Bangladesh Facts

 
 

Bangladesh is located in the delta of three major rivers – the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Meghna. The country is criss-crossed by 230 rivers. Flooding is a yearly occurrence during and after the monsoon season (June-October).

Area: 130,170 sq. km (the size of Wisconsin, slightly larger than Greece)

Population: 166 million (July 2014 est.)

3,000 people per sq. mile

Nearly 60% under age 25, only 3% older than 65

Religion: Muslim 83% Hindu 16% Christian <1%

Currency: Taka (about 62 Tk /US dollar)

Life Expectancy: Male 62.5 years

Female 64.2 years

Infant Mortality: 54 per 1000 live births

Child Mortality – deaths before the age of five: 73 per 1000 live births

Maternal Mortality: 380 per 100,000 births

560 per 100,000 births for teenage mothers

Births attended by skilled personnel: 13%.

Nutrition: Population undernourished 30%

Children underweight for age 48% (under age 5)

Adult women with anemia 49%.

Literacy: Male 50.3%

Female 31.4%

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day: 36%.

Physicians and Nurses: Number of registered physicians 29,746

Number of registered nurses 16,972

Number of registered midwives 14,915.

Hospital Facilities: Number of beds 43,293

Population per bed 3,335.

Percentage HIV+ (adults 15-49): <0.1%

TB Cases: 229 per 100,000 people.

LINKS, Bangladesh

CIA - The World Factbook In-depth profile of Bangladesh: historical, political, economical, etc.

BBC News Country Profile "Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated countries, with its people crammed into a delta of rivers that empties into the Bay of Bengal ...."

Virtual Bangladesh A site that introduces one to historical, geographical, cultural and literary Bangladesh. Links direct one to daily English newspapers.

The Economist's "Country Profile" A good general summary of the country of Bangladesh, including links to previous articles in The Economist on topics related to the country.

For a satellite image of Bangladesh go to geology.com.

LINKS, Islam

Dr. Alan Godlas of the University of Georgia has created a very fine website that contains resources related to Islam that are grouped under main headings. One can find excellent articles, images, and audio resources that cover a wide array of themes and issues.

Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, has this webpage dedicated to resources useful in the study of Islam, as well as church-based (ELCA and PCUSA) websites oriented toward Christian-Muslim engagement. Follow these links for many interesting resources that do not demand a background in the subject.

LINKS, Hinduism

Understanding Hinduism is an award winning and extensive site on Hinduism.

Hinduism: The world's third largest religion features an overview and briefs on chief deities, sacred texts, beliefs and the caste system. Site sponsored by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance.