Bangladesh Facts
Bangladesh is located in the delta of three major rivers – the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Meghna. The country is criss-crossed by 230 rivers. Flooding is a yearly occurrence during and after the monsoon season (June-October).
Area: 130,170 sq. km (the size of Wisconsin, slightly larger than Greece)
Population: 166 million (July 2014 est.)
3,000 people per sq. mile
Nearly 60% under age 25, only 3% older than 65
Religion: Muslim 83% Hindu 16% Christian <1%
Currency: Taka (about 62 Tk /US dollar)
Life Expectancy: Male 62.5 years
Female 64.2 years
Infant Mortality: 54 per 1000 live births
Child Mortality – deaths before the age of five: 73 per 1000 live births
Maternal Mortality: 380 per 100,000 births
560 per 100,000 births for teenage mothers
Births attended by skilled personnel: 13%.
Nutrition: Population undernourished 30%
Children underweight for age 48% (under age 5)
Adult women with anemia 49%.
Literacy: Male 50.3%
Female 31.4%
Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day: 36%.
Physicians and Nurses: Number of registered physicians 29,746
Number of registered nurses 16,972
Number of registered midwives 14,915.
Hospital Facilities: Number of beds 43,293
Population per bed 3,335.
Percentage HIV+ (adults 15-49): <0.1%
TB Cases: 229 per 100,000 people.
LINKS, Bangladesh
CIA - The World Factbook In-depth profile of Bangladesh: historical, political, economical, etc.
BBC News Country Profile "Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated countries, with its people crammed into a delta of rivers that empties into the Bay of Bengal ...."
Virtual Bangladesh A site that introduces one to historical, geographical, cultural and literary Bangladesh. Links direct one to daily English newspapers.
The Economist's "Country Profile" A good general summary of the country of Bangladesh, including links to previous articles in The Economist on topics related to the country.
For a satellite image of Bangladesh go to geology.com.
LINKS, Islam
Dr. Alan Godlas of the University of Georgia has created a very fine website that contains resources related to Islam that are grouped under main headings. One can find excellent articles, images, and audio resources that cover a wide array of themes and issues.
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, has this webpage dedicated to resources useful in the study of Islam, as well as church-based (ELCA and PCUSA) websites oriented toward Christian-Muslim engagement. Follow these links for many interesting resources that do not demand a background in the subject.
LINKS, Hinduism
Understanding Hinduism is an award winning and extensive site on Hinduism.
Hinduism: The world's third largest religion features an overview and briefs on chief deities, sacred texts, beliefs and the caste system. Site sponsored by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance.