Bangladesh
Basic Information
| Official name | People's Republic of Bangladesh |
| Other names in use | Bangladesh |
| Area (1) | Total: 147,570 sq.km HKH part: 13,189 sq.km (9%) |
| Population (mid 2007) | Total: 140 million (2) HKH part: 1.33 million(3) |
| Capital city | Dhaka |
| Major cities |
Barisal, Chittagong, Comilla, Khulna, Mymensing, Rajshahi, Sylhet |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Currency | Taka (TK) |
| Official languages | Bangla |
| National day | 26th March |
| Major holidays | Independence Day (26th March), Victory Day (16th December), Sahid Dibosh & International Mother Language Day (21st February); Bengali New Year Day (01st Basaik) |
| International dialling code | 880 |
Major mountain peaks
- Tajingdong [Locally called Bijoy] (1,280 m)
- Keokradong (1,230 m)
- Chimbuk (1,067 m)
- Nilgiri (975 m)
- Nilachal (610 m)
Selected international agreements and conventions related to climate and environment
| Agreement/convention | Status - Date |
| Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (Vienna Convention) -1988 | Accession - 02 August 1990 |
| Convention on Biological Diversity | Signed - 05 June 1992 Ratified - 03 May 1994 |
| The Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety | Signed - 24 May 2000 Ratified - 05 February 2004 |
| Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) | Ratified - 20 November 1981 Accession - 18 February 1982 |
| Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals | Entry into force - 01 December 2005 |
| Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention) - 1992 | Accession - 01 April 1993 |
| Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) | Entry into force - 21 September 1992 |
| Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa - 1994 | Signed - 14 October 1994 Ratified - 26 January 1996 Entry into force - 26 December 1996 |
| International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture -2001 | Signed - 17 October 2002 Ratified - 14 November 2003 |
| International Plant Protection Convention-1952 | Adherence - 01 September 1978 |
| Plant Protection Agreement for the Asia and the Pacific Region - 1956 | Adherence - 04 December 1974 |
| United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea | Signed - 10 December 1982 Ratified - 27 July 2001 |
| Male Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia | Endorsed - April 1998 |
| United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) | Signed - 09 June 1992 Ratified - 15 April 1994 Entry into force - 14 July 1994 |
| Kyoto Protocol | Accession - 22 October 2001 Entry into force - 16 February 2005 |
Economy
| GDP per capita | US $ 482 (2006/07) |
Major agricultural products
Paddy, jute, wheat, tobacco, pulse, oil seeds, spices, vegetables, jack-fruit, coconut, banana, mango
Major industries
Readymade garments, textiles, chemical fertilisers, pharmaceuticals, tea processing, paper and newsprint, cement, light engineering, sugar, leather goods
Geography / Geopolitics
Altitude range
Lowest point: 0 m (Indian Ocean)
Highest point: 1,280 m (Tajingdong)
Climate
The temperature is equable and moderate. The minimum temperature varies from 11 to 290C and the maximum temperature varies from 21 to 380C in summer. The annual rainfall varies from 160 cm to 400 cm. There are six seasons-summer, monsoon, autumn, late autumn, winter, and spring. Rain is associated with occasional tropical storms and cyclones which originate in the Himalayas in summer and in the Bay of Bengal in autumn. There is a short pre-monsoon rainy season from April to May due to occasional nor-westers (cyclone) accompanied by thunderstorms. Although summer and winter are the two main distinct seasons, the monotony is broken with the change of seasons in every two months, recorded as per the Bangla Calendar. These changes are, however, in degrees give a pleasant touch to the people, offering a distinct colour, smell, and sound to the landscape for every short season. The summer is broken by the welcome monsoon rain, making the land suitable for cultivation, which again changes to happy autumn, pleasant winter and colourful spring.
Natural hazards
Droughts; cyclones; floods; landslides; river erosion; much of the country is routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
Major environmental issues
Many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases are prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, resulting from use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
Culture
Major ethnic groups
Bengali 98%, other 2% (includes tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims)
Major religions
Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity
Major languages
Bangla, English
Major festivals
Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha, Muharram, Miladunnabi, Christmas, Buddha Purnima, Durga puja, Laxmi puja, Sarissati puja, Biju-festival, Bengali new year
Focal Ministry/Institution
Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs,Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh.