Bangladesh

Republic: People's Republic of Bangladesh
Former: East Pakistan
Background:  
Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.
Geography
Location:        
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Geographic coordinates:
24 00 N, 90 00 E
Area: total: 144,000 sq km
land: 133,910 sq km
Water: 10,090 sq km
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
Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m
Natural resources:
Natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
Natural hazards:
Droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
Environment - current issues: 
 many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
Environment - international agreements:       
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Population:
147,365,352 (July 2006 est.)
Major infectious diseases:           
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations
Water contact disease: leptospirosis
Animal contact disease: rabies (2005)
Ethnic groups:
Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)
Religions:       
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
Languages:     
Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Country name:           
People's Republic of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Former: East Pakistan
Government type:      
Parliamentary democracy
Capital:           
Dhaka
Administrative divisions:
             
6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet
Independence:
             
16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
National holiday:
             
Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Constitution:
             
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended many times
Legal system:
             
Based on English common law
Suffrage:
             
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
             
chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections
Head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October 2001)
Flag description:        
green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam
Economy            
Agriculture - products:
Rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Industries:      
Cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
Military branches:      
Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:   
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2005)
Disputes - international:         
Discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh resists India's attempts to fence or wall off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint Bangladesh-India boundary inspection in 2005 revealed 92 pillars are missing; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources.

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