Bangladesh [Bengali=Bengal nation], officially People's Republic of Bangladesh, republic (1995 EST. pop. 128,095,000), 55,126 sq mi (142,776 sq km), S Asia. Bangladesh borders on the Bay of Bengal in the south; on the Indian states of west Bengal in the west and north, Assam and Meghalaya in the northeast, and Tripura and Mizoram in the east; and on Myanmar in the southeast. Dhaka is the capital and largest city; the nation's other major city is Chittagong.

East Bengal--the region that was to become East Pakistan and now Bangladesh - - was a prosperous region of South Asia until modern times. It had the advantages of a mild, almost tropical climate, fertile soil, ample water, and an abundance of fish, wildlife, and fruit. The standard of living compared favorably with other parts of South Asia. As early as the thirteenth century, the region was developing as an agrarian economy. It was not entirely without commercial centers, and Dhaka in particular grew into an important entrepôt during the Mughal Empire. The British, however, on their arrival in the early seventeenth century, chose to develop Calcutta as their commercial and administrative center in South Asia. The development of East Bengal was thereafter limited to agriculture. The colonial infrastructure of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries reinforced East Bengal's function as the primary producer--chiefly of rice and jute--for processors and traders in Calcutta and beyond.

The partition of British India and the emergence of India and Pakistan in 1947 severely disrupted the former colonial economic system that had preserved East Bengal (now East Pakistan) as a producer of jute and rice for the urban industrial economy around Calcutta. East Pakistan had to build a new industrial base and modernize agriculture in the midst of a population explosion. Pakistan's five-year plans opted for a development strategy based on industrialization, but the major share of the development budget went to west Pakistan, that is, contemporary Pakistan. Blame was placed by various observers on the west Pakistani leaders who not only dominated the government but also most of the fledgling industries in East Pakistan. More information about the economic exploitation is available.

Post Independence Bangladesh had to face the devastation wrought by earlier economic exploitation during the Pakistan era as well as destruction of critical infrastructure during the war. After many years of economic problems, Bangladesh has started to rebound with steady growth in recent years.

Land and People

A humid, low-lying, alluvial region, Bangladesh is composed mainly of the great combined delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers. Except for the Chittagong Hills along the Myanmar border, most of the country is no more than 300 ft (90 m) above sea level. Bangladesh is laced with numerous streams, distributaries, and tidal creeks, forming an intricate network of waterways that constitutes the country's chief transportation system. Along the southwestern coast is the Sundarbans, a mangrove swamp area with numerous low islands.

Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate with a distinct dry season in the winter. It receives an average annual rainfall of 80 in. (203 cm), with most falling during the summer monsoon period; the Sylhet district in the northeast is the wettest part of the country, having an annual average rainfall of 140 in. (356 cm). The low-lying delta region is subject to severe flooding from monsoon rains, cyclones, and tidal waves that bring major crop damage and high loss of life. The cyclones of 1970 and 1991 and the monsoon floods of 1998 were particularly devastating.

Bangladesh is one of the world's ten most populated countries and has one of the highest population densities (about 2,100 people per sq mi/ 810 people per sq km). The great majority of Bangladesh's population is Bengali, although Biharis and several tribal groups constitute significant minority communities. About 88% of the population is Sunni Muslim and over 10% is Hindu. Bengali is the nation's official language, and English is used in urban centers. Bangladesh has a predominantly rural population, with over 60% of the workforce engaged in agriculture. There are several universities, including ones at Chittagong, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Rajshahi.

Economy

Bangladesh is one of the world's poorest nations, with overpopulation adding to its economic woes, and it is heavily reliant on foreign aid. The country's economy is based on agriculture. Rice, jute, tea, sugarcane, tobacco, and wheat are the chief crops. Bangladesh is the world's largest producer of jute. Fishing is also an important economic activity, and beef, dairy products, and poultry are also produced. Except for natural gas (found along its eastern border), limited quantities of oil (in the Bay of Bengal), coal, and some uranium, Bangladesh possesses few minerals.

Dhaka and Chittagong (the country's chief port) are the principal industrial centers; jute products, cotton textiles, processed food, steel, and chemical fertilizers are manufactured. In addition to jute and jute products, exports include tea, leather, fish, and shrimp. Since the country is unable to feed itself, the most important of Bangladesh's imports is food. Capital goods, petroleum, and textiles are other major imports. Western Europe, the United States, India, and China are the main trading partners.