibabad, Savar, Dhaka, Mohakhali, Dhaka.

Food Staple diet

rice, wheat, vegetable, pulses, fish and meat.

Principal crops

jute, rice, wheat, potato, tea, tobacco, sugarcane.

Principal fruits

mango (am), jackfruit (kanthal), black berry (jam), pineapple (anaras), banana (kala), litchi (lichu), lemon (lebu), guava (peyara), papaya (pepe), tamarind (tentul), watermelon (tarmuj), rose apple (jamrul), jujube (barai).

Principal fishes

Freshwater fishes: hilsa (Ilish) [Tenualosa ilisha]; carps (Rui, Catla, Mrigal, Kalibaus, etc); barbs (Punti, Mahashol, etc); minnows (Darkina, Chela, Mola, etc); catfishes (Tengra, Aid, Shingi, Magur, etc); Climbing Perch (Koi), [Anabas testudineus]. Saline water fishes: Jew fishes (Poa), thread-fins (Tapasi), mullets (Bata), pomfrets (Rupchanda), etc.

Flora

6000 species (5000 flowering plants).

Fauna Vertebrates

about 1600 species; Fish: 266 inland species and 442 marine species; Amphibians: 22 species; Reptiles 126 species (109 inland and 17 marine); Birds: 628 species (388 resident and 240 migratory); Mammals: 113 species (110 inland and 3 marine).

Forest

Total 21403 sq km. Hill forest land 13,617 sq km; Inland forest land 1,220 sq km; Littoral forest 6,566 sq km.

National days

Shaheed Dibas (Martyrs' Day) on 21 February now observed as international mother language day; Swadhinata Dibas (Independence Day) on 26 March; Pahela Baishakh or Bangla Nababarsa (Bangla New Year); Bijoy Dibas (Victory Day) on 16 December.

Festivals Common

Navanna, pahela baishakh (Bangla Nababarsha). Religious: Muslim eid-ul fitr, eid-ul azha, shab-e-qadr, shab-e-barat, Eid-e-Miladunnabi, muharram; Hindu durga puja, kali puja, laksmi puja, Saraswati puja, Doljatra, Holi; Christian christmas; Buddhist buddha purnima.

Games

kabadi is the national game; football, cricket, hockey, tennis, badminton, volleyball, handball, chess and carom are also popular games.

National flower

Shapla or water lily (Nymphaea pubescens).

National fruit

Kanthal or jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus).

National bird

Doel or magpie-robin or Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis).

National fish

Ilish hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha).

National animal

Bagh or bengal tiger, wellknown as Royal Bengal Tiger (Pathera tigris).

Source : Banglapedia [Asiatic Society]