President: Zillur Rahman Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina Wajed
Head of state: Queen Beatrix Prime minister: Mark Rutte
Population
161,083,804
16,730,632
Life Expectancy
70.060 years
80.910 years
Capital City
Dhaka
Amsterdam
Largest city
Dhaka (population: 10,356,500)
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Human Development Index
0.524
0.958
GDP per capita
$1,700 US
$42,700 US
Literacy Rate
43.1%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
2.1
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
0%
37.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
Unemployment Rate
5.000%
4.400%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
parliamentary democracy
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
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
23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)
Religions
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages
Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Exports
garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
External Debt
$25,220,000,000 $
$2,655,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
taka (BDT) per US dollar - 68.554 (2008 est.), 69.893 (2007), 69.031 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004)
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.300%
1.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
16
Location
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Area
143,998 km sq
41,543 km sq
Coastline
580 km
451 km
Climate
tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
