Page last updated on February 14, 2013
Economy - overview:
In real terms Bangladesh's economy has grown 5.8% per year since 1996 despite political instability, poor infrastructure, corruption, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, 45% of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector with rice as the single-most-important product. Bangladesh's growth was resilient during the 2008-09 global financial crisis and recession. Garment exports, totaling $12.3 billion in FY09 and remittances from overseas Bangladeshis, totaling $11 billion in FY10, accounted for almost 12% of GDP.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$305.5 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
$288.1 billion (2011 est.)
$270.5 billion (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
[see also:
GDP country ranks ]
GDP (official exchange rate):
$118.7 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
GDP - real growth rate:
6.1% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
6.5% (2011 est.)
6.4% (2010 est.)
[see also:
GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
GDP - per capita:
$2,000 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
$1,900 (2011 est.)
$1,800 (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
[see also:
GDP - per capita country ranks ]
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.3%
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - agriculture country ranks ]
industry:
28.6%
services:
54.1% (2012 est.)
Labor force:
77 million
country comparison to the world: 7
note:
extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances were $10.9 billion in FY09/10 (2012 est.)
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 45%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry:
30%
services:
25% (2008)
Unemployment rate:
5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
5% (2011 est.)
note:
about 40% of the population is underemployed; many participants in the labor force work only a few hours a week, at low wages
[see also:
Unemployment rate country ranks ]
Population below poverty line:
31.51% (2010 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%:
27% (2010 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.2 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 97
33.6 (1996)
[see also:
Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
Investment (gross fixed):
25.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
[see also: Investment (gross fixed) country ranks ]
Budget:
revenues: $13.98 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures:
$19.62 billion (2012 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
11.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
Public debt:
32% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
33.9% of GDP (2011 est.)
[see also:
Public debt country ranks ]
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
10.7% (2011 est.)
[see also:
Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
Central bank discount rate:
5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
5% (31 December 2009 est.)
[see also:
Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.3% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
13.25% (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
Stock of narrow money:
$14.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
$13.19 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
Stock of broad money:
$66.84 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
$66.14 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
[see also:
Stock of broad money country ranks ]
Stock of domestic credit:
$80.81 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
$68.57 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$23.55 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 65
$15.68 billion (31 December 2010)
$7.068 billion (31 December 2009)
[see also:
Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
Agriculture - products:
rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Industries:
jute, cotton, garments, paper, leather, fertilizer, iron and steel, cement, petroleum products, tobacco, drugs and pharmaceuticals, ceramic, tea, salt, sugar, edible oil, soap and detergent, fabricated metal products, electricity and natural gas
Industrial production growth rate:
7.4% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
Current account balance:
-$941.9 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
$243.6 million (2011 est.)
[see also:
Current account balance country ranks ]
Exports:
$25.79 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
$24.56 billion (2011 est.)
[see also:
Exports country ranks ]
Exports - commodities:
garments, knitwear, agricultural products, frozen food (fish and seafood), jute and jute goods, leather
Exports - partners:
US 19.4%, Germany 16.5%, UK 10%, France 7.3%, Italy 4.4%, Spain 4.2%, Netherlands 4.2% (2011)
Imports:
$35.06 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
