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
25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding date)
Religions
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)
Languages
Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)
Exports
garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood
machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%, food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003)
External Debt
$36,210,000,000 $
$170,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
taka (BDT) per US dollar - 68.554 (2008 est.), 69.893 (2007), 69.031 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004)
forints (HUF) per US dollar - 171.8 (2008), 183.83 (2007), 210.39 (2006), 199.58 (2005), 202.75 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.400%
1.750%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
10
Location
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Area
143,998 km sq
93,028 km sq
Coastline
580 km
0 km
Climate
tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
