Bangladesh - Tourism and Travel

The People's Republic of Bangladesh is a country in southern Asia, on the Bay of Bengal, in the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent.

Bangladesh has an area of 55,598 square miles (143,998 square kilometers).

The Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers meet in Bangladesh, where they form an enormous delta before they empty into the Bay of Bengal.

The Ganges River is sacred, according to the Hindu religion.

Almost all of Bangladesh consists of the low-lying alluvial plains that surround these rivers and the Ganges/Brahmaputra delta.

Every year, during the summer monsoon season, more than half of the delta floods. Rivers become swollen by excess rainwater and by meltwater from the Himalayas and break their banks.

In 1988, 75% of Bangladesh was flooded, resulting in more than 25 million people being made homeless and thousands of people dying.

Southwestern Bangladesh is swampy, with mangrove swamps around the delta regions.

There are low, forested hills in the north, northeast and southeast.

The capital of Bangladesh is Dhaka.

162,221,000 people live in Bangladesh, most of them on the delta.

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries on Earth.

98% of the people are Bengali.

Bengali is the official language. Other languages spoken include Urdu, Marma, Garo, Mro, Chakma, Khasi, Santhali and Tripuri

87% of the population is Muslim, mostly Sunni Muslim, and 12% is Hindu.

Agriculture forms the basis of the economy. Jute is an important crop.

Flooding during the monsoon season is often devastating to crops.

The garment industry is the primary export industry.

Bangladesh is one of the world's least developed countries.

It depends heavily on foreign aid.

Remittances from workers abroad make a significant contribution to the economy.

Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy.

It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The official currency is the taka, which equals 100 poisha.