Bangladesh, to the east of India on the Bay of Bengal, is a South Asian country marked by lush greenery and many waterways. Its Padma (Ganges), Meghna and Jamuna rivers create fertile plains, and travel by boat is common. On the southern coast, the Sundarbans, an enormous mangrove forest shared with Eastern India, is home to the royal Bengal tiger.
Languages: The official language of Bangladesh is Bengali, which is spoken by the majority of the population. Bengali is used in government, education, and the media, and it is the language of instruction in schools. In addition to Bengali, many people in Bangladesh also speak English, particularly in business and education. Finally, there are also a number of regional languages and dialects spoken in Bangladesh, including Chittagonian, Sylheti, and Bihari, among others.
Ethnic Groups: Bengali at least 98%, ethnic groups 1.1% note: Bangladesh's government recognizes 27 ethnic groups under the 2010 Cultural Institution for Small Anthropological Groups Act; other sources estimate there are about 75 ethnic groups; critics of the 2011 census claim that it underestimates the size of Bangladesh's ethnic Population (2011 est.)
Belief Systems: Muslim 89.1%, Hindu 10%, other 0.9% (includes Buddhist, Christian) (2013 est.)
Demographics:
Population: 156 million people (World Rank: 8th) (2014 estimate)
Population Density: 3112 people/mi^2 (People per Square Mile) (World Rank: 11th) (2014 estimate)
Population Growth: 1.3 %/yr (World Rank: 96th) (2013 estimate)
Life Expectancy: 70.7 years (World Rank: 150th) (2013 estimate)
Median Age: 24 years (World Rank: 121st) (2010 estimate)
Sites for More Information:
Map of Bangladesh
Worldatlas.com
Country Profile for Bangladesh
United Nations
Bangladesh
Wikipedia.org
Bangladesh - Country Profile
U.S. Library of Congress profile of Bangladesh
Bangladesh - General Information
Encyclopedia.com
Culture and Tourism:
Traditional Musical Instruments of Bangladesh
from en.banglapedia.org
Bangladeshi recipes
Pinterest.com
Shakrain Festival
Annual Kite Festival
Bengali Language Resources:
Learn Bengali
Online Bengali Language Resource
Study in Bangladesh
Learn Bengali in Bangladesh through Heed Language Center
Government Related:
Bengali Government Websites
by Gunnar Anzinger
Bengali Embassy
in Washington D.C.
