World Atlas 2010 (4th edition)

168 ASIA

Bangladesh

FACTFILE

OFFICIAL NAME: People’s Republic

Bangladesh

DATE OF FORMATION: 1971

CAPITAL: Dhaka

POPULATION: 162 million

TOTAL AREA: 55,598 sq. miles

(144,000 sq. km)

DENSITY: 3138 people per sq. mile

LANGUAGES: Bengali*, Urdu, Chakma,

Marma, Garo, Khasi, Santhali, Tripuri, Mro

RELIGIONS: Muslim (mainly Sunni) 87%,

Hindu 12%, other 1%

ETHNIC MIX: Bengali 98%, other 2%

GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary system

CURRENCY: Taka = 100 poisha

Bangladesh lies at the north end of the Bay of Bengal

and frequently suffers devastating flood, cyclones,

and famine. It seceded from Pakistan in 1971.

GEOGRAPHY

Mostly flat alluvial plains and

deltas of the Brahmaputra and Ganges

rivers. Southeast coasts are fringed

with mangrove forests.

CLIMATE

Hot and humid. During the

monsoon, water levels can rise 20 ft (6 m)

above sea level.

PEOPLE & SOCIETY

After a period of military rule,

Bangladesh returned to democracy in

1991; political instability has continued,

however, and corruption is a major

problem. Half of the population live in

poverty, but living standards are

improving. Women are prominent in

politics, but their rights are neglected.

THE ECONOMY

Agriculture is vulnerable to

unpredictable climate. Bangladesh

accounts for 90% of world jute fiber

exports. Poor infrastructure deters

investment. Growing textile industry.

INSIGHT: Torrential monsoon

rains flood two-thirds of the

country every year

100 km

100 miles

0

0

500m/1640ft

200m/656ft

Sea Level

I N D I A

I N D I A

M

Y

A

N

M

A

R^

(B

U

R

M

A

)^

Bay

of

Bengal

Bahamas B

ra

hm

ap

ut

ra^

H

ar

in

gh

át

Ga

ng

es (

Pa

dm

a)

Mouths

of the Ganges

Chittagong

Khulna

Mymensingh

Jamalpur

Rajshahi

Dinajpur

Pabna

Rangpur

Jessore

Barisal

Sylhet

Comilla

Shirajganj Ghat

Saidpur

Brahmanbaria

DHAKA