The National Portal of India provides single-window access to information and services offered by the government at all levels. Bangladesh is a unitary parliamentary republic based on the Westminster system. It is a middle power with the second-largest economy in South. Bangladesh is a country of South Asia located in the delta of the Padma (Ganges) and Jamuna (Brahmaputra) rivers in the northeastern part of the Indian. Bangladesh is a country in South Asia, located in the delta of the Padma (Ganges) and Jamuna (Brahmaputra) rivers. It shares borders with India and Myanmar, and its coastline opens onto the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh, meaning “Land of the Bengals,” is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with a predominantly Muslim population.
A Brief History
The region of Bengal, which includes modern-day Bangladesh, has a long history. It was ruled by Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms before Muslim forces took control around 1200 CE. The Mughal dynasty ruled from the 16th to 18th centuries, during which time the area became known for its fine muslin textiles.
After British rule ended in 1947, the region became East Pakistan. Due to political and cultural differences, tensions grew, leading to the Bangladesh Liberation War. With support from India, Bangladesh became an independent country in 1971, with Dhaka as its capital.
Economy and Trade
Historically, Bangladesh has relied heavily on agriculture. In the mid-20th century, a policy of industrialization was adopted, focusing on industries that used local raw materials like jute and cotton. After gaining independence, socialist policies were implemented, but these were later revised to encourage private investment and improve productivity.
Bangladesh typically imports more than it exports. Major exports include garments, agricultural products, seafood, jute, and leather, primarily to Europe and North America.
People and Culture
The majority of Bangladesh’s population is Bengali, an ethnic and linguistic group. There are also smaller indigenous groups, mostly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Bengali language, Islamic religion, and rural character are key elements of Bangladesh’s culture. The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and the Bangladesh National Museum are important cultural institutions that preserve the country’s heritage.
Dhaka: The Capital City
Dhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. It rose to prominence in the 17th century as the capital of the Mughal dynasty in Bengal and was a center for sea trade. Despite a period of decline, Dhaka became the capital of East Bengal in 1947 and then the capital of Bangladesh in 1971. Today, it is a large metropolis and a major industrial center, known for its garment industry, jute processing, and manufacturing.
Geographic Foundation
- Delta Position: It sits entirely within the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, the largest river delta on Earth.
- River Transitions: India’s Ganga River becomes the Padma upon entry, and the Brahmaputra becomes the Jamuna.
- The Estuary: These river systems merge with a third river, the Meghna, before draining into the Bay of Bengal.
- Borders: It shares its physical land borders with India and Myanmar.
Geography of the Ganges River
- The Ganges River flows 1,569 miles from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, through India and Bangladesh.
- The river supports over 400 million people and is deeply important for Indian daily life and religion.
- Despite its sacredness, the Ganges faces severe pollution from industrial waste and religious activities.
The Ganges River, also called Ganga, is a river located in northern India that flows toward the border with Bangladesh.
Geography and History of India
India, formally called the Republic of India, is the country that occupies most of the Indian subcontinent in southern Asia.
China: Population
People’s Republic of China Facts and History
The history of China reaches back over 4,000 years. In that time, China has created a culture rich in philosophy and the arts. The Oldest Country in the World
- San Marino might be the world’s oldest country, founded in 301 BCE within Italy’s borders.
- Japan celebrates its founding in 660 BCE, but it became modern Japan after the Meiji Restoration.
- China’s history spans over 3,500 years, but modern China was officially founded in 1949.
There are many countries with impressively long histories, but what is the oldest country in the world? To answer that question, one must first differentiate between countries and empires; not doing so could produce incorrect and contradictory answers.
Empire Vs. Country
Empires are defined as political units whose rule covers wide expanses and encompasses several territories. Countries are defined as sovereign states with their own territory, population, and government. One of the key differences between empires and countries is that empires have less clearly defined territory geographically than countries and countries are independent and separate from other entities. Empires are more like groups of countries that share a government.
Empires
Empires existed in ancient China, Japan, Greece, Rome, Egypt, Korea, Mexico, and India, but were not, of course, as we know these nations today. Their starting dates do not correlate with their modern namesakes. These empires had central governments ruling over their vast territories.
The makeup of ancient empires largely consisted of agglomerations of city-states or fiefdoms whose jurisdictions overlapped that of the imperial government. Much of an empire’s territory was temporary (with fluid boundaries) and often won through war or marriage alliances of monarchs. Because of this, many city-states did not function as unified entities, even if they came to be considered part of the same empire. Differences Between a Country, State, and Nation
- A sovereign state has recognized boundaries, people, and an internationally recognized government.
- Nations are groups that share common language, culture, or history but may lack sovereignty.
- A country can mean a state, sovereign state, or nation-state, but also a cultural area without political status.
While the terms country, state, sovereign state, nation, and nation-state are often used interchangeably, there is a difference. Simply put:
- A state is a territory with its own institutions and populations.
- A sovereign state is a state with its own institutions and populations that has a permanent population, territory, and government. It must also have the right and capacity to make treaties and other agreements with other states. Note there are also non-sovereign states.
- A nation is a large group of people who inhabit a specific territory and are connected by history, culture, or another commonality.
- A nation-state is a cultural group (a nation) that is also a state (and may, in addition, be a sovereign state).
The word country can be used to mean the same thing as state, sovereign state, or nation-state. It can also be used in a less political manner to refer to a region or cultural area that has no governmental status. Examples include Wine Country (the grape-growing area of northern California) and Coal Country (the coal-mining region of Pennsylvania).
Qualities of a Sovereign State
State, nation, and country are all terms that describe groups of people who live in the same place and have a great deal in common. But while states and sovereign states are political entities, nations, and countries might or might not be.
A sovereign state (sometimes called an independent state) has the following qualities:
- Space or territory that has internationally recognized boundaries
- People who live there on an ongoing basis
- Regulations governing foreign and domestic trade
- The ability to issue legal tender that is recognized across boundaries
- An internationally recognized government that provides public services and police power and has the right to make treaties, wage war, and take other actions on behalf of its people
- Sovereignty, meaning that no other state should have power over the country’s territory
Many geographic entities have some but not all the qualities that make up a sovereign state. As of 2020 there are 195 sovereign states in the world1 (197 by some counts); 193 are members of the United Nations (the United Nations excludes Palestine and the Holy See). Two other entities, Taiwan and Kosovo, are recognized by some but not all members of the United Nations.2
Entities That Are Not Sovereign States
Many entities have geographical and cultural significance and many of the qualities of a sovereign state but are not independent sovereign states. These include territories, non-sovereign states, and nations.
Non-Sovereign States
Territories of sovereign states are not sovereign states in their own right. Many entities have most of the qualities of sovereign states but are officially considered to be non-sovereign states. Many have their own histories, and some even have their own languages.
