General information about Bangladesh

Bangladesh (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ) is a sovereign state located in South Asia and borders on the Indian federal states West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram (clockwise, beginning in the west), as well as on Myanmar and the Bay of Bengal (part of the Indian ocean). The total length of the border amounts to 4.246 km, of it with Myanmar 193 km and with India 4.053 km. The coastal length amounts to 580 km.

Geography & environment

The biggest part of the country is formed by the delta area of the rivers Brahmaputra, Ganges and Meghna; an area intervened from many watercourses which is often threatened by floods, because of the deforestations in the Himalayas the big streams have to absorb more and more water masses. Dhaka, the capital lies only six meters above sea level. Based on to the quantity of the affected people the coastal region of Bangladesh is the strongest affected region by the global warming, worldwide. 15 million inhabitants of the shallow bottomland in the Ganges Delta of Bangladesh are concerned by a sea level increase. Cyclones like Sidr in November, 2007 demand more and more victims.

Das The climate is tropical (the precipitations increases from the west to the east) and is in the sphere of influence of the southwest monsoon. More than half of the annual precipitation is falls from June till August and in March / April and in October cyclones are possible.

History, people & religion

Bangladesh formed a part of British India till 1947. The country takes the eastern part of the historical region Bengal who became in 1947 in consequence of the Muslim population majority as "East Pakistan" a part of Pakistan. Despite the common Islamic religion West Pakistan and East Pakistan separated not only linguistic and cultural differences. The fertile east achieved with his jute and rice-exports profits which were of benefit almost exclusively for the west part where they were given again with priority on the military. In particular during the Pakistani-Indian Kashmir war in 1965 became clear that on the one hand West Pakistan made no efforts for the military protection of East Pakistan's, on the other hand, the Kashmir question in East Pakistan don't attract interest. Besides, Bengalis in the military as well as in the state management massive underrepresented. In 1971 attained East Pakistan as a result of the Bangladesh war under the name People's Republic of Bangladesh his independence, the proclamation occurred on the 26th of March, 1971, this was recognized on the 16th of December, 1971.

With 158,5 million inhabitants (2011) Bangladesh stands in the list of the populations at the seventh place and is, with a density of 965 people each square kilometer, the most densely populated state of the world but only 26 percent of them live in cities. The big part of the population, about 90 percent, confesses to Islam, followed from the Hinduism with about nine percent and the Buddhism with less than 1 percent. Islam is a state religion. About 0.3 percent of the population belongs to the Christianity.

Politic

According to the constitution in the current version Islam is a basis and guideline all action. The parliament has 330 representatives by whom 300 are chosen directly, 30 seats are booked for women, the elections take place all five years (the general franchise is valid from 18 years). Head of the government of the country is premier minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed since the 6th of January, 2009, head of state for ceremonial duties and president is since the 12th of February, 2009 Zillur Rahman. Both were chosen by the parliament. Besides, Bangladesh is a foundation member of the SAARC (South-Asian association for regional cooperation).