The Country
People's Republic of Bangladesh

Type of Government
The country has a parliamentary form of Government headed by the Prime Minister. The President is the constitutional Head of the State.

Geographical Location
In South Asia: between 200 34' to 260 38' north latitude and between 880 01' to 920 41' east longitude; Maximum extension in about 440 km in E-W direction and 760 km in NNW-SSE direction.

Boundaries
North-India: West Bengal and Meghalaya
West India: West Bengal
East-India: Tripura & Assam and Myanmar
South: Bay of Bengal

Area
56977 sq. miles or 1,47,570 sq.km. Territorial Water: 12 nautical miles, Effective land area:119624, Revering area:8236, Forest area:19710.

Capital City
Dhaka, Metropolitan Area 360 sq.km.

Standard Time
GMT+6 hours

Climate and Climate Variation
Subtropical monsoon. Winter (November-February), temperature: average maximum 29 C, average minimum 11 C; Summer (March-June) temperature: average maximum 32 C, average minimum 21 C; Monsoon (July-October)

Rainfall
1194 mm to 3454 mm (average during monsoon, June-August)

Humidity
Highest: 99% (July), Lowest: 36% (December and January)

Vegetation
Grassland, mixed evergreen and evergreen.

Population
140.6 million (Estimate-2007) and 130.03 million (Census-2001), Density: 953 (Extimate-2007) & (Census-2001) per sq.km.

Population Growth Rate
1.48% (2004)

Education (Census-2002)
Total Literacy: 62.66%

Ethnic Groups
Predominantly mixed group of Proto Austroloids/Dravidians, Mongoloids and Aryans

Language
95% Bangla and 5% other dialects. English is widely spoken.

Religion
Muslim (88.3%), Hindu (10.5%), Buddhist (0.3%) and Animists and believers in tribal faiths (0.3%)

Food
Staple diet, Rice, Bread, Vegetables, Pulses, Fish and Meat

Principal Crops and Fruits
Rice, Wheat, Jute, Tea, Tobacco, Sugarcane, Pulses, Oilseeds, Spices, Potatoes, Vegetables, Banana, Mango, Coconut, Jackfruit and Pineapple

Principal Rivers
Padma, Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Meghna, Karnaphuli, Teesta, etc. Total 230 ricers including tributaries

Mineral Resources
Natural Gas, limestone, hard rock, coal, peat, lignite, silica sand, white clay, radioactive sand tec. (There is strong possibility of oil deposit).

Human Resources
A substantial manpower reserve, trained and skilled, engineers, technicians, physicians, economists, accountants, administrative and managerial personnel, abundance of easily trainable and adaptable, hard working, intelligent and youthful labour force.

Principal Industries
Jute, Tea, Textiles, Garments, Knitwear, Paper, Newsprint, Fertilizer, Leather and Leather Goods, Sugar, Cement, Fish Processing, Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Light Engineering, Plastic and Rubber, Furniture and Ceramic etc.

Principal Export
Readymade Garments, Knitwear, Frozen Food and Shrimp, Tea, Raw Jute, Jute Products, Leather and Leather Products, Chemical Fertilizer, Ceramic Tableware, Naphtha, Furniture, Fruits & Vegetables and handicrafts etc.

Principal Import
Wheat, Oil Seeds, Crude Petroleum, Raw Cotton, Edible Oil, Petroleum Products, Fertilizer, Cement, Staple Fivers, Yarn, Iron and Steel, Capital Goods & Machinery and Automobiles.

Energy Resources
Fuel Wood, natural gas, liquid petroleum fuels, coal, hydropower, solar and biogas.

Administrative and Others Units
Divisions
6

Districts
64

Thana
507

Unions/Wards
4484

Villages
87319

Tourists Spots
Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Chittagong, Sylhet, Kuakata (Patuakhali), Sundarban (Khulna), The 120 km long Cox's Bazar sea beach is considered to be the longest in the world. Kuakata is a unique beach for viewing sunrise and sunset. Sundarban is the home of Royal Bengal Tiger and has a natural sanctuary for deer population.

Airports
11 (3 International and 8 national)
International: Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet
National: Jessore, Ishwardi, Comilla, Cox's Bazar, Thakurgaon, Rajshahi, Barisal and Saidpur.

Sea Ports
2 (Chittagong and Mongla)

Educational Institutions
Public Universities: 22 (2005), Private Universities: 52 (2005), Medical Colleges-27 (Public-13, Private-14 (2005), College-1689 (2004), Polytechnic Institute-77 (2005), Secondary Schools-13678 (2005) and Primary Schools-62377 (2004).

Currency
Taka (Tk.)

GDP at current market price
67.82 (2006-2007) Billion US$

GDP Growth Rate
6.5 (2006-2007)

Total Export
12.17 (2006-2007) (billion US$)

Total Import
17.15 (2006-2007) (billion US$)

GDP per Capita
482 US$

No. of Local Banks
4 State Own Commercial Banks, 30 Private Sector Banks, 5 Specialized Banks & 9 Foreign Banks.