International 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 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%
Irrigated land:
27,380 sq km (1989)
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 of commercial pesticides; intermittent water
shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central
parts of the country; soil degradation; deforestation; severe
overpopulation
natural hazards:
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 - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
@Bangladesh, People
Population: 125,149,469 (July 1994 est.) 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 (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.47 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh Ethnic divisions: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1 million 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% Labor force: 50.1 million by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 21%, industry and mining 14% (1989) note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)
@Bangladesh, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form:
Bangladesh
former:
East Pakistan
Digraph:
BG
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, Jessore, 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, Satkhira,
Shariyatpur, Sherpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Tangail,
Thakurgaon
Independence:
16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
Constitution:
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup
of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 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 8 October 1991); election last
held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October 1996); results -
Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote
head of government:
Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN (since 20 March 1991)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral
