KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOUR

NAME:

Conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form: 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.

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)

POPULATION:

141,340,476 (July 2004 est.)

LABOUR FORCE - BY OCCUPATION:

Agriculture 63%, industry 11%, services 26% (FY95/96)

POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE:

35.6%

NATIONALITY:

Noun: Bangladeshi(s)
Adjective: Bangladeshi

LANGUAGES:

Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

LITERACY:

Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 43.1%
male: 53.9%
female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

GOVERNMENT TYPE:

Parliamentary democracy

CAPITAL:

Dhaka

CURRENCY:

Taka (BDT)

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.

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)
Cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president

FLAG DISCRIPTION:

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:

Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and ill-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 labour force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms.

INDUSTRIES:

Cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, and sugar

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE:

40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.)

COMMUNICATION:

Telephone, Radio, Television, Internet

TRANSPORTATION:

Railways, Roadways, Airports, Waterways

Farooque