{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
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. After the partition of India in 1947, the Muslim-majority area became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western areas of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won the independence war for Bangladesh in 1971.
The military overthrew the post-independence AL government in 1975, the first of a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and the subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that took power in 1979. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections were held in 1991. The BNP and AL alternated in power from 1991 to 2008, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime in 2007. The country returned to fully democratic rule in 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026.
The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6.25% for the last two decades. Poverty declined from 11.8 percent in 2010 to 5.0 percent in 2022, based on the international poverty line of $2.15 a day (using 2017 Purchasing Power Parity exchange rate). Moreover, human development outcomes improved along many dimensions. The country made a rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, but faces several economic challenges.
" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "24 00 N, 90 00 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Asia" }, "Area": { "total ": { "text": "148,460 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "130,170 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "18,290 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly larger than Pennsylvania and New Jersey combined; slightly smaller than Iowa" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "4,413 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Burma 271 km; India 4,142 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "580 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "contiguous zone": { "text": "18 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" }, "continental shelf": { "text": "to the outer limits of the continental margin" } }, "Climate": { "text": "tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)" }, "Terrain": { "text": "mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Mowdok Taung 1,060 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Indian Ocean 0 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "85 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "natural gas, arable land, timber, coal" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "70.1% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 59% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 6.5% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 4.6% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "11.1% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "18.8% (2018 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "81,270 sq km (2020)" }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "Brahmaputra river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,969 km; Ganges river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 2,704 km
বিশ্ব ফ্যাক্টবুক, মৌলিক তথ্যের অপরিহার্য উৎস (Bangla)
Awami League or AL
Bangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami or JIB
Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP
Islami Andolan Bangladesh
Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction)
Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction)
National Socialist Party (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) or JSD
Workers Party or WP
" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Asad Alam SIAM (since 13 January 2025)" }, "chancery": { "text": "3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (202) 244-0183" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (202) 244-2771" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries; does not manufacture precursor chemicals with the exception of sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and toluene
" } } }