Bangladesh

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 12.9 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (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

Internet users

percent of population: 45% (2023 est.)

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.)

Agricultural products

rice, milk, potatoes, maize, sugarcane, onions, jute, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruits (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on food: 52.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

revenues: $39.849 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $51.558 billion (2021 est.) 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

Current account balance

$1.87 billion (2024 est.) $4.388 billion (2023 est.) -$14.438 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$58.02 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Exchange rates

taka (BDT) per US dollar - 115.604 (2024 est.) 106.309 (2023 est.) 91.745 (2022 est.) 85.084 (2021 est.) 84.871 (2020 est.)

Exports

$53.848 billion (2024 est.) $58.885 billion (2023 est.) $60.066 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

garments, footwear, fabric, textiles, trunks and cases (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

USA 16%, Germany 15%, UK 8%, Spain 7%, Poland 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$450.119 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 70.1% (2024 est.) government consumption: 5.9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 30.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 10.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -16.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 11.2% (2024 est.) industry: 34.1% (2024 est.) services: 51.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

33.4 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.5% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 27.4% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$74.96 billion (2024 est.) $73.172 billion (2023 est.) $93.635 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cotton fabric, natural gas, cotton, fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 34%, India 17%, Indonesia 5%, Singapore 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

3.5% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

cotton, textiles and clothing, jute, tea, paper, cement, fertilizer, sugar, light engineering

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10.5% (2024 est.) 9.9% (2023 est.) 7.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

77.355 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

18.7% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

33.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.473 trillion (2024 est.) $1.413 trillion (2023 est.) $1.336 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

4.2% (2024 est.) 5.8% (2023 est.) 7.1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$8,500 (2024 est.) $8,200 (2023 est.) $7,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

6% of GDP (2024 est.) 5.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.7% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$21.395 billion (2024 est.) $21.86 billion (2023 est.) $33.747 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

7.6% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

4.7% (2024 est.) 4.5% (2023 est.) 4.6% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 11.5% (2024 est.) male: 13.7% (2024 est.) female: 9.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Coal

production: 767,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 14.05 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 13.305 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 3.26 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 22.699 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 107.285 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 9.407 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 8.279 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 99.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 99.3%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 98.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

11.472 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

production: 22.334 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 29.119 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 6.785 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 126.293 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 2 (2025)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 263,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 28 million barrels (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

125.956 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.) from consumed natural gas: 56.906 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

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

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

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

Land use

agricultural land: 72.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 60.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.6% (2023 est.) forest: 14.4% (2023 est.) other: 13.3% (2023 est.)

Methane emissions

energy: 544 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 2,391.4 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 693 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 38.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

42.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

1.227 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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.)

Urbanization

urban population: 40.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 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.)

Area

total : 148,460 sq km land: 130,170 sq km water: 18,290 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Pennsylvania and New Jersey combined; slightly smaller than Iowa

Climate

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

Coastline

580 km

Elevation

highest point: Mowdok Taung 1,060 m lowest point: Bay of Bengal 0 m mean elevation: 85 m

Geographic coordinates

24 00 N, 90 00 E

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

Irrigated land

83,690 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total: 4,413 km border countries (2): Burma 271 km; India 4,142 km

Land use

agricultural land: 72.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 60.6% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 4.6% (2023 est.) forest: 14.4% (2023 est.) other: 13.3% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km)

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to the outer limits of the continental margin

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Terrain

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Administrative divisions

8 divisions; Barishal, Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet

Capital

name: Dhaka geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 24 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) 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

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

conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh local long form: Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh local short form: Bangladesh former: East Bengal, East Pakistan etymology: the name is a compound of the Bengali words Bangla (Bengali) and desh (country)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Brent CHRISTENSEN (since 12 January 2026) embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka - 1212 mailing address: 6120 Dhaka Place, Washington DC 20521-6120 telephone: [880] (2) 5566-2000 FAX: [880] (2) 5566-2907 email address and website: DhakaACS@state.gov https://bd.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Tareq Md Ariful ISLAM (since 5 September 2025) chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183 FAX: [1] (202) 244-2771 email address and website: mission.washington@mofa.gov.bd Embassy of the People s Republic of Bangladesh, Washington, DC (mofa.gov.bd) consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Mohammad SHAHABUDDIN Chuppi (since 24 April 2023) head of government: Interim Prime Minister Muhammad YUNUS (since 8 August 2024) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister, appointed by the president 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 most recent election date: 13 February 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 expected date of next election: 2028 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

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

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

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) judge selection and term of office: chief justice and justices appointed by the president; justices serve until retirement at age 67 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

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

Legislative branch

expected date of next election: February 2026 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

National anthem(s)

title: "Amar Shonar Bangla" (My Golden Bengal) lyrics/music: Rabindranath TAGORE history: adopted 1971; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote India's national anthem

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

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)

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 March (1971); Victory Day, 16 December (1971) note: 26 March 1971 is the date of the Awami League's declaration of an independent Bangladesh, and 16 December (Victory Day) memorializes the military victory over Pakistan and the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

National symbol(s)

Bengal tiger, water lily

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

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 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) note 1: the Armed Forces of Bangladesh are jointly administered by the Ministry of Defense (MOD) and the Armed Forces Division (AFD), both under the Prime Minister's Office; the AFD has ministerial status and parallel functions with MOD note 2: the RAB, Ansars, and VDP are paramilitary organizations for internal security; the RAB is a joint task force comprised of Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Border Guards personnel seconded to the RAB; its mandate includes internal security, intelligence gathering related to criminal activities, and government-directed investigations

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 170,000 active Armed Forces (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 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 expenditures

0.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

varies by service, but generally 17-23 for voluntary military service; length of service also varies (2025)

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

19.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 15.5% (2019) women married by age 18: 51.4% (2019)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

21.7% (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

80.6% (2022 est.)

Death rate

6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 54.6 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 43.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 9 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 98.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.) urban: 1.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

2% of GDP (2024 est.) 11.9% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

Bengali at least 99%, other indigenous ethnic groups 1% (2022 est.) note: Bangladesh's government recognizes 27 indigenous ethnic groups under the 2010 Cultural Institution for Small Anthropological Groups Act; other sources estimate there are about 75 ethnic groups

Gross reproduction rate

1.1 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

2.4% of GDP (2021) 1.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 31.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.3 deaths/1,000 live births

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.

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.2 years (2024 est.) male: 73.1 years female: 77.5 years

Literacy

total population: 79% (2022 est.) male: 81.4% (2022 est.) female: 76.5% (2022 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)

Maternal mortality ratio

115 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 27.8 years (2025 est.) male: 28.7 years female: 30.4 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

18.6 years (2017/18 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladeshi

Net migration rate

-4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

3.6% (2016)

Physician density

0.72 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

total: 174,370,536 (2025 est.) male: 83,908,720 female: 90,461,816

Population growth rate

0.91% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim 91%, Hindu 8%, other 1% (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 90.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 81.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 84.9% of population (2022 est.) urban: 9.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 18.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 15.1% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years (2023 est.) male: 11 years (2023 est.) female: 12 years (2023 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 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 29.7% (2025 est.) male: 47.6% (2025 est.) female: 12.5% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.25 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 40.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.88% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

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)

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) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 1,005,637 (2024 est.) IDPs: 756,743 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 1,005,520 (2024 est.)

Airports

17 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

S2

Heliports

36 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 558 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 68, container ship 10, general cargo 170, oil tanker 162, other 148

Ports

total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Chittagong, Mongla

Railways

total: 2,460 km (2014) narrow gauge: 1,801 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge broad gauge: 659 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge