Bangladesh - About the country

Bangladesh, People's Republic of Bangladesh, the state in South Asia, formed on the site of the former Pakistani province East Pakistan. Her political leaders on March 26, 1971 announced the creation of an independent state called Bangladesh, which means "Bengal's people". The actual date of the foundation is December 16, 1971, when Pakistani troops surrendered to the combined command of the East Bengal and supported by the Indian Armed Forces. The country is mainly located within the Delta Plains of Ganges and Brahmaputra and the mountain region at the junction with Myanmar and Northeast India. Bangladesh borders with India and at a very short plot with Myanmar, in the south is washed by the waters of the Bengal Bay. Area 144 thousand square meters. km. The population is 125.7 million people. Bangladesh is one of the most populated countries in the world. The capital and the largest city is Dhaka.

Capital - Dhaka.
The population is 138.45 million people (2003).
The population density is 873 people per 1 square meter. km.
Urban population - 18%, rural - 82%.
Area - 144 thousand square meters. km.
The highest point is Rang-Tling mountain (957 m).
Official language - Bengali.
State religion - Islam.
Administrative and territorial division - 6 regions.
The monetary unit is Taka.

The relief of the country was formed under the influence of the activities of Ganges, Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Meghns and their tributaries. River shafts arranged along the coast of rivers, the outer boards of which the hollow are lowered to wet and implanted flooding nickens. Although the hollow water goes beyond the shafts only in the peak of floods, it can be kept in relief slides all year round. Gang crosses the country from the Western border in the south-east direction. After the merger with the jamuna, their combined Padma stream should also be southeast, before merging with Meghnaya. Already under this name, the river flows into the Bengal Bay, as well as the Ganges ducts directly directly to the south - Padma: Sibs, Bhara, Busur, Garai - Madhimati, Kacha, Ariaralkhan, Burishvar.

Spindlers on large rivers last a few weeks. Hollow waters overcome the barrier of the rival shafts and flood the extensive territories or streams. Regularly flooded during flooding the significant territories of Dhaka districts and Faridpur in Central Bangladesh, where alluvial soils enriched with flooding with floods are characterized by high natural fertility. In the afternoon Gang, Brahmaputra, Jamun and other rivers often change the channel. This often leads to the erosion of agricultural land and the formation of new sandy islands in wide variables of migratory watercourses.

In the north-east of the country, the sieves of the frauds of meghns are more stable. Along the base of the Schillong Plateau in India, a deflection runs, which is extended to the south to the territory of Bangladesh, which is called the depression meghna. Places of Cardina even 320 km from the coast raised no more than 3 m above U.M. Hollow water fill down, forming existing ones from May to October.

Although the Northwestern districts of Bangladesh, representing the Ganges and Brahmaputra interference, occupy a higher position, the maximum surfaces of the surface are barely surpass 90 m. Here in the conditions of a common liner of the terrain, erosion-accumulative facilities are dominated. The power of the sedimentary cover reaches several hundred meters. A catastrophic flood occurs on the river, and the channel often changes its position.

In the south-east of Bangladesh from the North-West to the south-east, deeply dismembered Western ridges of the mountains of Lushai and Mount Chittagong stretched. In the mountains of Chittagong, individual vertices reaches marks OK. 900 m, and the highest point of the country mountain Reng-Tling is 957 m. In the middle of the main river of this area of \u200b\u200bCarnaphuli, the first HPP in the country is constructed.

Climate. Bangladesh is characterized by a typical monsonic climate. Winters are soft, dry and sunny. The average daily temperatures of January are in the range from 12 ° to 25 ° C. Summer roast, rainy, the average temperature of the hottest month - April 23-34 ° C. The average annual amount of precipitation of 2000-3000 mm. In the dry season, from November to February or March, the eastern regions of the country are usually produced less than 180 mm atmospheric precipitation, in the north-west they drops less than 75 mm. From April to May - the "low rains" season, the peasants needed to be preparing for an early sowing of Autumn Rice Ausus. At this hottest season, the amount of precipitation in the east Bangladesh exceeds 380 mm, the average daily minimum temperatures are 21-26 ° C, the maximum - 32 ° C. Actually the rainy period lasts from June to October, when the monsoon air flow invades the Bengal Bay and brings more than 1270 mm. The thermal regime is very stable: air, as a rule, is not heated above 31 ° C. At night there may be noticeable cooling to 6 ° C. The precipitation dedicated by April and September-October are crucial for agriculture. Without April rains, softening land, you have to postpone the crops of Rice Ausus and the main market culture - Jute. "Small rains" are unstable in terms of moisture, which affects the sustainability of agricultural production. With weak and lagging monsoon rains, a serious Winter Rice Winter Rice is possible, which usually dominates the crops and gives a higher harvest than the autumn rice AUS and the summer rice Boro together taken. Bangladesh coastal districts, especially adjacent to Estoaria Meghns, strongly suffer from tropical cyclones, leading to the mass death of people and serious material losses. So, for example, several hundred people became victims of the tide during the passage of one of these cyclones in November 1970. Large damage cause floods. Especially strong flood occurred in 1998, when a third territory of the country was flooded (which also led to an outbreak of epidemics). Little damage causes storms with a hail, which happens most often in March-April, and hurricanes.

Soil. In the east of the country at the foot of the steeplyband mountains on the heavy seeds, collible soils were formed. On the rest of the territory of Bangladeshus a variety of alluvial soils are common. Within the elevations of Barind and Madhupur on the ancient Pleistocene alluvia, clay latheric soils dominate, so-called. Red Khyar, which in the dry season is greatly compacted. In the delta areas within the action of marine tides, saline clay heavy soils are common. From the side of the Bengal bay, they are bounded by a strip of light sand soil. In relatively large decrees of the relief, the soils of severe mechanical composition are dominated. Alluvial soils have a sandy and sandy composition in the valleys of brahmaputra rivers, meghns and sisters and clay - in the Ganges pool.

Vegetable world. Cultural landscapes prevail in Bangladesh. Natural vegetation has been preserved only in several districts. For example, mangrove forests are common in Sundarbans in the southwest of the country. The sundry tree dominates in them. In the mountains of Lushai and Chittagong, wet tropical evergreen and monsoon forests are growing, which are discharged by the foliage in a dry season. In the forests, such valuable rocks are common as teak and salted trees. In lowlands, where trampled agriculture is practiced, indigenous forests are replaced by bamboo jungle. At most parts of the country, the country has long been reduced, and agricultural land is dominated in their place.

Animal world. In the forests sometimes there is a Bengali, or royal, tiger. Wild elephants live in the southeast. Frequency rhinos, leopards, cyvels, jackals, deer Muntszhak and Indian Zamble, wild boars. In the coastal waters of Sundarbana, crocodiles are common. In Bangladesh there are many monkeys, bats, vds, mangoshos, earthling, rats and ordinary mice, as well as many species of birds (peacocks, pheasants, partridges, ducks, parrots, Bengali, etc.). From the reptiles are found snakes, including cobra and khuts, as well as lizards, including gecko. From amphibians there are salamanders, frogs and toads.

POPULATION

According to the population of 1951, 44,957 thousand lived on the territory of Bangladesh (then the provinces of Eastern Pakistan, and in 1961 - 54 353 thousand people, i.e. The rates of annual demographic growth were approx. 2%. The next decade they rose to 2.7%. Despite the adopted program of "family planning" and large human losses due to a catastrophic cyclone in the L970 and Civil War 1971, the population of the population in the 1970s continued to increase rapidly. According to the peers of 1974 and 1981, there were 76,398 thousand and 89,940 thousand inhabitants in the country, i.e. Annual population growth was estimated at 2.4%. In 1981-1995, the growth rate of the population fell to 1.6% per year. In July 2004, the population was 141.34 million people. The population growth has slightly decreased to 2.08%. The fertility rate for 2004 is 30.03 per 1000 person, and the mortality rate is 8.52 per 1000 people. The average life expectancy in the country was 61.71 (61.8 in men and 61.61 in women).

Density and location of the population. Bangladesh belongs to the number of the most densely populated countries of the world (the average population density is 873 per square meters. Km). The highest density is marked in the Dhaka and Chittagong regions (1017 people per 1 square meter. Km). In the suburban zones of Dhaka, Narajangganj, Chittagong and Khulyn, this figure exceeds 1550 people per 1 sq. M. km. The lowest population density in the mountains (in the district of Mountain Chittagong 78 people per quarter. Km in 1991), as well as in the coastal areas of Khulna and Patuchakha district (300-350 people per quarter km). In the districts of Didazhpur in the North-West and Silete in the northeast of the country in 1991 there were less than 400 people per 1 square meter. km.

National and confessional composition of the population and language. Bangladesh is dominated by Bengal. Their ethnic base amounted to predominantly Indoary tribes. Mongoloid nations are concentrated in some Eastern districts. Bengali, part of the Indoary Language Group, originated on the basis of Sanskrit, Prakrites and Pali and subsequently experienced the influence of Arabic, Persian and English languages. Bengal language changed English as a state language, although the latter is used in government agencies, business circles and educational institutions.

In 1947, when colonial India was divided into India and Pakistan, the territory of modern Bangladesh became East Pakistan. Muslims prevailed there, and the Indians were OK. twenty%. The main language of the members of both denominations was Bengali. After 1947, almost 700 thousand Muslims from the regions were rushed into the limits of Eastern Pakistan, which included in Independent India, mainly from Western Bengal and Assam (mainly Bengalz) and from Bihara and Utta Pradesh (Ureyazynaya Population). However, all Migrants from the last two provinces often began to unite under the collective name "Bihari". Already at the end of the 19th century. To work on tea plantations of Silchet, many non-Muslims arrived, mainly representatives of small peoples, from Orissa and other parts of British India. The 1961 census showed that more than 6 million inhabitants of Bangladesh were born abroad. Bihari, the number of which in 1971 exceeded 600 thousand people, worked primarily at industrial enterprises in cities. During the Civil War, 1971, many bihari occupied the Propaikistan position and provoked an ill-faithful attitude from the bengalants. The war forced several million inhabitants, mainly non-Merusulman, to go to India, although afterwards many refugees returned to Bangladesh. From national minorities, the ancient population of the country is considered to be residents in the mountains, total numbering ok. 500 thousand people. In a cultural and in some cases in anthropological terms, they are associated with those ethnos, partly mongoloid roots that live in the neighboring elevated areas of India and Myanmar. The main of these minorities is Chakma, Cher and Tipper, or Tripura, among the others - MRU, Cookies, Lusia and Khywing. Most of them confess Buddhism, although some, such as the Tipper, belong to the Hindus. In Western Bangladesh, Santala settlers are resettled in small groups.

In the colonial period, the population of mountain chittagong was legally protected from expansion of residents from lowlands. After 1947, the migration flow in the elevated areas was noticeably increased. As a response, the hustances put forward a requirement to protect their interests and providing them with real autonomy. In this regard, there were often unrest, replaced by the negotiations. In December 1997, an official agreement was reached on restricting the migration of the population into the mountainous areas of Chittagong and expand their powers in resolving local problems.

Cities. Ubanization before the 1960s leaks slowly. In 1961, only 5% of the total population focused in the centers of at least 5 thousand people. Only three of them are Dhaka, Chittagong and Narajangange, growing more active, - surpassed the 100,000th front. But in the 1960s and 1970s, the urbanization process accelerated, so in the mid-1990s, almost 18% of the country's inhabitants were numerous. The population of Dakka increased by 1951-1961 by 64% (up to 362 thousand people), and for 1961-1991 another 411% (up to 1850 thousand people). In 1991, it was 3,839 thousand people in the official city borders. The capital city of Dhaka occupies a comfortable position in the most fertile part of the country and at the intersection of water trading paths.

In the 17th century Chittagong was a Portuguese shopping ratio, most important on the coast of the Bengal Bay. Now this is the main industrial center of the country. His population increased in 1961-1991 from 364 thousand to 2348 thousand people (together with suburbs). Previously, the well-being of the city depended on the Assamo-Bengal Railway, which bind the port with the capital and the internal and northern regions of the country and India.

Among other major developing cities, Narajantangangang - a leading center for the production of jute goods, numbering 296 thousand people (1991), Khulna (1002 thousand people together with suburbs) - also the center of the jute industry, Chalna (731 thousand people) - the second significance port of the country.

State device

Dhaka - the capital of Bangladesh

From 1947 to 1971, modern Bangladesh was one of the provinces of Pakistan - a country created exclusively on a religious basis and consisting of two most advantage of Muslim regions of British India. They were divided by about 1600 km of Indian territory. Both parts of the new state differed on the national composition: in the east, the Bengalians clearly dominate, other nationalities are resettled in the West. The Eastern province was a lot of poor other, and the benglets felt themselves as an object of economic exploitation by Western Pakistan. In addition, despite the greatest population, the eastern part of the country had no appropriate political weight and had only equal representation in parliament. Bengaltsev's mass discontent was expressed in the fact that most of them voted for the Avmi Leagues (People's League), founded in 1949 in Dhaka.

In 1970 Avai Leag, who spent the widespread autonomy of Eastern Pakistan, won the elections to the National Assembly, thanks to the introduced "One person - one voice" principle. This party received most in parliament, won almost all the places destined to the provinces East Pakistan. When the session of the Assembly in March 1971 was postponed, the Bengali under the leadership of Avai Leagi responded by Campania disobedience. Repressive shares of the Pakistani Armed Forces began on March 25, and the next day, on March 26, Avai Leagi proclaimed the independence of Eastern Pakistan renamed Bangladesh. Although the leader of Avmi League Sheikh Mudzhibre Rahman (Mujib) was arrested, other managers found a refuge in India, where the government was formed in exile. India has provided material and technical assistance to the detachments of the Liberation Army ("Buku Mahini"), which began partisan operations against Pakistani troops. December 3, 1971 India was involved in hostilities. Pakistani military units in the province of East Pakistan on December 16 capitulated, which predetermined the proclamation of the political independence of Bangladesh.

Control system. According to the provisional constitution, a parliamentary form of government was established. The president assigned the nominal functions of the head of state. The prime minister, accountable parliament, became a key figure in the country's state management system. Thanks to its popularity, the first Prime Minister Mudzhib received a huge power. The new Constitution adopted in January 1975 proclaimed Bangladesh by the Presidential Republic. The president was elected parliament. Its functions included the leadership of the executive. The president, unlike the Prime Minister, is not reported to the legislative authority - Jamia Sangsad. Theoretically, the parliament could shift the president in three quarters of deputy votes, but the latter received the right to create a one-party political system and free from the duties of any parliamentarian, which will refuse to become a member of this single party. Having become president, Mujib proclaimed a one-party state. Serious economic difficulties and the flourishing of corruption undermined the position of Mudzhib, and on August 15, 1975 he was killed during a military coup. Presidential functions assumed Khondakar Mushak Ahmad, who created the military government, which included high-ranking officials of the former regime. In November, another coup happened, after which the parliament was dissolved. The new military cabinet of ministers was headed by the commander of the Armed Forces General Ziaur Rahman (ZIA), who began to fulfill the duties of the President in 1977, won the 1978 presidential elections and brought the nationalist party Bangladesh to success in the parliamentary elections 1979. General ZIA was killed during a failed rebellion on May 30 1981. The successor was Vice-President Abdus Sattar, who won the presidential elections held in November. On March 24, 1982, Sattar was shifted as a result of a bloodless coup. The effect of the Constitution was suspended and martial law was introduced. General Hussein Muhammad Ershad became the main military administrator, and Akhsanuddin Chowudhuri is a nominal president. For Ershad, real power in the country has been preserved.

In December 1983, Chowudhuri resigned, lifting his place Ershad. Ershad mode was not popular, and the population required holding free elections. As a result, parliamentary elections were held in 1986. They took part in Avmi League led by Sheikh Hasina Vazed (daughter of Mudzhiba), which turned into leading opposition force in parliament. However, Ershad soon dismissed the parliament. The following elections assigned to 1988 were boycotted by the main opposition parties, and at the end of 1990 Ershad was forced to resign. The provisional government came to the country's management, which had previously been elected in February 1991. In accordance with the amendment to the Constitution, the presidential board, introduced by Mudzhib in 1975, was replaced by a return to the parliamentary system. Prime Minister became Halad Zia, Chairman of the Nationalist Party of Bangladesh. As a result of the general parliamentary elections in 1996, the post of Prime Minister of the country took the leader of Avmi League - Sheikh Hasina Vazed. In the same year, the President of the country chose Shahabuddina Ahmed.

In the elections to the National Assembly of Bangladesh in October 2001, a coalition, headed by the Nationalist Party Bangladesh, and Halad Zaya returned to the post of head of government. President in 2002 was elected Jajuddin Ahmed.

Local administrative territorial device. The territory of Bangladesh is divided into 6 administrative regions (Bibhag) - Barisal, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Chittagong. Regions are divided into 21 district (Angic), and those in turn - by 64 districts (ZIL). The districts consist of 493 subcoords (tackle). Smaller units are "unions" and villages.

As a result of repeated transformation of the local government system, a representative body was formed, actively operating at the local level, - the Committee of the Union (Union Parisad), whose members are chosen from groups of villages and solve issues related to the state of roads, bazaar devices, the actions of therapeutic institutions, etc. In the major cities of the country - Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulyne and Rajshahi are municipalities with elected mayors and city councils.

The main state official in the field is the Deputy Commissioner, which controls the state of affairs in the district. This position is inherited from the era of British domination in India, and its professional administrators submitted to the Commissioner of the region and the Central Government are occupied.

Judicial and legal system. Civil law in Bangladesh has a British basis, although in a number of issues such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and wills, are operating by the laws of different religious groups. Criminal law is based in practice adopted in the UK. However, with the introduction of a state of emergency, the authorities are allowed to delay citizens without the authorization of law enforcement agencies. During this period, no government decree can be the subject of proceedings in court. The Supreme Court takes consideration of the most important affairs and appeals. Court members are appointed by the President.

Armed forces. Bangladesh contains a small army. In 1997, she numbered ok. 117 thousand military personnel, and 80 thousand people took place in the semi-general formations.

ECONOMY

Bangladesh is a poor densely populated country characterized by a high rate of population growth. In the mid-1990s, two thirds of the working-age population were busy in agriculture and approx. 30% of the gross domestic product (GDP) was created in agriculture, and 2003 this figure of the Vyroshla to 35% of GDP amounted to $ 238.2 billion or per capita 1800 US dollars. However, the country chronically suffers from lack of food. An important resources to which the national economy relies is related to Silet tea plantations, a field of natural gas, oil, stone coal, peat, limestone and exploitation of hydropower R. Carnaphuli. In Chittagonge, Dhaka, Narayangandzh and Khulna, the main part of factory-factory enterprises is concentrated. In 1998, Bangladesh was approved by a large-scale program for attracting foreign capital to develop gas fields, with which they connect certain hopes for the organization of its exports to India.

One of the priorities is to achieve self-sustaining food. Despite the fact that rice fees increased from 6 million tons to 18 million tons in 1993-1994, the chronic dependence of the country from imports (approx. 2 million tons of grain per year) is the costs of which amounted to 8.5 billion. US dollars. Another important goal was to expand the production of jute (raw materials or finished products) for export, which in the 1980s gave OK. 60% of foreign trade proceeds. In the mid-1990s, 75% of the cost of all exports of Bangladesh made up clothing and textile products. Tea and seafood are supplied to foreign markets in large sizes.

Agriculture. For the Bangladesh village, a natural economy in small peasant diseases is characterized. An increasingly important is the orientation on the cultivation of commodity crops. The main one, Jute, in 1993-1994 was cultivated on an area of \u200b\u200b0.5 million hectares (in 1985-1986 his crops reached 1 million hectares). Culture is grown mainly in the floodplains of brahmaputra, jamuna, padmas and meghns, where the fertility of alluvial soil is supported by annual river spills. In the early 1990s, Jute production reached about 900 thousand tons per year. Everywhere on low-lying plains, rice is grown, but significant surplus for sale in the domestic market are available only in Silchete and Western districts. The fees in the early 1990s averaged 18.3 million tons. Yields are distributed over three agro-climatic seasons, and therefore multiple varieties are cultivated. Ause is grown mainly to satisfy their own food needs, as the harvest occurs in the rainy season and the grain is poorly stored. Ause and jute are growing about the same agro-climatic conditions. Rice Amon (Aman) is planted in the field, as a rule, seedy. Remove at the beginning of the dry season, receiving the best grain in quality, going for sale. Boro, also cultivated with the help of seedlings, brings a higher harvest than Amon, but its cultivation is possible due to natural restrictions only on a small area. Tea successfully grows on silket plantations, its annual products is approx. 50 thousand tons. Among other important crops are sugar cane, potatoes, wheat and batt.

To better prepare the soil to sow, the fields repeatedly plow the light wooden plow and harrow. The hard force is the harness of the tiny oxen, the weeding and harvest is carried out using manual workers. Thinking rice and other grains are carried out, chasing the current cattle, or manually. The jute is cut with a sickle, carefully soaked and then, also manually, separated fiber from the stem.

For more intensive use of arable land (including in the dry season) and early seva to the main season of rains, irrigated agriculture is widely introduced. Watering and abundant precipitation make it possible to receive from the site two and even three yields per year, turning 7.6 million hectares of arable land of 13.6 million hectares of gross sowing.

Fishing and Forestry. Fish is an important component of the power of bengalats and one of the export items. The most significant sleeves and several types of shrimp.

The main forest resources of the country are concentrated in a mountain chittagonge. The most valuable Gardjan is the original for Bangladesh in the Red Tree Breed, which has high-quality solid wood. The bookmark of Tika plantations has been successfully continued. The forest is melted on R. Carnaphuli on wood processing enterprises. Bamboo is used in the paper industry. Salz wood groves with durable wood, dedicated to Madhupur, are cut into fuel and for construction purposes.

Mining industry. Large sizes are produced by natural gas consumed on power plants and plants of mineral fertilizers. His resources in 1994 were estimated at 600 billion cubic meters. M. The main deposits are located in the east of the country - in the counties of Komila and Silhet. In 1997-1998, Bangladesh showed great interest in attracting foreign direct investment for intelligence and organizing the operation of new gas pools. The operation of the first oil field, as well as coal deposits, is the truth of low quality. Its reserves in the borografsky district are estimated at 1 billion tons. In the same district, a limestone is mined for the needs of the cement industry. Bangladesh is acute the lack of building stone and gravel.

Energy Bangladesh is developed very weak. Power plant power is estimated at approximately 3000 MW. Of these, about 10% fall on the only hydroelectric power station on R. Carnaphuli, from where the power line stretches to Chittagong and then in Dhaka. A gas pipeline stretches through the Bridge through Jamun and the power line is laid in the Western regions of the country. Most of the electricity is produced on TPPs working on natural gas and oil.

Processing industry To a large extent depends on imported raw materials. This applies to cotton factories that grew up in many cities - Dhaka, Narayangandzh, Khulyn, Chittagong, Kushti and Pubna. The country is numerous jute, textile, sewing and leather enterprises. In Chittaging, there is an oil refining plant and a steel-smelting plant, which produces round rods, soft sheet steel, galvanized sheet. In Khulyre and Chittagong, construction and repair of ships is underway.

Only branches related to the processing of jute, sugar cane and tea, as well as pulp and paper industries and mineral fertilizer plants are based on domestic resources. Jute factories are located near Dakka and in Khulna, Chittagong, Chandpur and Sirajgang. Sugar plants are placed in the northern and eastern districts of the country, as well as in the areas of Maymansing, Habiganj and Dhaka. Tea factories are in the districts and Chittagong. The paper manufactures enterprises in Chandraghone and Pabny, solid cardboard - in Khulyna. Silete is established a paper mass of bamboo, cane and jute recycling waste. Mineral Tuki on the basis of natural gas produced in Fenchuganj (Silkhet district), in Horala and in Ashugange (under Dhaka). The production of finished clothes is rapidly developing, which has a positive impact on the employment of the population, the structure of imports and especially exports.

In 1947-1971, many industries in East Pakistan appeared thanks to the State Corporation of Industrial Development of Pakistan. Built enterprises were sold predominantly to businessmen from the western part of the country. In 1972, the Government of Bangladesh nationalized a number of industries (jute, sugar, cotton industry), banks, insurance companies and some firms owned by the River and Sea Fleet. After 1975, Bangladesh's leadership began to encourage the private sector and pursue the policy of attracting foreign investors and the privatization of state-owned enterprises, primarily the jute and textile industry.

Transport. Transport connection to Bangladesh is complicated by natural conditions. Through Gang, above, the only bridge was erected. There is a wide-rescue railway on it. In 1998, the combined railway and automotive bridge across Jamun was commissioned. Padme bridges are generally absent. Therefore, the transportation of people and goods through most rivers is carried out on railway ferries. Additional problems create different width of the railway ross. East of Jamuna and Padma, the former Assamo-Bengal highway and others have a metering rut. In the West of the country, almost all the widespread railways; They provide the connection of the northwestern districts of Bangladesh with Kushtya, Jessura and Khulyn, and also lead to India. Right-bank rails from one of the crossing through Jamun to Santahara, Rangpur and Dineljpur, too, a meter gauge. The total length of railways in the country is approx. 2900 km.

The road network is thicker in areas where it was easier to erect bridges - primarily in Western districts, north of Dhaka and in the territory between Chittagong and Silhet. In the lower reaches of the rivers, the movement of road transport is difficult because of the need to often resort to ferries, besides, many roads in the rainy season become neurotic. The length of highways in Bangladesh OK. 10.5 thousand km. River transportation is of paramount economic importance. Passenger air communication is established between the administrative centers of a number of districts. Bangladesh airline "Biman", founded in 1972, in addition to servicing internal lines ensures flights to many countries of Asia, Europe, Africa and in the United States. There are two nautical ports in the country - in Chittagong (import port) and Charne (port of export).

International trade. Leading articles Exports - ready-made clothing, jute and products from it, knitwear and seafood, extra - leather and leather products, tea, plumbing and kitchen equipment, electrical appliances, computer equipment, communications, perfumery, pharmaceutical goods. Basic importers - USA, United Kingdom, Germany, France. Imports are dominated by industrial equipment and vehicles, food, mainly rice and wheat, ferrous metals, cotton and products of its processing, petroleum products, mineral fertilizers and vegetable oil. The largest suppliers are India, Japan, China and the United States. The share of food in value terms is approx. 15% of all imports. In 1997, the deficit of the foreign trade balance was approx. $ 2.5 billion unbalanced by foreign trade is offset by foreign loans and loans and remittances to the country from citizens working abroad. These translations in 1997 reached $ 1.5 billion. Irrevocable loans received from abroad in 1993-1994 amounted to 463 million dollars. Foreign capital is directed mainly to tobacco, pharmaceutical, chemical, leather, electrical and electronic industry. The foreign debt of the country is estimated at $ 17 billion (approx. 50% of GDP). Every year OK is spent on servicing external debt. 18% GDP.

SOCIETY

According to 1998, approximately 88.8% of Bangladesh residents were Muslims. Most of them are Sunnis, but part refers to shiites. The country does not keep records of the number of Muslims belonging to this or how other directions of Islam. Although Islam does not recognize the official church institutes, in rural areas, they usually listens to the opinion of the heads of local religious communities - Peters. Hindus make up approx. 10% of the population and belong mainly to the lower casts. High Cast members tend to leave in India after section 1947, religious clashes in the early 1950s and War 1971. Muslims and Hindus living in Bangladesh have a lot of common in their customs, behavior and domestic defendant. Buddhists are also represented in the country (approx. 0.6%) and Christians (approx. 0.5%).

The main lower cell of society is a big family. Her chapter often divides her shelter and everyday worries with their married sons and their families, as well as not yet married to children. The support of impoverished close relatives is widespread. If the father is ruined and remains without funds, the eldest son must take care of learning and raising brothers and sisters. In urban and industrial areas, this traditional family structure is not always saved. Educated and independently earning family members are increasingly leaving the father's house and are isolated even with a living father, continuing to support parents.

Position of women and young people. Most women perform the traditional role of housewives. In the countryside, they lead the recovery lifestyle: in the house live in the female half, and going out into the street, they wear Chadra. In the cities of women are more emancipated. More and more girls are studying in schools, colleges and universities. Increases the number of women working outside the house.

In 1972, national assistance to women was founded. Support is mainly to families in which all men died in wartime. The Grain Bank, founded by Mohammad Yunus in 1976, helps women, highlighting them small loans on the purpose of small entrepreneurship.

Educated part of youth is well organized and involved in politics. Almost all student communities in the country belong to the associations associated with leading parties. Students have made a significant contribution to the Motion for the independence of Bangladesh. The main problem is to disagreements on many social and economic issues, which generates frequent unrest in the medium of students and leads to the temporary closure of educational institutions.

Health and social security. Malaria and tuberculosis are common in the country. Improving the health of the population is difficult to achieve due to unsatisfactory nutrition and cyclone-related natural disasters leading to outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases. Additional difficulties cause unemployment. The efforts of the state to improve the social security system give a small effect due to lack of funds.

Education. The literacy of the adult population is estimated at 35%. Primary education is carried out on public funds, but is not mandatory. It is officially believed that 95% of children are studying in primary schools, but this figure is exaggerated, because all children are included in it, which during the school year at least occasionally attended school. Most secondary schools are private. Bangladesh has nine state colleges. New trends in the field of higher education led to the opening of about 20 private universities.

Media. Publishing activities are almost entirely focused in private hands. In 1996, 142 daily newspapers were published mainly on Bengali; The main nationwide newspapers are published in English. Control over the activities of broadcasting and television is carried out by special national administration. Television stations operate in Dhaka and 9 provincial cities. Radio Bangladesh leads transmission from Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulyns, Rangpur and Silet. There was an opportunity to receive telecasts through satellites running in India.

There are numerous cinemas in the country, which demonstrate films on Bengal and English, Hindi and Urdu. No film goes on the screen without prior approval censorship. To promote commercial filmmaking, a corporation of cinematography was created.

Outside channels are located everywhere along the walls. Women, of course, use them can not - start with the fact that they should sit at all at all. Here is another ditch, behind the wall - an incomprehensible way an Armenian temple existing here.

Ship-house