Bangladesh is a nation in South Asia bordering the Bay of Bengal. It has a total area of 144,000 sq. km, which makes it slightly smaller than Wisconsin. It has a tropical climate. Its terrain is mostly flat alluvial plain. Bangladesh is subject to droughts, cyclones, and severe flooding.
Bangladesh has a population of over 127 million people. The main ethnic group is Bengali. Most of the population is Muslim, but about 10% are Hindu. The official language is Bangla, but English is also spoken. Bangladesh has a moderately high infant mortality rate (69.7 deaths per thousand live births) and a moderate average life expectancy (60.6 years).
Bangladesh is a republic. The chief of state is the president, but it is primarily a ceremonial position unless the parliament is dissolved. The head of government is the prime minister, who is the leader of the party that wins the most seats in the unicameral National Parliament. There is also a supreme court. The capital is Dhaka.
Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least-developed nations. The economy is largely agricultural, with the cultivation of rice the single most important activity in the economy. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, the inefficiency of state-owned enterprises, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), inadequate power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. More than one-third of the population lives below the poverty line. Bangladesh's exports include garments, jute, leather, frozen fish, and seafood. Its imports include capital goods, textiles, food, and petroleum products. Its main trading partners include Western Europe, China, India, and Singapore.
Bangladesh has 2,745 km of railways. It has over 200,000 km of highways, but only about 25,000 km are paved. It has over 5,000 km of navigable waterways. Bangladesh has 16 airports, 15 of which have paved runways.
Bhutan is a landlocked country in South Asia between India and China. With an area of 47,000 sq. km, it is about half the size of Indiana. Bhutan's climate varies, ranging from tropical in the southern plains to more moderate temperatures in the central valleys and severe weather in the Himalayas. The terrain is mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna. Bhutan controls several key Himalayan mountain passes.
Bhutan's population of slightly less than 2 million people is predominantly Bhote (50%) and ethnic Nepalese (35%). About three-quarters of the population follow Lamaistic Buddhism. Most of the rest follow Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism. The official language is Dzongkha, but various Nepalese and Tibetan dialects are also spoken. Bhutan has a moderately high population growth rate (2.25%). However, it has a high infant mortality rate (109.3 deaths per thousand live births), high total fertility rate (5.2 children born per woman), low average life expectancy (52.8 years), and low literacy (42.2%).
Bhutan is a monarchy with a special treaty relationship with India. The monarch, who is hereditary, is both the chief of state and head of government. There is a unicameral legislature and a high court (Supreme Court of Appeal is the monarch). The capital is Thimphu.
Bhutan's economy is one of the world's smallest and least developed. It is largely based on agriculture (mostly subsistence farming and animal husbandry) and forestry. Due to the extremely rugged terrain, building up the infrastructure is very difficult and expensive. Bhutan maintains strong trade and monetary links with India. The country's economic programs are taking into account the government's desire to protect the environment and cultural traditions. The controls and policies related to this protectionist attitude have hampered foreign investment. Bhutan's exports include cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, and electricity (to India). Its imports include fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, and rice. Its main trading partner is India.
Bhutan's limited infrastructure has no railways, 3,285 km of highways (almost 2,000 km paved), and two airports (one with paved runways).
India is the largest country in South Asia and dominates the subcontinent. With an area of 3.3 million sq. km, it is slightly larger than one-third the size of the U.S. Its climate varies from tropical in the south to temperate in the north. It has a varied terrain, including upland plain in the south, flat and rolling plain along the Ganges River, deserts in the west, and the Himalayan mountain range in the north. India has a significant coastline in the Indian Ocean and is near important trade routes. It is subject to droughts, flash floods, and earthquakes.
India has a population of over one billion people. Most (72%) are Indo-Aryan, and about one quarter is Dravidian. The main religion is Hindu (80%). The next largest religious group is Muslim (14%). India has several official languages, but the national language is Hindi while the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication is English. India has a moderate infant mortality rate (60.8 deaths per thousand live births) and a moderate average life expectancy (63.4 years). Literacy is fairly low at 52%.
India is a federal republic. The chief of state is the president, who is elected by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both houses of the parliament. Parliamentary members of the majority party, following the legislative elections, elect the prime minister. The elected members of the state choose the members of the upper chamber and territorial assemblies, while the members of the lower chamber are elected by popular vote. There is a supreme court.
India's economy encompasses a broad range of agriculture and industries. It includes village farming and modern agriculture, handicrafts and modern industries, and a multitude of support services. The government has attempted to initiate reforms that will help the economy grow, but some of the obstacles include limited infrastructure and inflation. India's exports include textiles, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, and leather goods. Its imports include petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, gems, fertilizer, and chemicals. India's main trading partners include the U.S., Japan, Germany, and other nations of Europe.
India has nearly 63,000 km of railways. It has over 3.3 million km of highways, about 40% of which are paved. It has several ports and harbors and over 16,000 km of navigable waterways. It has 341 airports, 230 of which have paved runways.
The Maldives are a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India. With a total area of about 300 sq. km, they are less than twice the size of Washington, D.C. The Maldives have a tropical climate. Their terrain is flat with white, sandy beaches. The low terrain makes them very sensitive to changes in sea level. The Maldives includes over 1,100 coral islands. They occupy a strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in the Indian Ocean.
The population of the Maldives numbers just over 300,000 people. Their ethnic origins include Singhalese, Dravidian, Arab, and African. The main religion is Sunni Muslim. The principal language is Maldivian Divehi, a dialect of Sinhala using a script derived from Arabic. However, most government officials speak English.
Maldives is a republic. The president is both the chief of state and head of government. He is elected by secret ballot of the unicameral legislature (Citizen's Council or Majlis). There is a High Court. The capital is Male.
Maldives largest industry and source of most of its revenues is tourism. In addition, the Maldivian government has tried to create a more open economy to encourage more foreign investment. Their major concerns include global warming and erosion, since about 80% of their land area is one meter or less above sea level. Their main exports are fish and clothing. Their main imports include consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, and petroleum products. Maldives main trading partners include Sri Lanka, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan.
Other than less than 10 km of coral highways within the city of Male, Maldives has little or no highways and no railways. It does have two main ports and harbors as well as five airports, two of which have paved runways.
Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia between China and India. With an area of about 140,800 sq. km, it is slightly larger than Arkansas. Its climate varies from continental in the north to subtropical in the south. The terrain is characterized by the flat river plain of the Ganges in the south building to the rugged Himalayan Mountains in the north. Nepal is subject to a variety of natural hazards including severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine, depending on characteristics of the summer monsoons. Nepal contains eight of the world's ten highest peaks, including Mt. Everest.
Nepal's population of over 24 million people includes several South Asian ethnic groups including Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Sherpas, and others. About 90% of the population is Hindu. It is the only official Hindu state in the world. The official language is Nepali. Pakistan's population is growing at a moderately high rate (2.5%). It has a moderately high total fertility rate (4.8 children born per woman), a moderately high infant mortality rate (73.6 deaths per thousand live births), an average life expectancy below 60 years, and its literacy is only 27.5%.
Nepal is a parliamentary democracy. The chief of state is the hereditary monarch. The head of government is the prime minister, who is usually the leader of the majority party or majority coalition following legislative elections. There is a bicameral parliament and a supreme court. The capital is Katmandu.
Nepal is one of the poorest and least-developed countries in the world. Nearly half of its population lives below the poverty level. Most of the population relies on agriculture for its livelihood. The government has taken some steps to make Nepal's economy more attractive to foreign development and investment. However, due to Nepal's remoteness, lack of technology, its landlocked status, and its susceptibility to natural disasters, prospects for future development appear limited. Nepal's exports include carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, and grain. Its imports include petroleum products, fertilizer, and machinery. Its main trading partners include India, Germany, U.S., UK, Singapore, and Japan.
Nepal has 101 km of railways, all of it close to the Indian border. It has 7,700 km of highways, 3,196 km of which are paved. It has 45 airports, but only five have paved runways.
Pakistan is a country in South Asia bordering the Arabian Sea. With an area of 803,940 sq. km, it is nearly twice the size of California. Pakistan's climate is mostly a desert climate but it has a temperate region in the northwest and an arctic section in the north (mountain terrain). The eastern portion of the country is flat plain with mountains in the north and northwest and a plateau in the west. Pakistan has frequent earthquakes and is subject to flooding along the Indus River. Pakistan controls two main mountain passes which have been traditional land invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.
Pakistan's population of over 138 million people includes Punjabi, Sindhi, and other regional ethnic groups. Most of the people are Muslim (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%). Several languages are spoken, including Punjabi and variants, Urdu, and others. English is an official language and is spoken by the elite and most government ministries. Pakistan's population is growing at a modest rate (2.2%). It has a moderate total fertility rate (4.7 children born per woman), a relatively high infant mortality rate (91.9 deaths per thousand live births), and an average life expectancy of less than 60 years. The average literacy is only 37.8%.
Pakistan is an Islamic republic. The chief of state is the president, who is elected by the bicameral parliament. The head of government is the prime minister who is elected by the lower house of parliament (National Assembly) and is usually the leader of the majority party or majority coalition. The members of parliament are elected by popular vote. There is a Supreme Court and a Federal Islamic Court. The capital is Islamabad.
Pakistan has suffered economically from poor fiscal policies and continuing inflation. More than one-third of the population lives below the poverty line. Pakistan suffers from an inadequate infrastructure and low levels of literacy. Pakistan exports cotton, textiles, clothing, rice, leather, and carpets. Its imports include petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, transportation equipment, vegetable oils, and chemicals. Its main trading partners include the EU, U.S., Japan, and China.
Pakistan has over 8,000 km of railways. It has nearly 225,000 km of highways, more than half of which is paved. It has over 5,000 km of pipelines and a small number of ports and harbors. Eighty of its 116 airports have paved runways, and it has seven heliports.
Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean, off the southeast tip of India. With an area of 65,610 sq. km, it is slightly larger than West Virginia. It has a tropical climate. Except for mountains in the south-central interior, it is mostly flat to rolling plain. It is subject to cyclones and tornadoes. Sri Lanka occupies a strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes.
Sri Lanka's population of just over 19 million people is mostly Singhalese (74%) with a significant Tamil (18%) population. Most of the population (69%) is Buddhist, with significant Hindu (15%), Muslim (8%), and Christian (8%) followings. The official language is Sinhala, which is also the national language. English is commonly used in government.
Sri Lanka is a republic. Although there is a prime minister, the president is the chief of state and the head of government. There is a unicameral legislature and a supreme court. The capital is Colombo.
Sri Lanka adopted market-oriented economic policies in the late 1970s. As a result, it has sustained considerable growth. However, civil unrest between the Singhalese and Tamils poses a continuing problem. Sri Lanka's exports include textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds and gems, and coconut, rubber, and petroleum products. Its imports include machinery and equipment, textiles, petroleum, building materials, and sugar. Its main trading partners include the U.S., India, Japan, and other European nations.
Sri Lanka has 1,501 km of railways. Nearly 40% of its 99,200 km of highways is paved. It has several ports and harbors, and 12 of its 13 airports have paved runways.