Tim Crawford, age 13, of Rutland, Vt., for his question:
WHERE IS BANGLADESH?
Bangladesh is a South Asian country east of India that once formed part of Pakistan. Bangladesh gained independence in 1971 after a nine month civil war between East Pakistan and West Pakistan. From 1947 until 1971, the region that is now Bangladesh was East Pakistan.
The northeast part of India borders Bangladesh on three sides. Bangladesh shares many cultural and geographical features with neighboring West Bangal, a state of India. In fact, Bangladesh and West Bengal make up a region of Asia known as Bengal. Bangladesh is sometimes called East Bengal. The name Bangladesh means "Bengal nation."
Bangladesh ranks ninth in population among the countries in the world. It covers about the same area as Wisconsin but it has about 17 times as many people.
The region that is now Bangladesh has been governed by Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist rulers at various times in its history. It became part of the British empire when Great Britain took control of India in 1858. Blood conflicts between Hindus and Muslims led to the division of India into two nations in 1947 when India gained independence. Pakistan consisting of East Pakistan and West Pakistan was created out of the northeastern and northwestern parts of India. Most of the people of both areas were Muslims.
Many differences, both cultural and economic, divided the peoples of East and West Pakistan. Then in 1971 came the civil war and the establishment of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh ranks as one of the poorest nations of the world. It has an average annual per person income of about $100 a year. The economy is underdeveloped and depends almost entirely on agriculture. The country has few natural resources and it lacks the equipment and skilled labor necessary to develop heavy industries.
Fertile soil is probably the chief natural resource of Bangladesh. Agriculture is by far the most important economic activity in Bangladesh. About 80 percent of the people farm the land. But even so Bangladesh does not produce enough food for its large population. One of the main reasons for the low level of production is that most farmers in the nation use outdated tools and methods.
Rice, the chief crop, grows in almost all parts of Bangladesh. Farmers harvest three crops of rice in most years.
Jute, a plant whose fibers are made into string or woven into cloth, is the chief export crop. Bangladesh produces mroe jute than any other county in the world.
Bangladesh has few large factories and most of them process agricultural products. The nation is too poor to import the large quantities of raw materials needed for heavy industries.
Processing of jute ranks as the chief industry. Factories spin the jute fibers into string and rope, which then may be woven into burlap or other materials.