Last update: April 2008

Bangladesh

Country Profile

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Full Country Name
Area
Population
Capital City
Languages
Religions
Currency
Dialling Code from Foreign Country
Weights & Measures
Head of State
Prime Minister
Foreign Minister
Geography
Bangladesh Factsheet 2008

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Full Country Name:

The People's Republic of Bangladesh

Area:

147,570 sq km (91,695.75 sq milles). Bangladesh is the world's ninety third largest country. It comprises 6 states/Union Territories.

Population:

Bangladesh is the world's seventh most populous country with a population of 150.4 million (2007).

Capital City:

Dhaka (23.70°N, 90.39°E), 10.1 million (2008 estimate)

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Languages:

The official language is Bangla (Bengali), which is spoken by 99% of the population. However English (especially in business circles) is also used.

Religions:

Muslim 85.8%, Hindu 12.4%, Christian 0.7%, Buddhist 0.6%, other 0.5%.

Currency:

The unit of currency is the taka (TK) which is divided into 100 piasas.

Dialling Code from Foreign Country

00 880

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Weights & Measures

The metric system is generally used, although local measures including the tola (11.66g) and maund (37 kg) are also still in use. In addition, land may be measured by katha (80 sq yards) and bigha (1,600 sq yards).

Head of State:

President Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed

Prime Minister:

Khaleda Zia

Foreign Minister:

Manzur Morshed Khan MP

Geography

Bangladesh has roughly the same land area as England and Wales. It is enclosed by Indian territory except for a short south-eastern frontier with Burma and borders the Bay of Bengal in the south. Most of the country is formed by the alluvial plain of the Ganges-Brahmaputra river system - the largest delta in the world; water flow is second only to that of the Amazon.

To the east of the delta lie the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Flooding is normal and life has adapted to take account of this. But occasionally excessive flooding, as in 1988, 1998, and 2004 causes widespread destruction and loss of life. Arable land is extremely fertile. Bangladesh's principal natural resource is natural gas.

The climate is tropical and governed by the monsoon winds which in summer (June to September) bring very heavy rainfall (up to 200 inches), often accompanied by cyclonic storms. The short winter is mild and relatively dry. In winter the mean temperature is about 16 degrees centigrade (53F) and in summer 27 degrees centigrade (80F).