tners: US 33%, Germany 10%, UK 9%, France 6%, Italy 5%
(1997)

Imports: $8.01 billion (1998)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and
steel, textiles, raw cotton, food, crude oil and petroleum products,
cement

Imports - partners: India 12%, China 9%, Japan 7%, Hong Kong 6%, South
Korea 6% (1997)

Debt - external: $16.5 billion (1998)

Economic aid - recipient: $1.475 billion (FY96/97)

Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 poisha

Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1 - 51.000 (January 2000), 49.085
(1999), 46.906 (1998), 43.892 (1997), 41.794 (1996), 40.278 (1995)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

@Bangladesh:Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 470,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 41,000 (1998)

Telephone system:
domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
include VHF and UHF microwave, and some fiber-optic cable in cities
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
international radiotelephone communications and landline service to
neighboring countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios: 6.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 15 (1999)

Televisions: 770,000 (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (1999)

@Bangladesh:Transportation

Railways:
total: 2,745 km
broad gauge: 923 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (1998 est.)

Highways:
total: 201,182 km
paved: 19,112 km
unpaved: 182,070 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km
main cargo routes)

Pipelines: natural gas 1,220 km

Ports and harbors: Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port

Merchant marine:
total: 36 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 284,489 GRT/405,845 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 28, container 1, petroleum tanker 2,
refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off 2 (1999 est.)

Airports: 16 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 6 (1999 est.)

@Bangladesh:Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, paramilitary
forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense
Parties, National Cadet Corps), Armed Police battalions

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 34,683,414 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 20,565,193 (2000 est.)

Mili