Bangladesh (continued)
population growth of 2.8% a year and a limited infrastructure, and it is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. Despite these constraints, real GDP averaged about 3.8% annually during 1985-88. One of the poorest nations in the world, alleviation of poverty remains the cornerstone of the government's development strategy. The agricultural sector contributes over 50% to GDP and 75% to exports, and employs over 74% of the labor force. Industry accounts for about 10% of GDP.
GDP: $20.6 billion, per capita $180; real growth rate 2.1% (FY89 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8-10% (FY89 est.)
Unemployment rate: 30% (FY88 est.)
Budget: revenues $1.8 billion; expenditures $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.7 billion (FY89)
Exports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., FY89 est.); commodities—jute, tea, leather, shrimp, manufacturing; partners—US 25%, Western Europe 22%, Middle East 9%, Japan 8%, Eastern Europe 7%
Imports: $3.1 billion (c.i.f., FY89 est.); commodities—food, petroleum and other energy, nonfood consumer goods, semiprocessed goods, and capital equipment; partners—Western Europe 18%, Japan 14%, Middle East 9%, US 8%
External debt: $10.4 billion (December 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate 5.4% (FY89 est.)
Electricity: 1,700,000 kW capacity; 4,900 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: jute manufacturing, food processing, cotton textiles, petroleum, urea fertilizer
Agriculture: accounts for about 50% of GDP and 74% of both employment and exports; imports 10% of food grain requirements; world's largest exporter of jute; commercial products—jute, rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, potatoes, beef, milk, poultry; shortages include wheat, vegetable oils and cotton; fish catch 778,000 metric tons in 1986
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $3.2 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-87), $9.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $652 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $1.5 billion
Currency: taka (plural—taka); 1 taka (Tk) = 100 paise
Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1—32.270 (January 1990), 32.270 (1989), 31.733 (1988), 30.950 (1987), 30.407 (1986), 27.995 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Railroads: 2,892 km total (1986); 1,914
km 1.000 meter gauge, 978 km 1.676
meter broad gauge
Highways: 7,240 km total (1985); 3,840 km paved, 3,400 km unpaved
Inland waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km main cargo routes)
Ports: Chittagong, Chalna
Merchant marine: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 331,568 GRT/493,935 DWT; includes 38 cargo, 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 3 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 3 bulk
Pipelines: 650 km natural gas
Civil air: 15 major transport aircraft
Airports: 16 total, 13 usable; 13 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 7 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate international radio communications and landline service; fair domestic wire and microwave service; fair broadcast service; 182,000 telephones; stations—9 AM, 6 FM, 11 TV; 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth stations
Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force;
paramilitary forces Bangladesh Rifles,
Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve,
Coastal Police
Military manpower: males 15-49, 28,110,802; 16,686,644 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: 1.5% of GDP, or $309 million (FY90 est.)
Barbados
_Barbados.jpg)
See regional map III
Geography
Total area: 430 km²; land area: 430 km²
Comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 97 km
Maritime claims:
- Extended economic zone: 200 nm
- Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Natural resources: crude oil, fishing, natural gas
Land use: 77% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 14% other
Environment: subject to hurricanes (especially June to October)
Note: easternmost Caribbean island
People
Population: 262,688 (July 1990), growth
rate 0.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 18 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: -5 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 16 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 77 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Barbadian(s); adjective—Barbadian
Ethnic divisions: 80% African, 16% mixed, 4% European
Religion: 70% Anglican, 9% Methodist, 4% Roman Catholic, 17% other, including Moravian
Language: English
