BANGLADESH

- Map of the region the Capital Cities of the countries in your region

- Investigate thee population of the whole region (may be you can find the most populated country)

147,365,352 (July 2006 est.)

- The major physical features (mountains, rivers, steppes, deserts and natural resources of the region. Think which features
will have the most impact? Why?

Climate:

tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain:

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Natural resources:

natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Geography - note:

most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel
of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal

Bangladesh is located in the low-lying Ganges-Brahmaputra River Delta or Ganges Delta. This delta is formed by the confluence of
the Ganges (local name Padma or Pôdda), Brahmaputra (Jamuna or Jomuna), and Meghna rivers and their respective tributaries. The
alluvial soil deposited by these rivers has created some of the most highly fertile plains of the world.

Most parts of Bangladesh are within 10 metres above the sea level, and it is believed that about 10% of the land would be flooded if
the sea level were to rise by 1 metre.[21] The highest point in Bangladesh is in Mowdok range at 1,052 m (3,451 ft) in the Chittagong
Hill Tracts to the southeast of the country.[22] A major part of the coastline comprises a marshy jungle, the Sundarbans, the largest
mangrove forest in the world and home to diverse flora and fauna, including the Royal Bengal Tiger. In 1997, this region was
declared endangered.[23]

- Investigate how might the physical environment affect the way people live in your region? Think about housing, diet,
cultural influence and political institutions?
Environment - current
issues:
many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases
prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial
pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because
of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion;
deforestation; severe overpopulation

- Will your region be more agricultural or pastoral or industrial? Will they be dependent on trade or more self-sufficient? Use
specific examples.

Land use:
arable land: 55.39%
permanent crops: 3.08%
other: 41.53% (2005)
Exports:
$9.372 billion (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:
garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001)
Exports - partners:
US 23.6%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.4%, France 6.4% (2005)
Imports:
$12.97 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)
Imports - partners:
India 14.1%, China 13.5%, Kuwait 8.5%, Singapore 6.2%, Japan 4.1%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2005)
Agriculture - products:
rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Industries:
cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light
engineering, sugar
Industrial production
growth rate:
6.7% (2005 est.)

- Locate the surrounding cultures, societies of the other regions that might affect the society of the region of your team. How
might these cultures affect the life? (Think past and present)

A new state for an old nation, Bangladesh has a culture that encompasses elements both old and new. The Bangla language boasts a
rich literary heritage, which Bangladesh shares with the Indian state of West Bengal.

The culinary tradition of Bangladesh has close relations to Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine as well as having many unique traits.
Rice and fish are traditional favourites; leading to a common saying that "fish and rice make a Bengali" (machhe bhate bangali). Meat
consumption has increased with higher production in recent years. Bangladeshis make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products;
some common ones are Rôshogolla, Chômchôm and Kalojam.

Two major religions practised in Bangladesh are Islam (88% US State Department est. 2005) and Hinduism (11% US State Dept.
2005). Ethnic Biharis are predominantly Shia Muslims. Other religious groups include Buddhists, Christians, and Animists.

Sources:
“Bangladesh”. The World Fact Book. 2007. CIA. January 9th, 2007. Url: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bg.html
“Bangladesh”. Wikipedia, the free enciclopedia. 2007. Online. January 9th, 2007. Url: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh