Official Name:
Gano Projatontri Bangladesh
short form: Bangladesh
int'l long form: The People's Republic of Bangladesh
former: East Pakistan

ISO Country Code: bd

Time:
Local Time = UTC +6h
Actual Time: Tue-July-13  18:26

Capital City: Dhaka (pop. 12 million, metro area)

Other Cities:
Chittagong (2.8 million), Khulna (1.8 million), Rajshahi (1 million), Mymensing, Comilla, Barisal, Sylhet.

Government:
Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Independence: 26 March 1971 (from Pakistan).
Constitution: 1972

Geography:
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between India and Myanmar.
Area: 147 570 sq. km. (55 813 sq. mi.)
Terrain: Mainly flat alluvial plain, with hills in the northeast and southeast.

Climate: Semitropical, monsoonal; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October).

People:
Nationality: Bangladeshi(s).
Population: 130 million.
GNI per capita PPP: $ 1 998 (year)
Ethnic groups: Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims.
Religions: Muslim 88.3%; Hindu 10.5%; Christian 0.3%, Buddhist 0.6%, others 0.3%.
Languages: Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English is widely used.
Literacy: 54% for males; 32% for females; a total of 43% literacy.

Natural resources: Natural Gas, Lignite Coal, Limestones, Ceramic, Clay and Glass Sand, arable land, timber.

Agriculture products: Rice, Jackfruit, Jute, Tobacco, Sugarcane, Pulses, Oilseeds, Spices,
  Potatoes, Vegetables, Bananas, Mangoes, Coconut, Tea and Wheat.

Industries: Garments, Jute, Cotton, Textile, Tea, Paper, Newsprint, Cement, Fertilizer, Sugar, Engineering, Electric cables, Leather, Fish.

Exports partners: USA 22.7%, Germany 14.5%, UK 10.8%, France 6.7% (2004)

Imports partners: India 14.6%, China 11.7%, Singapore 7.8%, Japan 5.8%, Hong Kong 4.8% (2004)

Currency: Taka (BDT)

(Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bangladesh)