*Baker Island, Communications
Ports:
none; offshore anchorage only, one boat landing area along the middle of the
west coast
Airports:
1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m
Note:
there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
*Baker Island, Defense Forces
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
*Bangladesh, Geography
Location:
South Asia, at the head of the Bay of Bengal, almost completely surrounded
by India
Map references:
Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
144,000 km2
land area:
133,910 km2
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries:
total 4,246 km, Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Coastline:
580 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
18 nm
continental shelf:
up to outer limits of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
a portion of the boundary with India is 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
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 km2 (1989)
Environment:
vulnerable to droughts; much of country routinely flooded during summer
monsoon season; overpopulation; deforestation
*Bangladesh, People
Population:
122,254,849 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.35% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
35.41 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
11.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
109.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
54.7 years
male:
55 years
female:
54.38 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.55 children born/woman (1993 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 (1990)
total population:
35%
male:
47%
female:
22%
Labor force:
35.1 million
by occupation:
agriculture 74%, services 15%, industry and commerce 11% (FY86)
note:
extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)
*Bangladesh, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form:
Bangladesh
former:
East Pakistan
Digraph:
BG
Type:
republic
Capital:
Dhaka
Administrative divisions:
64 districts (zillagulo, singular - zilla); Bagerhat, Bandarban, Barguna,
Barisal, Bhola, Bogra, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chapai Nawabganj, Chattagram,
Chuadanga, Comilla, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Feni, Gaibandha,
Gazipur, Gopalganj, Habiganj, Jaipurhat, Jamalpur, Jessore, Jhalakati,
Jhenaidah, Khagrachari, Khulna, Kishorganj, Kurigram, Kushtia, Laksmipur,
Lalmonirhat, Madaripur, Magura, Manikganj, Meherpur, Moulavibazar,
Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narail, Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Nator,
Netrakona, Nilphamari, Noakhali, Pabna, Panchagar, Parbattya Chattagram,
Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Satkhira, Shariyatpur,
Sherpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Tangail, Thakurgaon
Independence:
16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
Constitution:
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24
March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended NA March 1991
Legal system:
based on English common law
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
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), Ali KHAN; Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin
Ahmed MANIK; National Awami Party (Muzaffar); Workers Party, leader NA;
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; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE
Ahmed; Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed; United People's Party,
Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
National Parliament:
last held 27 February 1991 (next to be held NA February 1996); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats
reserved for women) BNP 168, AL 93, JP 35, JI 20, BCP 5, National Awami
Party (Muzaffar) 1, Workers Party 1, JSD 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami Oikya
Jote 1, NDP 1, independents 3
President:
last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by NA October 1996); results -
Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)