Bangladesh
Bangladesh⌘K
Overview
- Background
- The huge delta region at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems -- now referred to as Bangladesh -- was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires for much of the first millennium A.D. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans established trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, which is primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. After the partition of India in 1947, the Muslim-majority area became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western areas of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won the independence war for Bangladesh in 1971.
The military overthrew the post-independence AL government in 1975, the first of a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and the subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that took power in 1979. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections were held in 1991. The BNP and AL alternated in power from 1991 to 2008, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime in 2007. The country returned to fully democratic rule in 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026.
The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6.25% for the last two decades. Poverty declined from 11.8 percent in 2010 to 5.0 percent in 2022, based on the international poverty line of $2.15 a day (using 2017 Purchasing Power Parity exchange rate). The country made a rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, but still faces economic challenges.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 130,170 sq km
- Water
- 18,290 sq km
- Total
- 148,460 sq km
- Climate
- tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
- Terrain
- mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Land Use
- Other
- 13.3% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 14.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 72.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 60.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 7.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 4.6% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
- Coastline
- 580 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Bay of Bengal 0 m
- Highest point
- Mowdok Taung 1,060 m
- Mean elevation
- 85 m
- Irrigated land
- 83,690 sq km (2022)
- Major aquifers
- Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin
- Map references
- Asia
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 4,413 km
- Border countries
- Burma 271 km; India 4,142 km
Maritime Claims
- Contiguous zone
- 18 nm
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Continental shelf
- to the outer limits of the continental margin
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
- Geography note
- most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal
- Natural resources
- natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
- Area comparative
- slightly larger than Pennsylvania and New Jersey combined; slightly smaller than Iowa
- Geographic coordinates
- 24 00 N, 90 00 E
Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)
- Indian ocean drainage
- Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km)
- Major rivers (BY length in km)
- Brahmaputra river mouth (shared with China [s] and India) - 3,969 km; Ganges river mouth (shared with India [s]) - 2,704 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
People & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 81.4% (2022 est.)
- Female
- 76.5% (2022 est.)
- Total population
- 79% (2022 est.)
Languages
- Languages
- Bangla 98.8% (official, also known as Bengali), other 1.2% (2011 est.)
- Major language sample(s)
বিশ্ব ফ্যাক্টবুক, মৌলিক তথ্যের অপরিহার্য উৎস (Bangla)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
- Religions
- Muslim 91%, Hindu 8%, other 1% (2022 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 0.95 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.87 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 19.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 28.7 years
- Total
- 27.8 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 30.4 years
Population
- Male
- 83,908,720
- Total
- 174,370,536 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 90,461,816
Nationality
- Noun
- Bangladeshi(s)
- Adjective
- Bangladeshi
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 47.6% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 29.7% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 12.5% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 40.5% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 25.1% (male 21,540,493/female 20,800,712)
- 15 64 years
- 67.1% (male 55,071,592/female 58,180,322)
- 65 years and over
- 7.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,096,167/female 7,007,898)
- Ethnic groups
- Bengali at least 99%, other indigenous ethnic groups 1% (2022 est.)
Child Marriage
- Women married BY age 15
- 15.5% (2019)
- Women married BY age 18
- 51.4% (2019)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 54.6 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 43.5 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 9 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 11.1 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 0.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 2.4% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 1.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- -4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 0.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 2.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 2% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 11.9% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 31.3 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 22 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 26.3 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 0.91% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 1.1 (2025 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 73.1 years
- Female
- 77.5 years
- Total population
- 75.2 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 115 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 81.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 84.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 90.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 18.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 15.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 9.7% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 23.210 million DHAKA (capital), 5.380 million Chittagong, 955,000 Khulna, 962,000 Rajshahi, 964,000 Sylhet, 906,000 Bogra (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 3.6% (2016)
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 18.6 years (2017/18 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 80.6% (2022 est.)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 21.7% (2022 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 11 years (2023 est.)
- Total
- 11 years (2023 est.)
- Female
- 12 years (2023 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the left
meaning: the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh
Capital
- Name
- Dhaka
- Etymology
- the origins of the name are unclear, but it may be derived from either the dhak tree or Dhakeshwari, a goddess with a shrine in the city
- Time difference
- UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 23 43 N, 90 24 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- no
- Citizenship BY descent only
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Bangladesh
- Dual citizenship recognized
- yes, but limited to select countries
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- 5 years
Constitution
- History
- previous 1935, 1956, 1962 (pre-independence); latest enacted 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended March 1982, restored November 1986
- Amendment process
- proposed by the House of the Nation; approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the House membership and assent of the president of the republic
Country Name
- Former
- East Bengal, East Pakistan
- Etymology
- the name is a compound of the Bengali words Bangla (Bengali) and desh (country)
- Local long form
- Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh
- Local short form
- Bangladesh
- Conventional long form
- People's Republic of Bangladesh
- Conventional short form
- Bangladesh
- Independence
- 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
- Legal system
- common law, incorporating elements of English common law; since independence, statutory law has been the primary form of legislation; Islamic law applies to Muslims in family and inheritance laws, with Hindu personal law applying to Hindus and Buddhists
- Government type
- parliamentary republic
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court of Bangladesh (organized into the Appellate Division with 7 justices and the High Court Division with 99 justices)
- Subordinate courts
- civil courts include: Assistant Judge's Court; Joint District Judge's Court; Additional District Judge's Court; District Judge's Court; criminal courts include: Court of Sessions; Court of Metropolitan Sessions; Metropolitan Magistrate Courts; Magistrate Court; special courts/tribunals
- Judge selection and term of office
- chief justice and justices appointed by the president; justices serve until retirement at age 67
Executive Branch
- Note
- note: On August 5, 2024, former prime minister Sheikh HASINA fled the country as protesters stormed her official residence, and army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that an interim government would be formed to run Bangladesh; the President dissolved Parliament on 6 August and swore in Nobel laureate Muhammad YUNUS as interim prime minister on 8 August
- Cabinet
- Cabinet selected by the prime minister, appointed by the president
- Chief of state
- President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (since 24 April 2023)
- Election results
- President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (AL) elected unopposed by the National Parliament; Sheikh HASINA reappointed prime minister for a fifth term following the 7 January 2024 parliamentary election but fled the country on 5 August 2024 following mass protests against her government in July and August 2024; Mohammad YUNIS was appointed as interim Prime Minister on 8 August 2024
- Head of government
- Interim Prime Minister Muhammad YUNUS (since 8 August 2024)
- Most recent election date
- 13 February 2023
- Election/appointment process
- president indirectly elected by the National Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the president appoints as prime minister the majority party leader in the National Parliament
- Expected date of next election
- 2028
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 26 March (1971); Victory Day, 16 December (1971)
- National color(s)
- green, red
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Bagerhat Historic Mosque (c); Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur (c); Sundarbans (n)
- Political parties
- Awami League or AL
Bangladesh Jamaat-i-Islami or JIB
Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP
Islami Andolan Bangladesh
Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction)
Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction)
National Socialist Party (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) or JSD
Workers Party or WP
Legislative Branch
- Note
- note: the Parliament (House of the Nation) was dissolved on 6 August 2024 by President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wazed on 5 August 2024; new national elections will be held in February 2026
- Expected date of next election
- February 2026
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal)
- History
- adopted 1971; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote India's national anthem
- Lyrics/music
- Rabindranath TAGORE
- National symbol(s)
- Bengal tiger, water lily
- National coat of arms
- the water lily is the national flower and symbolizes promise, aesthetics, and elegance; the water under the lily, the rice sheaves on the sides, and the jute leaves at the top represent the Bangladeshi landscape and economy; the four stars represent the aims and ambition of the nation
- Administrative divisions
- 8 divisions; Barishal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 244-2771
- Chancery
- 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 244-0183
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful ISLAM (since 5 September 2025)
- Consulate(s) general
- Los Angeles, Miami, New York
- Email address and website
mission.washington@mofa.gov.bd
Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Washington, DC (mofa.gov.bd)
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [880] (2) 5566-2907
- Embassy
- Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212
- Telephone
- [880] (2) 5566-2000
- Mailing address
- 6120 Dhaka Place, Washington DC 20521-6120
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador-designate Brent CHRISTENSEN (since 12 January 2026)
- Email address and website
DhakaACS@state.gov
https://bd.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
BANGLADESH · LEGISLATURE
Jatiya Sangsad
350 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
350
Majority line
176
Largest party
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
Parties
5
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Mohammad Shahabuddin
- Head of State
Muhammad Yunus
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $39.849 billion (2021 est.)
- Expenditures
- $51.558 billion (2021 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $47.1B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2022
- $60.066 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $58.885 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $53.848 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $73.4B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2022
- $93.635 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $73.172 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $74.96 billion (2024 est.)
- Industries
- cotton, textiles and clothing, jute, tea, paper, cement, fertilizer, sugar, light engineering
- Labor force
- 77.355 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 33.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
- Public debt 2016
- 33.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2022
- 4.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 5.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- taka (BDT) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 84.871 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 85.084 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 91.745 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 106.309 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 115.604 (2024 est.)
Debt External
- Note
- note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
- Debt external 2023
- $58.02 billion (2023 est.)
- Economic overview
- one of the fastest growing emerging market economies; strong economic rebound following COVID-19; significant poverty reduction; exports dominated by textile industry; weakened exports and remittances resulted in declining foreign exchange reserves and 2022 IMF loan request
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 3.8%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 4.6% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 4.5% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 4.7% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- USA 16%, Germany 15%, UK 8%, Spain 7%, Poland 6% (2023)
- Imports partners
- China 34%, India 17%, Indonesia 5%, Singapore 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $9,647
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $7,900 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $8,200 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $8,500 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 4.2%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 7.1% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 5.8% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 4.2% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- rice, milk, potatoes, maize, sugarcane, onions, jute, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruits (2023)
- Exports commodities
- garments, footwear, fabric, textiles, trunks and cases (2023)
- Imports commodities
- refined petroleum, cotton fabric, natural gas, cotton, fabric (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$3.0B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2022
- -$14.438 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- $4.388 billion (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- $1.87 billion (2024 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 7.6% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $450.119 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 70.1% (2024 est.)
- Government consumption
- 5.9% (2024 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 0% (2024 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 30.7% (2024 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 10.5% (2024 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -16.3% (2024 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 18.7% (2022 est.)
Average Household Expenditures
- On food
- 52.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- On alcohol and tobacco
- 2.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 10.5%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 7.7% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 9.9% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 10.5% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 3.5% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $1.473 trillion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $1.336 trillion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $1.413 trillion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $1.473 trillion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 13.7% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 11.5% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 9.2% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $33.747 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $21.86 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $21.395 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 34.1% (2024 est.)
- Services
- 51.4% (2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 11.2% (2024 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 3.5% (2022 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 27.4% (2022 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2022
- 33.4 (2022 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Imports
- 13.305 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Production
- 767,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 14.05 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 3.26 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 28 million barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 263,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Imports
- 9.407 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 107.285 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 22.699 million kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 8.279 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Imports
- 6.785 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Production
- 22.334 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 29.119 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 126.293 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Nuclear Energy
- Number of nuclear reactors under construction
- 2 (2025)
Electricity Access
- Electrification rural areas
- 99.3%
- Electrification urban areas
- 100%
- Electrification total population
- 99.4% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 11.472 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Solar
- 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 98.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Hydroelectricity
- 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 45% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) broadcasts nationally; some channels operate via satellite; the government also owns a medium-wave radio channel and some private FM radio news channels; of the 41 approved TV stations, 26 are currently being used to broadcast, and 23 operate under private management via cable distribution
- Internet country code
- .bd
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 285,000 (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- (2024 est.) less than 1
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 188 million (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 108 (2024 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 12.9 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 8 (2023 est.)
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 1
- Medium
- 1
- Key ports
- Chittagong, Mongla
- Very small
- 0
- Total ports
- 2 (2024)
- Ports with oil terminals
- 0
- Airports
- 17 (2025)
Railways
- Total
- 2,460 km (2014)
- Broad gauge
- 659 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge
- Narrow gauge
- 1,801 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
- Heliports
- 36 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 558 (2023)
- BY type
- bulk carrier 68, container ship 10, general cargo 170, oil tanker 162, other 148
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- S2
Environment
- Climate
- tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Land Use
- Other
- 13.3% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 14.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 72.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 60.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 7.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 4.6% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 40.5% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane Emissions
- Other
- 38.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Waste
- 693 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Energy
- 544 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 2,391.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 14.778 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 15.7% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- flooding; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, from the use of commercial pesticides; groundwater pollution from naturally occurring arsenic; falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; destruction of wetlands; severe overpopulation with noise pollution
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 3.6 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 770 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 31.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 125.956 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 56.906 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 26.967 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 42.083 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 42.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 1.227 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- the military’s primary responsibility is external defense but it also has a domestic security role; following widespread domestic protests in September 2024, the Army was given law enforcement powers, including making arrests, conducting searches, and dispersing unlawful assemblies; the military has traditionally been a significant player in the country's politics and has commercial business interests in such areas as banking, food, hotels, manufacturing, real estate, and shipbuilding, and manages government infrastructure and construction projects
the military has a long history of participating in UN peacekeeping missions, which has provided operational experience and a source of funding; it runs an international institute for the training of peacekeepers; the military also conducts multinational and bilateral exercises with foreign partners, particularly India (2025) - Military deployments
- approximately 1,400 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,700 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO; plus about 200 police); 120 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,600 South Sudan (UNMISS); 500 Sudan (UNISFA) (2024)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 0.9%
- Military expenditures 2020
- 1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 1% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 0.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security forces
- Armed Forces of Bangladesh (aka Bangladesh Defense Force): Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force
Ministry of Home Affairs: Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansars, Village Defense Party (VDP) (2025) - Military service age and obligation
- varies by service, but generally 17-23 for voluntary military service; length of service also varies (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- much of the military's inventory is comprised of Chinese- and Russian-origin equipment, but in recent years suppliers have expanded to include Germany, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- information varies; approximately 170,000 active Armed Forces (2025)
Terrorism
- Terrorist group(s)
- Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami/Bangladesh (HUJI-B); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) in Bangladesh (ISB); al-Qa'ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)
Space
- Space agency/agencies
- Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO; established as a statutory body in 1991 and designated as the country's national focal point for space-related activities in 1995) (2025)
- Space program overview
- has a modest space program focused on designing, building, and operating satellites, particularly those with remote sensing (RS) capabilities; SPARSSO's mandate is to use space and RS technology in areas such as agriculture, education, environmental studies, fisheries, forestry, geology, land use, mapping, meteorology, and oceanography; has a government-owned company for acquiring and operating satellites (Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited, established in 2017); works with several foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of France, Japan, Russia, and the US; member of several international space organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (2025)
- Key space program milestones
- 2017 - first educational/scientific nanosatellite (BRAC-Onnesha) acquired from Japan and launched by US
2018 - first communications satellite (Bangabandhu-1) built by a French company and launched by US
2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for the safe and responsible exploration of space
Transnational Issues
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 756,743 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 1,005,637 (2024 est.)
- Stateless persons
- 1,005,520 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index23.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4157 / 190−17.02024-Q4
Civica Pulse−2.0as of 2026-05-06—2026-05-06
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.07as of 2024-Q4149 / 170−0.172024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (33/100)as of 2024-Q4—−5.52024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Restricted press (45/100)as of 2024—2024
Human Development Index0.670as of 2022—2022
Corruption Perceptions Index24 / 100as of 2023149 / 1802023
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Bangladesh — vintage 2026-Q1: Bangladesh factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/bangladesh
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata