BANGLADESH GEOGRAPHY Total area: 144,000 km2; land area: 133,910 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin Land boundaries: 4,246 km total; Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km Coastline: 580 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 18 nm; Continental shelf: up to outer limits of continental margin; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm 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, uranium, arable land, timber Land use: arable land 67%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 16%; other 11%; includes irrigated 14% Environment: vulnerable to droughts; much of country routinely flooded during summer monsoon season; overpopulation; deforestation Note: almost completely surrounded by India PEOPLE Population: 116,601,424 (July 1991), growth rate 2.3% (1991) Birth rate: 36 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 118 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 52 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 4.7 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Bangladeshi(s); adjective--Bangladesh Ethnic divisions: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, and tribals less than 1 million Religion: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, and other less than 1% Language: Bangla (official), English widely used Literacy: 35% (male 47%, female 22%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 35,100,000; agriculture 74%, services 15%, industry and commerce 11% (FY86); extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991) Organized labor: 3% of labor force belongs to 2,614 registered unions (1986 est.) GOVERNMENT Long-form name: People's Republic of Bangladesh 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; formerly East Pakistan) Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended NA March 1991 Legal system: based on English common law National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971) Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State--President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991) Head of Government--Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAUR Rahman (since 20 March 1991) Political parties and leaders: Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Khaleda ZIAUR Rahman; Awami League, Sheikh Hasina WAZED; Jatiyo Party, Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD; Jamaat-E-Islami, Ali KHAN; Bangladesh Communist Party (pro-Soviet), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK; National Awami Party (Muzaffar); Workers Party, leader NA; Jatiyo Samajtantik Dal (National Socialist Party--SIRAJ), M. A. JALIL; Ganotantri Party, leader NA; Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA; National Democratic Party, leader NA; Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; United People's Party, Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: President--last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by October 1996); results--Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote National Parliament--last held 27 February 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, CBP 5, National Awami Party (Muzaffar) 1, Workers Party 1, SIRAJ 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami Oikya Jote 1, NDP 1, independents 3 Communists: 5,000 members (1987 est.) Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WHO, WFTU, WIPO, WCL, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador A. H. S. Ataul KARIM; Chancery at 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC 20007; telephone (202) 342-8372 through 8376; there is a Bangladesh Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador William B. MILAM; Embassy at Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka (mailing address is G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212); telephone 880 (2) 884700-22 Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; green is the traditional color of Islam ECONOMY Overview: Bangladesh is one of the poorest nations in the world. The economy is based on the output of a narrow range of agricultural products, such as jute, which is the main cash crop and major source of export earnings. Bangladesh is hampered by a relative lack of natural resources, population growth of more than 2% a year, large-scale unemployment, and a limited infrastructure; furthermore, it is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. Despite these constraints, real GDP growth averaged about 3.5% annually during 1985-89. A strong agricultural performance in FY90 pushed the growth rate up to 5.5%. Alleviation of poverty remains the cornerstone of the government's development strategy. GDP: $20.4 billion, per capita $180; real growth rate 4.0% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (FY90 est.) Unemployment rate: 30% (FY90 est.) Budget: revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $3.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (FY90) Exports: $1.5 billion (FY90 est.); commodities--jute, tea, leather, shrimp, textiles; partners--US 25%, Western Europe 22%, Middle East 9%, Japan 8%, Eastern Europe 7% Imports: $3.6 billion (FY90 est.); commodities--food, petroleum and other energy, nonfood consumer goods, semiprocessed goods, and capital equipment; partners--Western Europe 18%, Japan 14%, Middle East 9%, US 8% External debt: $10.9 billion (FY90 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 4.1% (FY90 est.); accounts for 15% of GDP Electricity: 1,990,000 kW capacity; 5,700 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: jute manufacturing, base metals, food processing, cotton textiles, tobacco processing, chemicals Agriculture: accounts for about 40% of GDP, 60% of employment, and one third of exports; imports 10% of food grain requirements; world's largest exporter of jute; commercial products--jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes, beef, milk, poultry; shortages include wheat, vegetable oils and cotton; fish catch 778,000 metric tons in 1986 Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-88), $10.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $652 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $1.5 billion Currency: taka (plural--taka); 1 taka (Tk) = 100 paise Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1--35.790 (January 1991), 34.567 (1990), 32.270 (1989), 31.733 (1988), 30.950 (1987), 30.407 (1986), 27.995 (1985) Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June COMMUNICATIONS Railroads: 2,892 km total (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge, 978 km 1.676 meter broad gauge Highways: 7,240 km total (1985); 3,840 km paved, 3,400 km unpaved Inland waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes) Ports: Chittagong, Chalna Merchant marine: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 339,081 GRT/500,008 DWT; includes 38 cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 3 bulk Pipelines: 1,220 km natural gas Civil air: 15 major transport aircraft Airports: 16 total, 12 usable; 12 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: adequate international radio communications and landline service; fair domestic wire and microwave service; fair broadcast service; 241,250 telephones; stations--9 AM, 6 FM, 11 TV; 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth stations DEFENSE FORCES Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary forces--Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Coastal Police Manpower availability: males 15-49, 28,896,632; 17,154,593 fit for military service Defense expenditures: $319 million, 1.5% of GDP (FY91)