pulation (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 136 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 53 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 5.7 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Bangladeshi(s); adjective--Bangladesh

Ethnic divisions: 98% Bengali; 250,000 Biharis, and less than 1 million
tribals

Religion: 83% Muslim, about 16% Hindu, less than 1% Buddhist, Christian,
and other

Language: Bangla (official), English widely used

Literacy: 29% (39% men, 18% women)

Labor force: 35,100,000; 74% agriculture, 15% services, 11% industry and
commerce; extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Kuwait
(FY86)

Organized labor: 3% of labor force belongs to 2,614 registered unions
(1986 est.)

- Government
Long-form name: People's Republic of Bangladesh

Type: republic

Capital: Dhaka

Administrative divisions: 64 districts (zillagulo,
singular--zilla); Bagerhat, Bandarban, Barisal, Bhola, Bogra,
Borguna, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Chapai Nawabganj,
Chattagram, Chuadanga, Comilla, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka,
Dinajpur, Faridpur, Feni, Gaibandha, Gazipur, Gopalganj,
Habiganj, Jaipurhat, Jamalpur, Jessore, Jhalakati, Jhenaidah,
Khagrachari, Khulna, Kishorganj, Kurigram, Kushtia, Laksmipur,
Lalmonirhat, Madaripur, Magura, Manikganj, Meherpur,
Moulavibazar, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Narail,
Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Nator, Netrakona, Nilphamari,
Noakhali, Pabna, Panchagar, Parbattya Chattagram,
Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Rangpur,
Satkhira, Shariyatpur, Sherpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet,
Tangail, Thakurgaon

Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan; formerly East Pakistan)

Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended
following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986

Legal system: based on English common law

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)

Executive branch: president, vice president, prime minister,
three deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders:
Chief of State--President Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD
(since 11 December 1983, elected 15 October 1986); Vice President
Moudad AHMED (since 12 August 1989);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Qazi Zafar AHMED (since 12
August 1989)

Political parties and leaders: Jatiyo Party, Hussain Mohammad
Ershad; Bangladesh Nationalist P