General
Information
|
Total Land Area: |
147,570 km2 |
|
Land boundaries: |
4,246 km |
|
Coastline: |
580 km |
|
Capital: |
Dhaka |
|
Other Large
Cities: |
Chittagong,
Khulna, Rajshahi |
|
Official
Language: |
Bangla |
|
National
Currency Unit: |
Taka (BDT) |
|
National Day: |
March 26 |
Location and
Geography
Bangladesh, located
in the Eastern part
of South Asia,
straddles the Tropic
of Cancer and is
enclosed by India
with the exception
of a short
South-eastern
frontier with
Myanmar (formerly
Burma). The Bay of
Bengal lies to the
South. The most
significant feature
of the landscape is
the rivers, which
have moulded not
only their
environment but also
the way the people
live. The landmass
is deltaic
comprising mainly
the delta of three
rivers: the Ganges,
the Brahmaputra and
the Maghna, with a
network of numerous
canals. The land is
mostly flat alluvial
plain with some
hills in the
South-east. Flooding
of the land is a
major problem.
Two-thirds of the
land are arable and
16 percent is
covered with
forests. The climate
is sub-tropical and
is dominated by the
seasonally reversing
monsoons. Winters
are cool and dry,
summers are hot and
humid. The
subtropical climate
has made the country
luxuriant in
vegetation.
Demography
|
Population:
|
131.60 million
(2002) |
|
Crude Birth
Rate:
|
28 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Crude Death
Rate:
|
8 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Infant Mortality
Rate:
|
48 per thousand
(2002) |
|
Life Expectancy:
|
Male: 62 years,
Female: 63 years
(2002) |
|
Urban
Population:
|
26.0 percent
(2002) |
|
Adult Literacy:
|
51.00 percent
(2000) |
Economy
The majority of the
population in
Bangladesh is
engaged in
agriculture. The
country’s rivers and
the sea coast are
suitable for
fisheries. Jute has
traditionally
occupied a pivotal
position in the
Bangladeshi economy
since it links
agriculture to
industry. Bangladesh
has a significant
number of large and
small sized
industries run both
by public and
private ownership,
and based on
indigenous and
imported raw
materials. Among
them are jute and
cotton textiles,
garments, paper,
newsprint,
fertilisers, and
cigarettes.
Bangladesh produces
most of its domestic
food needs in rice,
wheat, corn, grains,
legumes, fruits and
vegetables. Rice is
the staple food
grain. Natural gas
is the most
important source of
energy in the
country. The other
main natural
resources are
lignite coal,
limestone, glass
sand and timber.
|
GDP at Current
Market Prices:
|
46851 million
US$ (2002) |
|
Per Capita GDP:
|
356 US$ (2002) |
|
Share of Sectors
in GDP:
|
24.0%
Agriculture,
27.0% Industry,
49.0% Services,
(2002) |
|
Total Exports:
|
5442 million US$
(2002) |
|
Total Imports:
|
7819 million US$
(2002) |
|
Major Exports
Items: |
Garments, jute,
leather, frozen
fish and seafood |
|
Major Imports
Items: |
Capital goods,
textiles, food
and petroleum
products |
|
Major Trading
Partners: |
US, India,
China, Singapore
and Germany |
|
