Bangladesh at a Glance
By Luke Juran, University of Iowa

 

Official Name: People’s Republic of Bangladesh Location: Between 20° 34’ N and 26° 38 N latitude and between 88° 1’ and 92° 41’ E longitude Geography: Bangladesh is a low lying country bordered to the west, north, and east by India and to the southeast by Burma. Bangladesh is a country crisscrossed by 230 rivers, with three large rivers- the Jamuna (Brahmaputra), Padma (Ganges), and Meghna- converging and opening into the Bay of Bengal. The Jamuna-Padma-Meghna river systems together drain two million square miles of land, 93% of which is outside the border of Bangladesh and out of Bangladesh’s control. The topography of Bangladesh is roughly 80% flat land, 12% hilly areas, and 8% terrace land. The hilly areas are located in the southeastern and northeastern regions and the terrace land is located in the northwestern and central regions of the country. Bangladesh’s topography and geographic location make it prone to a wide array of natural disasters, including cyclones, floods, erosion, tornadoes, droughts, and earthquakes.

Map of Bangladesh (World Factbook, 2007

Area: 147,570 sq. km. (56,977 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than the state of Iowa

Capital: Dhaka (largest city of 9,912,908 million); other large cities include Chittagong 3.2 million), Khulna (1.2 million), and Rajshahi (646,716)

Flag of Bangladesh (World Factbook, 2007)

Population: 151,000,000; 2.056% growth rate (2007 estimates) Population Density: 913 people per sq. km. (2,365 per sq. mi.) History: Bangladesh traces its recorded history back to 4th century B.C. with evidence of cities, temples, forts, and centers of learning. Muslim invasion came in 13th century A.D. Bangladesh became part of the British Empire from 1757 to 1947; subsequently it was a province of Pakistan (East Pakistan) until 1971. Bangladesh became independent in 1971 when independence was declared and defended with a joint force of Bangladeshi and Indian troops. Language: Bangla (known as Bengali in English) Religion: Islam = 83%, Hinduism = 16%, other = 1%

Literacy Rate: 43.1% (female = 31.8, male = 53.9)

Birth Rate: 29.36 / 1,000

Death Rate: 8.13 / 1,000

Infant Mortality Rate: 59.12 / 1,000

Life Expectancy: female = 62.86, male = 62.81

Currency: Taka (100 paisa = 1 taka)

GDP Per Capita (PPP): $2,300

Population Below Poverty Line: 45%

Economic Sectors: Agriculture: 19.9%, Industry: 20.6%, and Services: 59.5%

Natural Resources: natural gas, fish, and fertile farmland

Rice seed beds in Bangladesh, rice is Bangladesh’s staple crop.

Agriculture: rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane, jute, bananas, tea, pulses, mango, coconut, jack fruit, and fishing   Principal Industries: jute and cotton textiles, garment making, tea processing, paper and newsprint, cement and brick making, fertilizers, leather and hides, and sugar Principal Exports: jute manufactures, textiles and garments, tea, and leather and hides

Sources:

Bangladesh. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2004. Microsoft Corporation. 2004.

Bangladesh. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Updated 07/19/07. Accessed 07/29/07. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bg.html

Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Bangla & English Combined CDEdition. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. February, 2007.

Chowdhury, Shamsher M. (ed.). Bangladesh: Mosaic in Green. External Publicity Wing, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. March, 2004.

Statistical Pocketbook Bangladesh 2005. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Planning Division, Ministry of Planning. Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. November, 2006.