| BANGLADESH | | | | population and the speakers of Bengali (Bangla) |
| Population: 152.6 million (UN, 2005) | | | | while the remainder are migrants and indigenous |
| Capital: Dhaka | | | | tribal groups. Bangla has been a part of the rich |
| Area: 143,998 sq km (55,598 sq miles) | | | | literary heritage of Bangladesh, in which the |
| Major language: Bengali | | | | earliest literary text Charyapada, dated back to |
| Major religions: Islam, Hinduism | | | | the 8th century is versed in. Despite being largely |
| Life expectancy: 62 years (men), 63 years | | | | monolingual, there are more than 10 minor |
| (women) (UN) | | | | languages in the small country that is Bangladesh, |
| Monetary unit: 1 taka = 100 paisa | | | | i.e. Chittagonian, Sylheti, Urdu, and other tribal |
| To the world, Bangladesh is layered with strips of | | | | languages. |
| identity of what is one of the poorest nations in | | | | FOOD & ATTRACTION |
| the planet. George Harrison renders a song of | | | | The people you will meet in these parts are just |
| sympathy "Bangladesh" to this country of such | | | | cherries on top of a luscious destination sundae |
| distress where "people die fast." The world can't | | | | that is mostly unheard of and is yet to be hyped |
| help looking at this South Asian country in that | | | | about in guide books. Beyond the capital Dhaka, |
| manner when a good news story is so hard to | | | | within the flat landscape are fantastic national |
| come by. Half of the population of Bangladesh live | | | | parks that resonate with the call of the Royal |
| on less than a dollar a day. In the midst of | | | | Bengal Tiger, the enigmatic hill tracts and hidden |
| politically-motivated violence and kidnapping, | | | | gems of Buddhist empires in Rangamati, the |
| carrying on the normal stuff of life proves to be | | | | revered Shait Gumbad Masjid in Bagerhat, the lush |
| both tricky and difficult, to say the least. | | | | green of tea gardens of Sylhet, and the vibrant |
| GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE | | | | corals of Saint Martin's Island. The longest forever |
| The People's Republic of Bangladesh has a total | | | | coast of Cox's Bazar is also a salubrious |
| area 143,998 km2 that centrally lies on the | | | | destination, however just south of Chittagong, the |
| geographic coordinates 24 00 N, 90 00 E. In one | | | | site of recent political unrest and tourist |
| of the most densely populated places in the | | | | abductions, caution must be taken. Truly, |
| world, it's hard to imagine there's any more room | | | | Bangladesh has everything all at once, and a little |
| for nature. Then you witness a special relationship | | | | too much. Famous Bengali leisure time activities |
| between the two. The "poor" country, or so they | | | | involve playing Kabbadi, the national sport. But |
| say, has a terrain that is mostly flat alluvial plans | | | | Bangladesh is one with the world as a football and |
| with some hilly slopes in the lower east, and, with | | | | cricket nation, the most popular sports. |
| a tropical climate, to add has a rich arable land | | | | Bengalis also love their food, and is one hobby |
| that outlines 55.39% of the country. The highest | | | | they surely enjoy when they are not playing |
| point in the country is the Keokradong, with an | | | | cricket, although with poverty daunting the |
| elevation of only 1230 metres, and the lowest | | | | country, a folk is glad to have eaten one meal in |
| thus, Indian Ocean, 0 metres elevation. The | | | | the day. The Bangladeshi cuisine also arouses |
| climate, being tropical, summers from the month | | | | curious interest from its visitors, and sure enough |
| March to June are both very hot and humid, the | | | | pleases its visitors who have monetary capacity |
| monsoons from June to October are wet, though | | | | to do so. Food is regionally varied by and large, |
| also warm and humid, while winters from October | | | | but rice and curry are among the staples. Spices |
| to March are just mild. SO generally, the conditions | | | | are lavishly used as these are basic components, |
| for living are spot on, if one has enough money. | | | | turmeric, coriander, and chilies more than the rest. |
| But as most people do not, the Bengalis are | | | | Bangladeshi cuisine is exceptionally similar to Indian |
| forced to thrive on lands stricken by either | | | | cuisine with a hint of Central Asia. Unlike in Indian |
| cyclones or droughts that nobody owns. Potable | | | | cuisine, beef is integral to the cuisine except |
| water is also far from abundant here with | | | | among the Hindu minority. Fish are abundant in the |
| naturally occurring arsenic poisoning rivers. | | | | country as well as bananas, oranges, apples, |
| PEOPLE & CULTURE | | | | grapes, pomegranate, papaya, jackfruit, and the |
| The Bengali population numbers at 156,050,883, | | | | mangoes, "super fruit," that are ample and |
| making Bangladesh the 7th largest country in the | | | | assorted in kind. |
| world in terms of population. Bangladeshi and | | | | The desserts in Bangladesh? Dude, sweet, of |
| Bengali are the official names for the nationals of | | | | course! The Bengalis are a group of people with a |
| the country. Bengali also refers to the country's | | | | sweet tooth whose cuisine has rich traditions in |
| major ethno-lingustic group and official language. | | | | sweet making. Among the MUST-TRY are |
| The majority of the Bengali, particularly 89.7% (or | | | | roshogolla, mishti doi, chomchom, payesh, and the |
| more over 130 million) lives by the Islam faith, the | | | | national darlng, shondesh. |
| state religion, and 9.2%, by Hinduism. The rest | | | | For more valuable travel information on |
| (Buddhists, 0.7%; Christians, 0.3%; and Animists, | | | | backpacking and various destinations throughout |
| 0.1%) comprise just a tiny proportion. With | | | | the world please visit our website Backpacking |
| ethnicities fractioned by language, the 98% of the | | | | Addictz. |
| population account for the statistics of both the | | | | |