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Demographics
Demographics of Bangladesh
Recent (2005-2007) estimates of Bangladesh's population range from 142 to 159
million, making it the 7th most populous nation in the world. With a land area
of 144,000 square kilometers (55,600 sq mi, ranked 94th), the population density
is remarkable. A striking comparison is offered by the fact that Russia's
population is slightly smaller. Indeed Bangladesh boasts the highest population
density in the world, excluding a handful of city-states. Bangladesh's
population growth was among the highest in the world in the 1960s and 1970s,
when the count grew from 50 to 90 million, but with the promotion of birth
control in the 1980s, the growth rate slowed. The total fertility rate is now
3.1 children per woman, compared with 6.2 three decades ago. The population is
relatively young, with the 0–25 age group comprising 60%, while 3% are 65 or
older. Life expectancy is 63 years for both males and females.
Bangladesh is ethnically homogeneous, with Bengalis comprising 98% of the
population. The remainder are mostly Bihari migrants and indigenous tribal
groups. There are thirteen tribal groups located in the Chittagong Hill Tracts,
the most populous of the tribes are the Chakmas. The region has been a source
for ethnic tension since the inception of Bangladesh. The largest tribal groups
outside the Hill Tracts are the Santhals and the Garos (Achiks). Human
trafficking has been a lingering problem in Bangladesh and illegal immigration
has remained a cause of friction with Myanmar and India. .
The main language, as in West Bengal, is Bangla (Bengali), an Indo-Aryan
language of Sanskrit origin and has its own script. Bangla is the official
language of Bangladesh. English is used as second language among the middle and
upper classes and in higher education. Since a President Order in 1987, Bangla
is used for all official correspondence except those that are to foreign
recipients.
The two major religions practiced in Bangladesh are Islam (83%) and Hinduism
(16%). About 90% of the Muslims are Sunni while over 5% are Shi'a. Ethnic
Biharis are predominantly Shia Muslims. Other religious groups include
Buddhists, Ahmadis, Christians, and Animists. Bangladesh ranks third after
Indonesia and Pakistan among Muslim majority nations and, as India has a higher
Muslim population, Bangladesh ranks fourth in this category.
Health and education levels have recently improved as poverty levels have
decreased. Nevertheless, Bangladesh remains among the poorest nations in the
world. Most Bangladeshis are rural, living on subsistence farming. Nearly half
of the population lives on less than 1 USD per day. Health problems abound,
ranging from surface water contamination, to arsenic in the groundwater, and
diseases including malaria, leptospirosis and dengue. The literacy rate in
Bangladesh is approximately 41%. There is gender disparity, though, as literacy
rates are 50% among men and 31% among women, according to a 2004 UNICEF
estimate. Literacy has gone up due to many programs introduced in the country.
Among the most successful ones are the Food for education (FFE) program
introduced in 1993, and a stipend program for women at the primary and secondary
levels.
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