16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
Religions
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)
Languages
Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Exports
garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
External Debt
$36,210,000,000 $
$43,240,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
taka (BDT) per US dollar - 68.554 (2008 est.), 69.893 (2007), 69.031 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004)
leva (BGN) per US dollar - 1.3171 (2008 est.), 1.4366 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.400%
2.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
5
Location
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Area
143,998 km sq
110,879 km sq
Coastline
580 km
354 km
Climate
tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
