Bangladesh

Bangladesh

area:	144,000sq km (55,598sq mi)
population:	129,247,233
capital (population):	Dhaka (Dacca, 5,378,034)
government:	Multiparty republic
ethnic groups:	Bengali 98%, tribal groups
languages:	Bengali (official)
religions:	Islam (Sunni Muslim) 87%, Hinduism 12%, Buddhism, Christianity
currency:	Taka = 100 paisa

Republic in s Asia. Bangladesh is the most densely populated country in the world (834 people per square kilometre). Most of the country is flat, covered by fertile alluvium spread by the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna. The capital, Dhaka, is situated on the Ganges delta. The rivers overflow when swollen by the annual monsoon. Floods also occur with the cyclones that periodically strike along its coast. In 1991 the delta cyclone killed c.132,000 people, and left more than five million homeless. In 1998 the monsoon floods killed c.1500 people and left 23 million homeless.

Climate and Vegetation

Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate. In winter, dry winds blow from the n. In spring, moist winds from the s bring heavy rain. The coldest month is January. It remains hot throughout the monsoon season (June–August). Although most of Bangladesh is low and cultivated, forests cover c.16% of the land. The mangrove swamps of the Sundarbans region are the last sanctuary of the Bengal tiger. On the jungle border with Burma there are large areas of mahogany forests and rubber plantations.

History and Politics

The early history of Bangladesh is synonymous with that of Bengal. Islam was introduced in the 13th century. In 1576, Bengal became part of the vast Mogul empire under Akbar I ( the Great).

In the late-18th century, Bengal fell under the control of the British East India Company. In 1905, the British divided Bengal into East and West portions. East Bengal (roughly equivalent to modern Bangladesh) was mainly Muslim. In 1947, British India was partitioned between the mainly Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan. Pakistan consisted of two provinces, one to the w of India, and the other to the e, known initially as East Bengal then East Pakistan. The two provinces were separated by c.1500km (1000mi) of India. The majority population of East Pakistan demonstrated against ethnic and economic discrimination by West Pakistan.

In 1970 elections, the Awami League, led by Mujibur Rahman, won a landslide victory. In March 1971, the League unilaterally declared independence and civil war ensued. During nine months of fighting, more than one million East Bengalis were killed and millions more forced into exile, mainly to India. With Indian military assistance, East Bengal defeated Pakistan and gained independence as Bangladesh. Sheikh Rahman became prime minister. The new state was beset by famine and economic crises. In 1975, Sheikh Rahman assumed the presidency. In 1976 he was assassinated in a military coup and martial law declared. Several coups followed and the military remained in power for the next 15 years. In 1991, Bangladesh held its first free elections since independence. The Bangladesh National Party (BNP) gained a majority. In 1996 elections, the Awami League, led by Mujibur's daughter Hasina Wazed, returned to power. Hasina completed the first full five-year term of government in the nation's history. In 2001 elections. Khaleda Zia, wife of Sheikh Rahman, succeeded Hasina as prime minister.

Economy

Bangladesh is one of the world's poorest countries (2000 GDP per capita, US$1570); agriculture employs more than 50% of the workforce. Rice is the chief crop. Jute processing is the largest manufacturing industry and export. Some 60% of internal trade is by boat, although this is becoming more difficult as the Ganges delta silts up, due to deforestation in Nepal.

Political map

Physical map

Websites

http://www.bangladeshgov.org; http://www.virtualbangladesh.com/