Ahmed; United People's Party,
Kazi ZAFAR Ahmed
International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCRO,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNMOT, UNOMIG,
UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Humayun KABIR chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342–8372 through 8376 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador David N. MERRILL embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka mailing address: G.P.O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000; Dhaka 1212 telephone: [880] (2) 884700 through 884722 FAX: [880] (2) 883–744
Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of
center; green is the traditional color of Islam
Economy———
Economic overview: Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed nations. Annual GDP growth has averaged over 4% in recent years from a low base. Its economy is overwhelmingly agricultural, with the cultivation of rice the single most important activity in the economy. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, the inefficiency of state-owned enterprises, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), inadequate power supplies, and, most recently, political disturbances. In 1995, progress on Bangladesh's development agenda has been slowed by frequent political unrest before and after national elections in early 1996. Opposition parties have challenged the government's authority by resigning from Parliament and sponsoring numerous countrywide strikes that have crippled transport, hindered business activity, and threatened to slow economic growth in 1996.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $144.5 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 4.6% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $1,130 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (1995 est.)
Labor force: 50.1 million
by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 21%, industry and mining
14% (1989)
note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman (1991)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $2.8 billion
expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
billion (FY92/93)
Industries: jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing,
steel, fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: 8.5% (1995 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 2,740,000 kW production: 9.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 70 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; beef,
milk, poultry
Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in
neighboring countries
Exports: $2.7 billion (1995 est.)
commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, shrimp
partners: US 33%, Western Europe 39% (Germany 8.4%, Italy 6%)
(FY91/92 est.)
Imports: $4.7 billion (1995 est.)
commodities: capital goods, petroleum, food, textiles
partners: Hong Kong 7.5%, Singapore 7.4%, China 7.4%, Japan 7.1%
(FY91/92 est.)
External debt: $15.7 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $1.099 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 poiska
Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1 - 40.933 (January 19965), 40.278 (1995), 40.212 (1994), 39.567 (1993), 38.951 (1992), 36.596 (1991)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Transportation———————
Railways:
total: 2,892 km
broad gauge: 978 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,914 km 1.000-m gauge (1992)
Highways:
total: 13,627 km
paved: 8,546 km
unpaved: 5,081 km (1992)
Waterways: 5,150–8,046 km navigable waterways (includes
2,575–3,058 km main cargo routes)
Pipelines: natural gas 1,220 km
Ports: Chittagong, Dhaka, Chalna Port (Mongla)
Merchant marine:
total: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 296,503 GRT/423,274 DWT
ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 29, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3
(1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 15
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1
with paved runways under 914 m: 6 (1995 est.)
Communications———————
Telephones: 249,800 (1994 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: poor domestic telephone service
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
international radiotelephone communications and landline service to
neighboring countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 11
Televisions: 350,000 (1993 est.)
Defense———
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes
Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve, Village
Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps)
Manpower availability:
males age 15–49: 31,795,848
males fit for military service: 18,814,818 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $481 million,
1.7% of GDP (FY95/96)
======================================================================
@Barbados————
Map—
Location: 13 10 N, 59 32 W—Caribbean, island between the
Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Flag——