1 GeoFroggy

Background

Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country annually floods during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.

Location

Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Area Comparative

Slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Maritime Claims

Contiguous zone: 18 NM

Continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin

Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate
Tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Natural Hazards

Droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season

Environment Current Issues

Many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally-occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation

Environment International Agreements

Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Year

Map Reference

  • Asia

Irrigated Land 1993

  • 31,000 sq km

Area 2001

  • Total
    144,000 sq km
  • Land
    133,910 sq km
  • Water
    10,090 sq km

Coastline

  • 580 km

Geographical Coordinates

  • 24 00 N, 90 00 E

Land use 2001

  • Arable Land
    73%
  • Permanent Crops
    2%
  • Permanent Pastures
    5%
  • Forests And Woodland
    15%
  • Other
    5%

Terrain

  • Mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Elevation

  • Lowest Point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  • Highest Point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Land Boundaries

  • Total
    4,246 km
  • Burma
    193 km
  • India
    4,053 km

Natural Resources

  • Natural gas
  • Arable land
  • Timber
  • Coal
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