Bangladesh is an independent republic and member of the Commonwealth. It is the result of a split from Pakistan (of which it was the Eastern Region) that was proclaimed on 26 March 1971 (effective since 16 December 1971). On 15 August 1975, the army took over power in a coup d’état. It stayed in power (except for a short interval from 30 May 1981 to 24 March 1982) until 1990.
The elections of 1991 ratified the return to constitutional legality. Nevertheless, contrasts between the conservatives (led by the Nationalist Party BNP) and the opposition parties (the socialist-inspired pro-Indian Awami League) have been very bitter, taking the country to the brink of civil war. Since the elections of 1996, the Awami League and the BNP have alternated in power, except during the political crisis of 2006-08, with a caretaker government supported by the army. In 1997, the government reached a peace agreement with the Shanti Bahini rebels who had been struggling for the autonomy of the Chittagong Hill Tracts since 1973 (three districts in the south-eastern part of the country inhabited mostly by Buddhists). The area is rife with violence tied to Islamic fundamentalism, fostered by intolerance towards religious minorities.
According to the 1972 Constitution, amended several times, the President of the Republic is elected by Parliament which is made up of 300 members elected for five years by direct suffrage, with 50 seats reserved for women. Islam is the state religion, although religious freedom is guaranteed. The legal system is based on British Common Law.

Population by age and gender (% - 2017)
	75+ 60-74 45-59 30-44 15-29 0-14
MALE	AGE	FEMALE

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The birth-rate is falling; the law that sets the minimum age for marriage is largely disregarded, above all in country areas. In the country live about 900 000 refugees of Rohingya ethnicity, fleeing from Myanmar.

Economic situation.
The economy is enjoying high growth rates, due in particular to the export of textile products on behalf of major multinationals and remittances by emigrants. Low wages and hard working conditions trigger protests and unrest. Overpopulation, widespread corruption, natural disasters and lack of infrastructure hinder development.

Primary sector.
Despite heightened fragmentation of land ownership, the loss of arable terrain and the irregular water regime (an alternation between torrential downpours and droughts), agricultural production is rapidly growing.
Food crops, cereals in particular (rice), are destined for domestic consumption. The main commercial crop is jute (in the areas of Mymensingh, Rangpur, Comilla and Dhaka). Cattle are very common, but most are used to work in the fields. Fishing and aquaculture play a major role; their products (cyprinids, herrings, crustaceans) are mainly exported.

Secondary and tertiary sector.
Although poorly exploited, mineral resources include oil (at Sylhet and Feni), natural gas (at Gopalganj and Bakhrabad) and salt. Industrial activity is tied first and foremost to the textile industry, fostered by influxes of foreign revenue and aimed at exports; there are also agricultural products (tobacco, sugar, tea and leather) and chemical, petro-chemical and iron and steel plants (Ghorasal, Fenchuganj and Chittagong), as well as car, shipbuilding, cement, rubber and glass plants.

Main exports (M US$ - 2017)
apparel and accessories 34 842, household linens 1 063, footwear 956, raw and processed jute 755, fish and crustaceans 632, leather goods 277, hats 300, hides and skins 146, tobacco 96, plastics 93, optical instruments and appliances 88