Map references: Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World.

Area:

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

Coastline: 580 km.

Maritime claims:

contiguous zone 18nm.
continental shelf up to outer limits of continental margin.
exclusive economic zone 200nm.
territorial sea 12 nm.

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

Climate: tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October).

Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in the southeast.

Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber.

Land use:

arable land 67%
permanent crops 2%
meadows and pastures 4%
forest and woodland 16%
other 11%

Environment:

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 commercial pesticides; intermittent water shortages because offalling water tables inthe northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation; deforestation; severe overpopulation.

natural hazzards vulnerable to droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely flooded during the summer monsoon season. international agreements party to - Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Boidiversity, Climate Change, Law of the sea.

Population growth rate: 2.33% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 35.02 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 11.68 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 106.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population 55.08 years.
male 55.35 years.
female 54.8 years.

Nationality:

noun Bangladeshi.
adjective Bangladesh.

Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other.

Languages: Bangla (official), English.

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

total population 35%
male 47%
female 22%

by occupation agriculture 65%, services 21%, industry and mining 14% (1989)
note extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)

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

Type: republic.

Capital: Dhaka.

Administrative divisions: 64 districts (zillagulo, singular - zilla); Bagerhat, Bandarban, Barguna, Barisal, Bhola, Bogra, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chapai Nawabganj, Chattagram, Chuadanga, Comilla, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Feni, Gaibandha, Gazipur, Gopalganj, Habiganj, Jaipurhat, Jamalpur, Jessor, Jhalakati, Jhenaidah, Khagrachari, Khulna, Kishorganj, Kurigram, Kushtia, Laksmipur, Lalmonirhat, Madaripur, Magura, Manikganj, Meherpur, Moulavibazar, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narail, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Nator, Netrakona, Nilphamari, Noakhali, Pabna, Panchagar, Parbattya Chattagram, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Shatkhira, Shariyatpur, Sherpur, Shirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Tangail, Thakurgoan.

Independence: December 16, 1971 (from Pakistan).

National holiday: Independence Day, March 26 (1971).

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

Legal system: based on English common law.

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal.

Executive branch:

chief of state President Abdur Rahman Biswas (since October 8, 1991); election last held October 8, 1991 (next to be held by October 1996);
results - Abdur Rahman Biswas received 52.1% of parliamentary vote.
head of government Prime Minister Khaleda Ziaur Rahman (since March 20, 1991).
cabinat Council of Ministers; appointed by the president.

National Parliament (Jatiya Shangshad) elections last held February 27, 1991 (next to be held 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.

Judicial branch: Supreme Court.

Political parties and leaders: Bangladsh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khaleda Ziaur Rahman; Awami Leag (AL), Sheikh Hasina Wajed; Jatiyo Party (JP), Hussain Mahammad Ershad; Jamaat-E-Islami (JI), Ali Khan; Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin Ahmed Manik; National Awami Party (Muzaffar); Workers Party, leader NA; Jatiyo Samajtantric Dal (JSD), Serajul Alam Khan; Ganotantri Party, leader NA; islami Oikya Jote, leader NA; National Democratic Party (NDP), leader NA; Muslim Leage, Khan A. Sabur; Democratic Leage, Khondakar Mushtaque Ahmed; Democratic Leage, Khandakar Mushtaque Ahmed; United People's Party, Kazi Zafar Ahmed.

Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTEPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIG, UNOMOZ, UNOMUR, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WFTU, WIPO, WMO,WTO.

Diplomatic representation in US:

chief of mission Ambassador, Abul Ahsan.
chancery 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone (202) 342-8372 through 8376
consulate(s) general New York.

chief of mission Ambassador David Merril
embassy Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka
mailing address G.P.O. Bax 323, Dhaka 1212
telephone [011][880](2) 884-700 through 22
Fax [011][880](2) 883-744

National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $12 billion (1993 est.)

National produst real growth rate: 4.3%(FY93)

National product per capita: $1,000 (1993 est.)

Inflasion rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (FY93)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:

revenues $2.5 billion
expenditures $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92)

commodities garments, jute and jute goods, leather, shrimp.
partnersUS 33%, Western Europe 39% (Germany 8.4%, Italy 6%) (FY92 est.).

commodities capital goods, petroleum, food, textiles.
partners Hong Kong 7.5%, Singapore 7.4%, China 7.4%, Japan 7.1% (FY92 est.).

Industrial production: growth rate 6.9% (FY93 est.); accounts for 9.4% of GDP.

Electricity:

capacity 2,400,000 kW
production 9 billion kWh
consumption per capita 75 kWh (1992)

Agriculture: accounts for 33% of GDP, 65% of emplyment, and 1/5th of exports; world's largest exporter of jute; commercial products - jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugercane, potatoes, beef, milk, poultry; shortages include wheat, vegetable oils, cotton.

Illicit drugs: transit country for illigal drugs produced in neighboring countries.

Economic aid:

recipient US commitments, inclding Ex-Im (FY 70-89), $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), $1.5billion.

Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 poisha.

Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1 - 40.00/20(March 1995), 40.064 (January 1994), 39.567 (1993), 38.951 (1992), 36.596 (1991), 34.569 (1990), 32.270 (1989).

fiscal year: July 1 - June 30.

Highways:

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

Pipelines: natural gas 1,220 km.

Ports: Chittagong, Chalna.

Marchent marine: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 312,172 GRT/458,131 DWT, bulk 3, cargo 33, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3.

Airports:

total 16
usable 12
with permanent-suface runways 12
with runways over 3,659 m 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m 4
with runways 1,20-2,439 m 6.

paramilitary forces Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps.

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 31,955,948; fit for military service 18,967,602

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $355 million, 1.5% of GDP (FY92/93)