Bangladesh Facts
02/09/2026
02/09/2026
Bangladesh
Used by 35 people today
Bangladesh Facts
Curated, verified facts about Bangladesh — geography, history, culture and more
GeographyBangladesh sits in the delta formed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers — one of the largest river deltas in the world.
GeographyBangladesh is bordered by India on three sides and by Myanmar to the southeast, with the Bay of Bengal to the south.
GeographyThe Sundarbans, shared with India, is the largest mangrove forest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
GeographyThe Royal Bengal Tiger, found in the Sundarbans, is the national animal of Bangladesh.
GeographyCox's Bazar is commonly described as home to the world's longest unbroken natural sea beach.
GeographyBangladesh has hundreds of rivers and is one of the most river-dense countries on Earth.
GeographyBangladesh's highest terrain lies in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the southeast.
GeographyBangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate, with a pronounced rainy season roughly from June to October.
GeographyThe water lily (shapla) is the national flower of Bangladesh.
GeographyBangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
HistoryBangladesh became an independent country in 1971 after a nine-month Liberation War against Pakistan.
HistoryIndependence Day is celebrated on 26 March, marking the 1971 declaration of independence.
HistoryVictory Day, 16 December, marks the end of the 1971 Liberation War.
HistorySheikh Mujibur Rahman is officially honored as the Father of the Nation.
HistoryBefore 1971, the region was East Pakistan, part of Pakistan from 1947.
HistoryBefore 1947, the region was part of British India, known as East Bengal.
HistoryThe 1952 Language Movement, in which protesters demanding recognition of Bengali were killed, is commemorated every 21 February.
HistoryUNESCO declared 21 February International Mother Language Day in recognition of the 1952 Language Movement.
HistoryThe national anthem, "Amar Shonar Bangla," was written by Rabindranath Tagore, who also wrote India's national anthem — making him the only person to have written the national anthems of two countries.
CultureBengali (Bangla) is the official and most widely spoken language of Bangladesh.
CultureKazi Nazrul Islam, known as the "Rebel Poet," is regarded as the national poet of Bangladesh.
CulturePohela Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, is celebrated in mid-April with festivals across the country.
CultureThe traditional Bengali calendar divides the year into six seasons rather than four.
CultureDhaka, the capital, is sometimes called the "City of Mosques" for its large number of historic mosques.
CultureRickshaws are a common form of transport in Bangladeshi cities, and Dhaka is often nicknamed the "Rickshaw Capital of the World."
CultureTraditional dress includes the sari for women and the panjabi or lungi for men.
CultureHilsa (ilish) is considered the national fish of Bangladesh and a centerpiece of Bengali cuisine.
CultureRice and fish are dietary staples, reflected in the Bengali saying "Machhe Bhate Bangali" (fish and rice make a Bengali).
CultureBaul music, a folk tradition of Bengal, is recognized by UNESCO as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage.
EconomyThe Bangladeshi Taka (৳) is the official currency.
EconomyBangladesh is one of the world's largest exporters of ready-made garments.
EconomyMuhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for pioneering microcredit lending.
EconomyBangladesh opened the Padma Bridge, one of its largest infrastructure projects, in June 2022.
EconomyDhaka is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
EconomyJute, a major Bangladeshi export crop, is nicknamed the "golden fibre."
EconomyRemittances from Bangladeshi workers abroad are a major contributor to the national economy.
EconomyBangladesh is a founding member of BIMSTEC and a member of SAARC and the Commonwealth.
Sports & RecordsBangladesh was granted Test cricket status by the ICC in 2000.
Sports & RecordsCricket is the most popular sport in Bangladesh, followed closely by football.
Sports & RecordsThe Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is the country's major domestic Twenty20 cricket tournament.
Sports & RecordsThe Liberation War Museum in Dhaka documents the history of the 1971 Liberation War.