Bangladesh Country Facts
Browse key facts about Bangladesh — geography, demographics, economy, and government — all organized in a searchable reference card.
Official Name
People's Republic of Bangladesh
Bengali: Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh; "Bangladesh" means "Land of the Bengals"
Capital City
Dhaka
Largest city and political, economic, and cultural center; metro population over 20 million
Total Area
147,570 km²
56,977 sq mi — roughly the size of Iowa; rank ~92nd globally by land area
Location
South Asia
Bordered almost entirely by India; short southeastern border with Myanmar; Bay of Bengal to the south
Bordering Countries
India and Myanmar
India borders to the west, north, and east; Myanmar borders to the southeast; Bay of Bengal to the south
Major Rivers
Padma, Jamuna, Meghna
The Ganges is called Padma in Bangladesh; the Brahmaputra is called Jamuna; they merge into the Meghna before reaching the Bay of Bengal
Time Zone
UTC+6 (BST)
Bangladesh Standard Time; IANA: Asia/Dhaka; no daylight saving time observed
Highest Point
Keokradong — 1,230 m
4,035 ft; located in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh
Coastline
~580 km
360 mi along the Bay of Bengal; includes Cox's Bazar, one of the world's longest natural sandy sea beaches (~120 km)
Population (2023)
~170 million
~1,150 people/km² — one of the most densely populated countries in the world; 8th most populous nation
Official Language
Bengali (Bangla)
Spoken by virtually the entire population; February 21 is International Mother Language Day, commemorating the 1952 Language Movement
Calling Code
+880
Drop the leading 0 from area codes when dialing from abroad; Dhaka area code is 02
Religion
Islam (majority)
Islam ~90%, Hinduism ~9%, Buddhism and Christianity make up most of the remainder
Largest Cities
Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna
Also: Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, Comilla; Chittagong is the main seaport city
Life Expectancy
~73 years
2023 estimate; significant improvement from ~44 years at independence in 1971
Government Type
Unitary parliamentary republic
Unicameral Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) with 350 seats; Prime Minister is head of government
Independence
March 26, 1971
Independence declared from Pakistan; Liberation War ended December 16, 1971 — Victory Day (Bijoy Dibosh)
Administrative Divisions
8 divisions
Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet, Rangpur, Mymensingh; subdivided into 64 districts
Constitution
Adopted November 4, 1972
Came into force December 16, 1972; amended multiple times; principles include democracy, socialism, secularism, and nationalism
UN Member Since
September 17, 1974
Also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, WTO, OIC, and SAARC; major UN peacekeeping contributor
Currency
Bangladeshi Taka (BDT, ৳)
Issued by Bangladesh Bank since 1972; named from the Sanskrit word "tanka" (silver coin)
Nominal GDP (2023)
~USD 460 billion
Rank ~35th globally (IMF); one of the world's fastest-growing large economies in recent decades
GDP per Capita (2023)
~USD 2,700
PPP per capita ~USD 8,200 (IMF estimate); classified as lower-middle-income by the World Bank
Top Exports
Garments, jute, seafood
Ready-made garments account for ~80% of export revenue; Bangladesh is the world's 2nd largest garment exporter
Major Industries
Garments, agriculture, remittances
Agriculture employs ~40% of the workforce; remittances from abroad are a major income source
Internet TLD
.bd
Administered by BTCL; common second-level domains: .com.bd, .org.bd, .gov.bd, .edu.bd
ISO Codes
BD / BGD
ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 (BD) and alpha-3 (BGD); numeric code 050
National Flower
Shapla (White Water Lily)
Nymphaea nouchali; grows abundantly in Bangladesh's rivers and wetlands; featured on the national emblem
National Bird
Oriental Magpie Robin (Doel)
Copsychus saularis; a common songbird known for melodious calls; featured in national culture and literature
National Sport
Kabaddi
A contact team sport of South Asian origin; cricket is the most popular sport played and followed nationally
National Fruit
Jackfruit (Kathal)
Artocarpus heterophyllus; the world's largest tree-borne fruit; widely grown across Bangladesh
Natural Wonder
Sundarbans
World's largest mangrove forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; home to the Bengal tiger; shared with India
National Anthem
Amar Sonar Bangla
"My Golden Bengal" — written by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore; adopted as national anthem in 1971
Drives On
Left side of the road
Inherited from British colonial era; consistent with India, Myanmar, and most South Asian nations
Summary
Browse key facts about Bangladesh — geography, demographics, economy, and government — all organized in a searchable reference card.
How it works
- All facts are organized into thematic sections: Geography, People, Government, Economy, and Culture.
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Use cases
- Quick lookup for students doing geography or social studies homework about South Asia.
- Travelers preparing for a Bangladesh trip who need currency, time zone, and calling code info.
- Business professionals researching Bangladesh's economy and garment industry.
- Journalists or writers needing accurate demographic and political facts.
- Trivia enthusiasts brushing up on South Asian country statistics.
- Teachers preparing classroom materials about Bangladesh or the Indian subcontinent.
- Researchers studying Bangladesh's independence, rivers, or climate vulnerability.
- Anyone curious about Bangladesh's geography, government, history, or culture.