Bangladesh, before it became an independent state, was the eastern province of Pakistan, known as East Bengal and, later, as East Pakistan. Bangladesh is slightly smaller than the state of Iowa with a total area of 144,000 sq. km, extending 767 km and 429 km. Bangladesh is bordered in the West, North, and East by India, on the South East by Myanmar (Burma), and on the South by the Bay of Bengal, with a total boundary length of 4,246 km. A border demarcation agreement was signed with Myanmar in May 1979. Demarcation of the marine boundary with India remained unresolved as of 2006. Bangladesh’s capital city, Dhaka, is located near the centre of the country.

Climate: Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate. Annual rainfall is high, averaging from about 119 cm (47 in) up to 145 cm (57 in). There are three distinct seasons. The winter, which lasts from October through early March, is cool and dry, with temperature ranges from 5°c to 22°c (41°f to 72°f); total winter rainfall averages about 18 cm (7 in) in the east and less than 8 cm (3 in) in the northwest. Temperatures rise rapidly in March, and during the summer season—March through May—average about 32°c (90°f). Rainfall also increases during this period. However, nearly 80% of the annual rainfall falls from May to September, the monsoon season, when moisture-laden winds blow from the south and southeast. Temperatures drop somewhat, seldom exceeding 31°c (88°f), but humidity remains high.

Population: The population of Bangladesh was estimated by the United Nations (UN) at 144,233,000, which placed it at number 7 in population among the 193 nations of the world. The population density was 1,002 per sq. km (2,594 per sq. mi).  The capital city, Dhaka (formerly Dacca), had a population of 11,560,000. Other major towns are Holetown, Speights town, and Oistins.

Climate: The national language, Bengali, is the only official language of Bangladesh according to the third article of the Constitution of Bangladesh. With 98% of Bangladeshis fluent in Bengali (including dialects) as their first language, Bangladesh is the only monolingual country in South Asia.