Bangladesh (2006) | Norway (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | 6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet | 19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 32.9% (male 24,957,997/female 23,533,894)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 47,862,774/female 45,917,674) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 2,731,578/female 2,361,435) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 19.3% (male 455,122/female 434,009)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,542,439/female 1,496,745) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 288,509/female 393,996) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry | barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish |
Airports | 16 (2006) | 99 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2006) |
total: 67
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 29 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 26 (2006) |
Area | total: 144,000 sq km
land: 133,910 sq km water: 10,090 sq km |
total: 323,802 sq km
land: 307,442 sq km water: 16,360 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Iowa | slightly larger than New Mexico |
Background | Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development. | Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. |
Birth rate | 29.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 11.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $5.993 billion
expenditures: $8.598 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
revenues: $176.1 billion
expenditures: $131.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
Capital | name: Dhaka
geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 25 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: Oslo
geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October) | temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast |
Coastline | 580 km | 25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km) |
Constitution | 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended many times | 17 May 1814; amended many times |
Country name | conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form: Bangladesh local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh local short form: Banladesh former: East Bengal, East Pakistan |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge |
Death rate | 8.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $20.63 billion (2005 est.) | $281 billion; note - Norway is a net external creditor (30 June 2005) |
Dependent areas | - | Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia A. BUTENIS
embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212 mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000 telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500 FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Benson K. WHITNEY
embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to Huseby in the near future mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63, 56 27 51 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Shamsher Mobin CHOWDHURY
chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183 FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco |
Disputes - international | discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh resists India's attempts to fence or wall off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint Bangladesh-India boundary inspection in 2005 revealed 92 pillars are missing; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources | Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $1.4 billion (1998) |
Economic aid - recipient | $1.575 billion (2000 est.) | - |
Economy - overview | Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key areas. One encouraging note: growth has been a steady 5% for the past several years. | The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises). The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, it contributes sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with privatization. Although Norwegian oil production peaked in 2000, natural gas production is still rising. Norwegians realize that once their gas production peaks they will eventually face declining oil and gas revenues; accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-and-gas-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $250 billion. After lackluster growth of 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in 2003, GDP growth picked up to 3.3% in 2004 and to 3.7% in 2005. |
Electricity - consumption | 16.2 billion kWh (2003) | 106.1 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | 5.6 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | 13.5 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 17.42 billion kWh (2003) | 105.6 billion kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m |
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m |
Environment - current issues | many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation | water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998) | Norwegian, Sami 20,000 |
Exchange rates | taka per US dollar - 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004), 58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002), 55.807 (2001) | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections
head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October 2001) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by 2007); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA |
chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17 October 2005) cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament |
Exports | NA bbl/day | 3.466 million bbl/day (2001) |
Exports - commodities | garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001) | petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish |
Exports - partners | US 23.6%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.4%, France 6.4% (2005) | UK 25.5%, Germany 12.6%, Netherlands 9.9%, France 9.1%, US 6.7%, Sweden 6.5% (2005) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the hoist side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh | red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 19.9%
industry: 19.8% services: 60.3% (2004 est.) |
agriculture: 2.1%
industry: 41.5% services: 56.4% (2005 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6.4% (2005 est.) | 4% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 24 00 N, 90 00 E | 62 00 N, 10 00 E |
Geography - note | most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal | about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in the world |
Heliports | - | 1 (2006) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.) |
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 21.8% (1995) |
Illicit drugs | transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries | - |
Imports | NA bbl/day | 88,870 bbl/day (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000) | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | India 14.1%, China 13.5%, Kuwait 8.5%, Singapore 6.2%, Japan 4.1%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2005) | Sweden 14.6%, Germany 13.6%, Denmark 7.3%, UK 6.8%, China 5.5%, US 5%, France 4% (2005) |
Independence | 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh | 7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 6.7% (2005 est.) | -0.5% (2005 est.) |
Industries | cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar | petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 60.83 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 61.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 59.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: 3.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7% (2005 est.) | 1.6% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | ARF, AsDB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
Irrigated land | 47,250 sq km (2003) | 1,270 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president) | Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch) |
Labor force | 66.6 million
note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99 (2005 est.) |
2.4 million (2005 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 63%
industry: 11% services: 26% (FY95/96) |
agriculture: 4%
industry: 22% services: 74% (1995) |
Land boundaries | total: 4,246 km
border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km |
total: 2,542 km
border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km |
Land use | arable land: 55.39%
permanent crops: 3.08% other: 41.53% (2005) |
arable land: 2.7%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.3% (2005) |
Languages | Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English | Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities |
Legal system | based on English common law | mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve five-year terms
elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held no later than January 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 41%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 193, AL 58, JI 17, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Manzur) 4, other 12; note - the election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - JI, IOJ, and Jatiya Party (Manzur) |
modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held September 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%, Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party 8.8%, Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal Party 5.9%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by party - Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23, Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's Party 11, Center Party 11, Liberal Party 10 note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.46 years
male: 62.47 years female: 62.45 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 79.54 years
male: 76.91 years female: 82.31 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 43.1% male: 53.9% female: 31.8% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
Location | Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India | Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden |
Map references | Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 341,733 GRT/485,840 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 29, container 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3 foreign-owned: 1 (China 1) registered in other countries: 10 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Comoros 1, Malta 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 1) (2006) |
total: 724 ships (1000 GRT or over) 14,472,103 GRT/20,245,353 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 67, cargo 153, chemical tanker 150, container 2, liquefied gas 79, passenger/cargo 121, petroleum tanker 75, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 19, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 47 foreign-owned: 168 (China 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 32, Estonia 1, Finland 4, Greece 1, Hong Kong 55, Iceland 4, Italy 4, Japan 1, Lithuania 1, Monaco 4, Netherlands 3, Poland 2, Saudi Arabia 3, Sweden 28, UAE 1, UK 6, US 13) registered in other countries: 861 (Antigua and Barbuda 11, Australia 1, Bahamas 259, Barbados 29, Belize 2, Bermuda 5, Brazil 2, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 2, China 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 16, Denmark 3, Dominica 1, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Faroe Islands 4, Finland 1, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 12, Gibraltar 18, Hong Kong 26, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 27, Liberia 38, Libya 1, Malta 49, Marshall Islands 65, Mexico 1, Netherlands 7, Netherlands Antilles 5, Nigeria 1, Panama 66, Philippines 3, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16, Singapore 90, Spain 7, Sweden 7, Thailand 30, Tonga 1, UK 36, US 2, unknown 2) (2006) |
Military branches | Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force (Bangladesh Biman Bahini, BAF) (2006) | Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret, RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2006) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $1.01 billion (2005 est.) | $4,033.5 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.8% (2005 est.) | 1.9% (2003) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh | Constitution Day, 17 May (1814) |
Nationality | noun: Bangladeshi(s)
adjective: Bangladeshi |
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian |
Natural hazards | droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season | rockslides, avalanches |
Natural resources | natural gas, arable land, timber, coal | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower |
Net migration rate | -0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 2,604 km (2006) | condensate 508 km; gas 5,910 km; oil 2,557 km; oil/gas/water 746 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED] | Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Roy WAAGE]; Conservative Party [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Siv JENSEN]; Red Electoral Alliance [Torstein DAHLE]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 147,365,352 (July 2006 est.) | 4,610,820 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 45% (2004 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.09% (2006 est.) | 0.38% (2006 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 15, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006) | AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Railways | total: 2,768 km
broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) |
total: 4,077 km
standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,680 km electrified) (2005) |
Religions | Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998) | Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country
domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 6; international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2005) |
general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of fixed-wire systems international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1.07 million (2005) | 2.129 million (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 9 million (2005) | 4.755 million (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 15 (1999) | 360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast | glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north |
Total fertility rate | 3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 1.78 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.5% (includes underemployment) (2005 est.) | 4.6% (2005 est.) |
Waterways | 8,372 km
note: includes 5,635 km main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in dry season (2005) |
1,577 km (2002) |