Bangladesh

Location

• Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
• most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Dhaka	10,356,500	Capital
Chattogram	3,920,222
Gazipur	2,674,697
Khulna	1,500,689
Rangpur	1,031,388
Comilla	1,030,000
Rajshahi	763,580
Pallabi	597,574
Mirpur Model Thana	546,503
Mohāmmadpur	527,571

Size

• 55,598 square miles
• 144,000 square kilometers
• slightly larger than Pennsylvania and New Jersey combined; slightly smaller than Iowa

History

The huge delta region at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems -- now referred to as Bangladesh -- was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires for much of the first millennium A.D. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans established trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, which is primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. After the partition of India in 1947, the Muslim-majority area became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western areas of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won the independence war for Bangladesh in 1971. The military overthrew the post-independence AL government in 1975, the first of a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and the subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that took power in 1979. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections were held in 1991. The BNP and AL alternated in power from 1991 to 2008, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime in 2007. The country returned to fully democratic rule in 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026. The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6.25% for the last two decades. Poverty declined from 11.8 percent in 2010 to 5.0 percent in 2022, based on the international poverty line of $2.15 a day (using 2017 Purchasing Power Parity exchange rate). The country made a rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, but still faces economic challenges.

Climate

tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Languages

Bangla 98.8% (official, also known as Bengali), other 1.2% (2011 est.)major-language sample(s): বিশ্ব ফ্যাক্টবুক, মৌলিক তথ্যের অপরিহার্য উৎস (Bangla) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Muslim 91%, Hindu 8%, other 1% (2022 est.)

Government

parliamentary republic

• Constitution: history: previous 1935, 1956, 1962 (pre-independence); latest enacted 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended March 1982, restored November 1986amendment process: proposed by the House of the Nation; approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the House membership and assent of the president of the republic
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: common law, incorporating elements of English common law; since independence, statutory law has been the primary form of legislation; Islamic law applies to Muslims in family and inheritance laws, with Hindu personal law applying to Hindus and Buddhists
• Executive Branch: chief of state: President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (since 24 April 2023)head of government: Interim Prime Minister Muhammad YUNUS (since 8 August 2024)cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister, appointed by the presidentelection/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the president appoints as prime minister the majority party leader in the National Parliamentmost recent election date: 13 February 2023election results: President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (AL) elected unopposed by the National Parliament; Sheikh HASINA reappointed prime minister for a fifth term following the 7 January 2024 parliamentary election; note - Sheikh HASINA resigned and fled the country on 5 August 2024 following mass protests against her government in July and August 2024, and Mohammad YUNIS was appointed as interim Prime Minister on 8 August 2024expected date of next election: 2028
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of Bangladesh (organized into the Appellate Division with 7 justices and the High Court Division with 99 justices)judge selection and term of office: chief justice and justices appointed by the president; justices serve until retirement at age 67subordinate courts: civil courts include: Assistant Judge's Court; Joint District Judge's Court; Additional District Judge's Court; District Judge's Court; criminal courts include: Court of Sessions; Court of Metropolitan Sessions; Metropolitan Magistrate Courts; Magistrate Court; special courts/tribunals
• Legislative Branch: expected date of next election: February 2026note: the Parliament (House of the Nation) was dissolved on 6 August 2024 by President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wazed on 5 August 2024; new national elections will be held in February 2026

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• one of the fastest growing emerging market economies; strong economic rebound following COVID-19; significant poverty reduction; exports dominated by textile industry; weakened exports and remittances resulted in declining foreign exchange reserves and 2022 IMF loan request
• Budget: revenues: $39.849 billion (2021 est.)expenditures: $51.558 billion (2021 est.)note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
• Industries: cotton, textiles and clothing, jute, tea, paper, cement, fertilizer, sugar, light engineering 
• Agricultural Products: rice, milk, potatoes, maize, sugarcane, onions, jute, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruits (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 72.4% (2022 est.)arable land: 60.5% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 7.2% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 4.6% (2022 est.)forest: 14.5% (2022 est.)other: 13.2% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: refined petroleum, cotton fabric, natural gas, cotton, fabric (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: China 34%, India 17%, Indonesia 5%, Singapore 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: garments, footwear, fabric, textiles, trunks and cases (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: USA 16%, Germany 15%, UK 8%, Spain 7%, Poland 6% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports