The 1996 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin

       exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

       territorial sea: 12 nm

      International disputes: a portion of the boundary with India in dispute; water-sharing problems with upstream riparian India over the Ganges

      Climate: tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)

      Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Reng Tlang 957 m

      Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber

      Land use:

       arable land: 67%

       permanent crops: 2%

       meadows and pastures: 4%

       forest and woodland: 16%

       other: 11%

      Irrigated land: 27,380 sq km (1989)

      Environment:

       current issues: many people are landless and forced to live on and

       cultivate flood-prone land; limited access to potable water;

       water-borne diseases prevalent; water pollution especially of

       fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides;

       intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the

       northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation;

       deforestation; severe overpopulation

       natural hazards: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely

       flooded during the summer monsoon season

       international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,

       Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,

       Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not

       ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

      People———

      Population: 123,062,800 (July 1996 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 39% (male 24,434,219; female 23,436,359)

       15–64 years: 58% (male 36,607,942; female 34,603,628)

       65 years and over: 3% (male 2,175,017; female 1,805,635) (July 1996

       est.)

      Population growth rate: 1.85% (1996 est.)

      Birth rate: 30.5 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Death rate: 11.21 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Net migration rate: −0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female

       all ages: 1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 102.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 55.86 years male: 56.02 years female: 55.69 years (1996 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 3.57 children born/woman (1996 est.)

      Nationality: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladesh

      Ethnic divisions: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1 million

      Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, other

      Languages: Bangla (official), English

      Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

       total population: 38.1%

       male: 49.4%

       female: 26.1%

      Government—————

      Name of country:

       conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh

       conventional short form: Bangladesh

       former: East Pakistan

      Data code: BG

      Type of government: republic

      Capital: Dhaka

      Administrative divisions: 4 divisions; Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna,

       Rajshahi

       note: there may be two new divisions named Barisal and Sylhet

      Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

      National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)

      Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times

      Legal system: based on English common law

      Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since 8 October 1991)

       was elected for a five-year term by National Parliament; election

       last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October 1996);

       results - Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote

       head of government: Caretaker Prime Minister Muhammad Habibur RAHMAN

       (since 31 March 1996) was appointed by the president (see note under

       Legislative branch entry)

       cabinet: Advisory Council was appointed by the president on 3 April

       1996

      Legislative branch: unicameral

       National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad): elections last held 15

       February 1996 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by

       party NA; seats - (330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for

       women) seats by party NA; note - the election was held despite the

       fact that it was boycotted by the major opposition parties; Prime

       Minister Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN's party won a landslide victory, but,

       under continuing pressure from the opposition, who called for an

       annulment of the results, National Parliament passed a bill that

       established a caretaker government to oversee new elections on a

       date yet to be determined; President BISWAS then dissolved

       Parliament and named a caretaker prime minister to replace Prime

       Minister ZIAur RAHMAN

      Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the Chief Justices and other

       judges are appointed by the president

      Political parties and leaders: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP),

       Khaleda ZIAur RAHMAN; Awami League (AL), Sheikh Hasina WAJED; Jatiyo

       Party (JP), Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD (in jail); Jamaat-E-Islami (JI),

       Motiur Rahman NIZAMI; Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin

       Ahmed MANIK; National Awami Party (Muzaffar); Workers Party, Rashid

       Khan MENON; Jatiyo Samajtantik Dal (JSD), Serajul ALAM KHAN;

       Ganotantri Party, leader NA; Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA; National

       Democratic Party (NDP), leader NA; Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR;