Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a low-lying country with a total area of 55,598 square miles or 1,47,570 square kilometers. It stretches latitudinally between 20034’ and 26038’ north and longitudinally between 880 01’ and 920 41’ east. Bay of Bengal lies on the south. Most of its area is relatively flat lying in the deltaic plain of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system. The only significant upland
s are in the northeast and southeast of the country with average elevation of 244m and 610m respectively. The country is covered with a network of rivers and canals forming a maze of interconnecting channels. Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate marked by sweltering temperatures and high humidity. The country has mainly four seasons, the winter (Dec-Feb), summer (Mar-May), Monsoon (Jun-Sep) and autumn (Oct-Nov). During summer and monsoon tropical cyclones, storms and tidal waves are not uncommon. The population of Bangladesh is about 157 million. Majority of the population are Muslims. Hindus, Buddhists and Christians make up 13 percent of the entire population. Over 98 percent of the people speak Bengali, English however, is widely used. The lowest administrative unit is the union run by an elected union council. Each union comprises about 20,000 inhabitants and about 8-10 unions cluster into a upazila. Government services are concentrated at the upazila level. There are about 472 upazilas in Bangladesh. Several upazilas form a district. The total number of districts stands at 64. The entire country is broadly divided into 7 administrative divisions, namely-Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal, Sylhet and Rangpur. Bangladesh has an agrarian economy. Agriculture accounts for nearly 46 percent of the GDP and provides employment to more than 61 percent of the workforce. Jute and rice are main cash crops. Other crops are tea, sugarcane, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables, spices, wheat, potatoes, to***co and cotton. The major industry in Bangladesh is jute processing followed by cotton, steel, garments and pharmaceutical. As an emerging nation, Bangladesh places special priority on economic and social development. In order to accelerate the development process the Government has recently decentralized the administration and has undertaken massive development programmes. A large number of non-government organizations (NGO) are also involved in development activates to benefit the rural poor. Bangladesh: An Overview
Official Name: The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh. Capital : Dhaka
Geographical : In South Asia between 20 degree 34’
Location and 26 degree 38’north latitude and Foods Staple diet rice, vegetable, pulses and
Between 88 degree 01’ and 92 degree fish
41’ east longitude Principal Rice, Wheat, Jute Tea, To***co and
Crops Sugarcane
Boundaries North: India (W. Bangal and Meghalaya
West: India (W. Bangal) Principal Padma, Brahmaputra, Jamuna,
East: India (Tripora and Assam) and Meghna Rivers Karnaphuli and Teesta
Myanmar
South: Bay of Bengal Total number Including tributaries : 230
Of rivers
Mineral
Area 1,47,570 Square Km
Territorial waters: 12 nautical miles Resource Natural gas, limestone, hardrock, coal,
Lignite silica sand, white clay and
Radioactive sand. Capital Dhaka
Time GMT plus 6 hours National Language Bengali
Climate Tropical and moderate National flower Shapla
Temperature Winter (Nov-Feb) National Bird Magpie Robin
Maximum 20 degree C. Minimum 11 degree C. National Fish Hilsa
Summer (April –Sep):
Maximum 38 degree C. National Fruit Jackfruit
Minimum 21 degree C. Tourist sports
Rainfall 120.345cm (47-136*) Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Kaptai,
during monsoon Rangmati, Khaggrachari, Bandarban,
Kuakata, Khulna, The sundarban,
Humidity Highest : 99 percent (July) Sylhet, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, and
Lowest: 36 percent (Dec.) Comilla. Population Approximately 135 million Principal Industries
Density 798 persons per sq/km. Jute, Tea, Textile, Garments, Paper
Literacy: (7 yrs and above) 42 percent Newsprint, Fertilizer, Leather and Leather goods, Sugar, Cement, Fish processing,
Religious Muslims (88.3 percent) Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals. Groups Hindus (10.5 percent) Traditional Exports
Buddhists (0.6 percent) Raw Jute, manufactures such as hessian,
Christians (0.3 percent) sacking, carpet backing, carpets, tea,
Tribals (0.1 percent) leather and leather products. Administrative Division 07 Non Traditional Exports
& Other Units District 64 Frozen shrimps, other fish products,
City Corporation 09 Newsprint, Paper, Naphtha, Furnace
Municipality 166 oil, Urea Garments and Handicraft. Upazila 488
Union Parishad 4,550 Principal imports
Village 68,000 Rice, Wheat, Oil seeds, Crude Petroleum,
Raw cotton, Edible oil, Petroleum products,
Satellite Station 2 Fertilizer, Cement, Staple fiber Yarn and
Betbunia Capital goods. Talibabad
Language 95 percent speak Bangla and
5 percent other dialects
English is widely spoken
