274 lines
22 KiB
Plaintext
274 lines
22 KiB
Plaintext
BANGLADESH
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GEOGRAPHY
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Total area: 144,000 km2; land area: 133,910 km2
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Comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
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Land boundaries: 4,246 km total; Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
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Coastline: 580 km
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Maritime claims:
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Contiguous zone: 18 nm;
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Continental shelf: up to outer limits of continental margin;
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Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
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Territorial sea: 12 nm
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Disputes: a portion of the boundary with India is in dispute;
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water sharing problems with upstream riparian India over the Ganges
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Climate: tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid
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summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)
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Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
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Natural resources: natural gas, uranium, arable land, timber
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Land use: arable land 67%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and
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pastures 4%; forest and woodland 16%; other 11%; includes irrigated
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14%
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Environment: vulnerable to droughts; much of country routinely
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flooded during summer monsoon season; overpopulation; deforestation
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Note: almost completely surrounded by India
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PEOPLE
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Population: 116,601,424 (July 1991), growth rate 2.3% (1991)
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Birth rate: 36 births/1,000 population (1991)
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Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
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Infant mortality rate: 118 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 52 years female (1991)
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Total fertility rate: 4.7 children born/woman (1991)
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Nationality: noun--Bangladeshi(s); adjective--Bangladesh
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Ethnic divisions: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, and tribals less
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than 1 million
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Religion: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, and other
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less than 1%
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Language: Bangla (official), English widely used
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Literacy: 35% (male 47%, female 22%) age 15 and over can
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read and write (1990 est.)
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Labor force: 35,100,000; agriculture 74%, services 15%, industry
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and commerce 11% (FY86); extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE,
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and Oman (1991)
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Organized labor: 3% of labor force belongs to 2,614 registered
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unions (1986 est.)
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GOVERNMENT
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Long-form name: People's Republic of Bangladesh
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Type: republic
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Capital: Dhaka
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Administrative divisions: 64 districts (zillagulo,
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singular--zilla); Bagerhat, Bandarban, Barguna, Barisal,
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Bhola, Bogra, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chapai Nawabganj,
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Chattagram, Chuadanga, Comilla, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka,
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Dinajpur, Faridpur, Feni, Gaibandha, Gazipur, Gopalganj,
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Habiganj, Jaipurhat, Jamalpur, Jessore, Jhalakati, Jhenaidah,
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Khagrachari, Khulna, Kishorganj, Kurigram, Kushtia, Laksmipur,
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Lalmonirhat, Madaripur, Magura, Manikganj, Meherpur,
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Moulavibazar, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narail,
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Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Nator, Netrakona, Nilphamari,
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Noakhali, Pabna, Panchagar, Parbattya Chattagram,
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Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur,
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Satkhira, Shariyatpur, Sherpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet,
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Tangail, Thakurgaon
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Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan; formerly East
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Pakistan)
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Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972,
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suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986,
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amended NA March 1991
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Legal system: based on English common law
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National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
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Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet
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Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)
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Judicial branch: Supreme Court
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Leaders:
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Chief of State--President Abdur Rahman BISWAS (since
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8 October 1991)
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Head of Government--Prime Minister Khaleda ZIAUR Rahman
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(since 20 March 1991)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Khaleda ZIAUR Rahman;
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Awami League, Sheikh Hasina WAZED;
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Jatiyo Party, Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD;
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Jamaat-E-Islami, Ali KHAN;
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Bangladesh Communist Party (pro-Soviet), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK;
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National Awami Party (Muzaffar);
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Workers Party, leader NA;
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Jatiyo Samajtantik Dal (National Socialist Party--SIRAJ), M. A. JALIL;
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Ganotantri Party, leader NA;
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Islami Oikya Jote, leader NA;
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National Democratic Party, leader NA;
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Muslim League, Khan A. SABUR;
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Democratic League, Khondakar MUSHTAQUE Ahmed;
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United People's Party, Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed
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Suffrage: universal at age 18
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Elections:
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President--last held 8 October 1991 (next to be held by October
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1996);
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results--Abdur Rahman BISWAS received 52.1% of parliamentary vote
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National Parliament--last held 27 February 1991 (next to be held
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February 1996); results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(330 total, 300 elected and 30 seats reserved for women)
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BNP 168, AL 93, JP 35, JI 20, CBP 5, National Awami Party (Muzaffar) 1,
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Workers Party 1, SIRAJ 1, Ganotantri Party 1, Islami Oikya Jote 1,
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NDP 1, independents 3
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Communists: 5,000 members (1987 est.)
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Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD,
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ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
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ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG,
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UPU, WHO, WFTU, WIPO, WCL, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation: Ambassador A. H. S. Ataul KARIM;
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Chancery at 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC 20007; telephone
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(202) 342-8372 through 8376; there is a Bangladesh Consulate General in
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New York;
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US--Ambassador William B. MILAM; Embassy at Diplomatic
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Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka (mailing address
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is G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212); telephone 880 (2) 884700-22
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Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of
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center; green is the traditional color of Islam
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ECONOMY
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Overview: Bangladesh is one of the poorest nations in the world.
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The economy is based on the output of a narrow range of
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agricultural products, such as jute, which is the main cash crop and
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major source of export earnings. Bangladesh is hampered by a relative
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lack of natural resources, population growth of more than 2% a year,
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large-scale unemployment, and a limited infrastructure; furthermore,
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it is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. Despite these constraints,
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real GDP growth averaged about 3.5% annually during 1985-89. A strong
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agricultural performance in FY90 pushed the growth rate up to 5.5%.
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Alleviation of poverty remains the cornerstone of the government's
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development strategy.
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GDP: $20.4 billion, per capita $180; real growth rate 4.0%
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(1990 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (FY90 est.)
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Unemployment rate: 30% (FY90 est.)
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Budget: revenues $2.2 billion; expenditures $3.9 billion, including
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capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (FY90)
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Exports: $1.5 billion (FY90 est.);
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commodities--jute, tea, leather, shrimp, textiles;
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partners--US 25%, Western Europe 22%, Middle East 9%, Japan 8%,
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Eastern Europe 7%
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Imports: $3.6 billion (FY90 est.);
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commodities--food, petroleum and other energy, nonfood consumer
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goods, semiprocessed goods, and capital equipment;
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partners--Western Europe 18%, Japan 14%, Middle East 9%, US 8%
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External debt: $10.9 billion (FY90 est.)
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Industrial production: growth rate 4.1% (FY90 est.); accounts
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for 15% of GDP
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Electricity: 1,990,000 kW capacity; 5,700 million kWh produced,
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50 kWh per capita (1990)
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Industries: jute manufacturing, base metals, food processing,
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cotton textiles, tobacco processing, chemicals
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Agriculture: accounts for about 40% of GDP, 60% of
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employment, and one third of exports; imports 10% of food grain
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requirements; world's largest exporter of jute; commercial
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products--jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes, beef, milk,
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poultry; shortages include wheat, vegetable oils and cotton; fish catch
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778,000 metric tons in 1986
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Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.4
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billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
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(1980-88), $10.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $652 million;
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Communist countries (1970-89), $1.5 billion
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Currency: taka (plural--taka); 1 taka (Tk) = 100 paise
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Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1--35.790 (January 1991), 34.567
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(1990), 32.270 (1989), 31.733 (1988), 30.950 (1987), 30.407 (1986),
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27.995 (1985)
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Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Railroads: 2,892 km total (1986); 1,914 km 1.000 meter gauge,
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978 km 1.676 meter broad gauge
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Highways: 7,240 km total (1985); 3,840 km paved, 3,400 km unpaved
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Inland waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes
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2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
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Ports: Chittagong, Chalna
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Merchant marine: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
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339,081 GRT/500,008 DWT; includes 38 cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and
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lubricants (POL) tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 3 bulk
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Pipelines: 1,220 km natural gas
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Civil air: 15 major transport aircraft
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Airports: 16 total, 12 usable; 12 with permanent-surface runways;
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none with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 6 with
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runways 1,220-2,439 m
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Telecommunications: adequate international radio communications and
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landline service; fair domestic wire and microwave service; fair
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broadcast service; 241,250 telephones; stations--9 AM, 6 FM, 11 TV;
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2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth stations
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary forces--Bangladesh
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Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Coastal Police
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Manpower availability: males 15-49, 28,896,632; 17,154,593 fit for
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military service
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Defense expenditures: $319 million, 1.5% of GDP (FY91)
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