Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
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.
- Capital
- Dhaka
- Government
- parliamentary republic
- Population
- 174,370,536
- Area
- 148,460 sq km
- Location
- Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
- Climate
- tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
- Natural resources
- natural gas; arable land; timber; coal
- Languages
- Bangla 98.8% (official; also known as Bengali); other 1.2%
- Religions
- Muslim 91%; Hindu 8%; other 1%
- Independence
- 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
- Administrative divisions
- 8 divisions; Barishal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet
- Currency
- taka (BDT)
- Export partners
- USA 16%; Germany 15%; UK 8%; Spain 7%…
- Import partners
- China 34%; India 17%; Indonesia 5%; Singapore 5%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain