42-8372 through 8376
consulate(s) general: New York

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador David N. MERRILL
embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka
mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1212
telephone: [880] (2) 884700 through 884722
FAX: [880] (2) 883-744

Flag: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of
center; green is the traditional color of Islam

@Bangladesh:Economy

Overview: 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. Its economy is overwhelmingly 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), and inadequate power supplies. Excellent rice
crops and expansion of the export garment industry led to real growth
of 4% in 1992 and again in 1993. Policy measures intended to reduce
government regulation of private industry, to curb population growth,
and to expand employment opportunities have had only partial success
given the serious nature of Bangladesh's basic problems.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $130.1 billion (1994
est.)

National product real growth rate: 4.5% (1994 est.)

National product per capita: $1,040 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $2.8 billion
expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
billion (FY92/93)

Exports: $2.38 billion (1993)
commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, shrimp
partners: US 33%, Western Europe 39% (Germany 8.4%, Italy 6%) (FY91/92
est.)

Imports: $3.99 billion (1993)
commodities: capital goods, petroleum, food, textiles
partners: Hong Kong 7.5%, Singapore 7.4%, China 7.4%, Japan 7.1%
(FY91/92 est.)

External debt: $13.5 billion (June 1993)

Industrial production: growth rate 6.9% (FY92/93 est.); accounts for
9.4% of GDP

Electricity:
capacity: 2,740,000 kW
production: 9.2 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 70 kWh (1993)

Industries: jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing,