Bangladesh emerged as an independent and sovereign country in 1971 following a nine month war of liberation. It is one of the largest deltas of the world with a total area of 147,570 sq. km. With a unique communal harmony, Bangladesh has a population of about 152.51 million, making it one of the densely populated countries of the world. The majority (over 88%) of the people are Muslim. Over 98% of the people speak in Bangla. English, however, is widely spoken. The country is covered with a network of rivers and canals forming a maze of interconnecting channels. Being an active partner, Bangladesh plays vital role in the international and regional forum, particularly in the UN, Commonwealth and South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
General information
Official Name
: The People's Republic of Bangladesh
OPolitical system
: Parliamentary democracy
Capital name
: Dhaka
Time zone
: GMT + 6 hours
Major cities
: Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, Rangpur
Principal rivers
: Padma, Meghna, Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Teesta, Surma and Karnaphuli.(total 310 rivers including tributaries).
Principal Industries
: Ready made garments, pharmaceuticals, cements, garment accessories, chemicals, fertilizers, newsprint, leather and leather goods, paper, sugar, jute, ship building.
Principal exports
: Readymade garments, frozen foods (shrimps), leather, leather products, jute, jute products, tea, ceramic, textile fabrics, home textile, chemical product, light engineering products including bi-cycle.
Geography
Location
: Between 200 34' and 260 38' north latitude and between 880 01' and 920 41' east longitude.
Boundary
: North: India, West: India, South: Bay of Bengal, East: India and Myanmar
Area
: 56,977 sq. miles or 147,570 sq. km.
Territorial water
: 12 nautical miles
Main seasons
: Summer (March-May), rainy season (June-September) and winter (December-February)
Crops and Fruits
: Paddy, jute, wheat, tobacco, pulses, oil seeds, spices, vegetables, jack-fruit, banana, mango, coconut, pineapple etc.
Natural resources
: Natural gas, coal, lime, white clay, granite, glass sand.
