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The country lies between latitudes 2034' and 2638' N (about 390 miles
[625 km] from its extreme north and south extensions) and between longitudes 8801' and 9241' E (about 190 miles [305 km] from
east to west). To the south Bangladesh has an irregular coastline fronting the Bay of Bengal.
Area 56,977 square miles
(147,570 square km).
Pop. (1996 est.) 123,063,000.
Bangladesh's low-lying landscape is dominated by the confluence
of the Ganges (or Padma, as the united streams of the Ganges and Brahmaputra are known), the Brahmaputra (Jamuna), and the
Meghna river systems, which empty into the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh constitutes the eastern two-thirds of the Ganges-Brahmaputra
deltaic plain, stretches northward to include the triangular wedge of land between the Ganges and the Brahmaputra above their
confluence, and extends eastward to embrace the valley plain of the Surma River. Farther east the alluvial plains give place
to ridges running mainly north-south that form part of the mountain divide with Myanmar in the southeast.
Excepting small
higher areas of old alluvium, the whole plain is a flat surface of new alluvium, having a very gentle slope, generally with
an elevation of less than 30 feet (9 m) above sea level. More than 90 percent of the area of Bangladesh is composed of plains.
Lakes, swamps, and marshes form the other important aspect of the amphibious landscape. On the flatlands, rivers divide and
subdivide themselves into numerous distributaries with raised banks. Hundreds of square miles of land are flooded during the
monsoon season.
South-central Bangladesh comprises an old western delta, with dead and decaying rivers, and the eastern
new delta, with active rivers carrying on depositional or constructive work. The southern coastal belt, which carries the
mangrove forests (Sundarbans), is a salt marsh. The narrow southeastern coastal belt near Noakhali and Chittagong is formed
of both old and recent alluvium. East of the southeastern coastal belt lies the hilly area called the Chittagong Hill Tracts,
which consists of low hills of soft rocks, mainly clay and shale. Its north-south ranges are generally below 2,000 feet (610
m) in height, the highest peak, Keokradong, rising to 3,041 feet (927 m).
Climate
The climate and hydrology of Bangladesh
are dramatically affected by the annual monsoon season (June through October) three-quarters of the country's precipitation
occurs during this five-month period. During the monsoon season many rivers overflow their banks and inundate the countryside;
these floods deposit fertile silt on the nation's farmland. The hydrology of the Chittagong highlands is also important because
the power plant at the Karnaphuli dam (forming the Karnaphuli Reservoir) provides much of the country's hydroelectric capacity.
Annual rates of precipitation vary from a low of 40 to 80 inches (1,000 to 2,000 mm) in the western lowlands to more than
150 inches in the Sylhet Hills in the northeast. The temperature varies generally between 70 F (21 C) in the winter and 95
F (35 C) in the summer. In the early summer (April and May) and late in the monsoon season, high-intensity storms, including
cyclones.
Land
More than two-thirds of Bangladesh's land is considered arable and lies primarily in the lowland
regions; one-fifth is irrigated. Forests cover about one-sixth of the country. Plant and animal life includes royal Bengal
tigers, clouded leopards, and Asian elephants, all endangered species.
People
The vast majority of the country's
population are Bengalis, who speak an eastern Indo-Aryan language related to Sanskrit. More than four-fifths of the population
are Muslims of the Sunnite sect, and about one-tenth are Hindus. The Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh are
inhabited largely by tribal peoples, including the Chakma, the Marma, the Tripura (Tipra), and the Mro, who are predominantly
Buddhists.
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with the highest
densities
occurring in and around the capital city of Dhaka. It is also a predominantly rural country, with only about one-fourth of
the population living in urban areas. Rural areas are often so thickly settled that it is difficult to distinguish any well-defined
pattern of individual villages. Bangladesh has a rather high rate of population growth, and almost one-half of the population
is under 15 years of age. Both birth and death rates are far above world averages. Life expectancy at birth is only about
56 years for both males and females.
Economy
Bangladesh has a developing mixed economy that is heavily based upon
agriculture. Almost two-fifths of the gross domestic product (GDP) originates from agriculture, followed by services, and
transportation and communication.
Cereals, principally rice as well as wheat, are the main crops, occupying most of
the cultivated land. Sugarcane, jute, pulses, fruits (bananas, mangoes, and pineapples), roots and tubers, and vegetables
are also grown. Other crops include tobacco, sesame seed, and tea. The principal livestock are cattle (including some dairy
cattle), goats, water buffalo, and sheep.
Coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal offer excellent marine fishing, and
Bangladesh's innumerable rivers, estuaries, and swamps are ideally suited for freshwater fishing, yielding most of the total
catch.
Natural gas is the country's richest mineral resource, though still minor in scale. Most petrochemicals and
metals must be imported. The manufacturing sector is largely concentrated on processing agricultural materials or imported
raw materials. Important manufactures include urea fertilizer (partly derived from natural gas), jute textiles, rerolled-steel
products, crude-steel ingots, paper and newsprint, refined sugar, petroleum products, chemicals, tea and other food products,
and cotton yarn and cloth. More than nine-tenths of the electric power is produced by thermal plants and the rest by hydroelectric-power
stations.
Tourism
Bangladesh possesses the world's longest beach, 75 miles (120 km) in length at Cox's Bazar,
and the cities of Chittagong and Dhaka also attract numerous foreign tourists.
After independence in 1971, Bangladesh
nationalized most industries, but by 1983 almost all sectors of the economy had been returned to private control.
The
railway system is government owned and operated, and there is a government road-transport (trucking) corporation. Less than
one-tenth of the roads are paved. Navigable inland waterways are well developed, and there are five principal river ports
and seaports at Chalna and Chittagong. Dhaka and Chittagong have international airports.
Bangladesh's exports consist
primarily of ready-made garments; jute manufactures and raw jute; fish, shrimp, and frog legs; hides, skins, and leather goods;
and tea. Major importers of Bangladesh's exports are the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Imports consist
primarily of textile yarn, fabrics, and made-up articles; machinery and transport equipment; petroleum and petroleum products;
chemicals; iron and steel; and dairy products and eggs. The principal sources for imports are Japan, South Korea, and the
United States.
There are general universities, specialized (agricultural, and engineering and technological) universities,
and an Islamic university.
Bangladesh's broadcasting media are controlled by the government. Most of the newspapers
are privately owned, and the press is relatively free.
Cultural life
An important part of the Bengali cultural
heritage is represented by literature. Rabindranath Tagore, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, wrote many of
his poems and short stories about the beautiful Bengali countryside, most of all about the Ganges River. His song "Our Golden
Bengal" became the national anthem of Bangladesh
Military branches: Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, paramilitary
forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps), Armed Police battalions
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 34,683,414 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for
military service:
males age 15-49: 20,565,193 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $559 million
(FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY96/97)
The Army
The Navy
The Air Force
Other
Military/Paramilitary Branches
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