Chief
of State: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September
2002)
Head of Government: Prime Minister
Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October 2001)
Government Type: parliamentary
democracy |
Population:
147,365,352 (July 2006 est.)
Languages: Bangla (official,
also known as Bengali), English
Religion: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%,
other 1% (1998)
Life Expectancy: 62.46 |
Currency:
taka (BDT)
GDP(per capita): $2,100 (2005
est.)
Overview: Despite sustained
domestic and international efforts to improve economic
and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor,
overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although
half of GDP is generated through the service sector,
nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the
agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important
product. Major impediments to growth include frequent
cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises,
inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor
force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays
in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient
power supplies, and slow implementation of economic
reforms. Reform is stalled in many instances by political
infighting and corruption at all levels of government.
Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the
bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested
interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister
Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push
through needed reforms, but the party's political will
to do so has been lacking in key areas. One encouraging
note: growth has been a steady 5% for the past several
years.
Exports: garments, jute and
jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001)
Import: machinery and equipment,
chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum
products, cement (2000) |
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Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma
and India
Area: total: 144,000 sq km
land: 133,910 sq km
water: 10,090 sq km |
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.
Independence Day: 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
Capital City: Dhaka
Administrative divisions: 6
divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi,
Sylhet |
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