The word Bangladesh means “the land of Bengal“. Since the 2nd century BC, the area was part of the Maurya Empira, later of India. In the 12th century, Islam started to spread across the region. Britain gained control of Bengal in 1757. The colonial rule favoured the Hindus, increasing religious tension in the area. In 1905, Bengal was split into two parts, the Hindu western part and the Muslim eastern part. The partition met with resistance and Bengal was reunited in 1915.

After the British Empire left the region in 1947, Bengal was once again partitioned along religious lines, with the Hindu western part going to India and the Muslim eastern part joining the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as a province called East Pakistan, separated from the West Wing by 1,500 km of Indian territory. The 1970 general election was won by the Bangladesh People's League, promoting the independence of Bengal. However, instead of acknowledging the independence, the Pakistani government sent its army to suppress Bengali rebels. A civil war broke out, with East Bengal being supported by India and the USSR, resulting in the declaration of Bangladesh’s independence in March 1971. The Bangladesh People’s League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the country’s first president. The following period is characterized by a series of violent coups that could be considered a civil war. The state of emergency was called off in 1991. Today, the region is in relative peace. West Bengal was largely spared from the violence and is still part of India.

Bangladesh is situated in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, a very fertile, yet dangerous flood region. The southern part of the country is bordered by the Bay of Bengal. The only hilly area in Bangladesh is the Chittagong Hills Tracts in southeastern part of the country. Climate is affected by monsoons, causing regular and abundant rainfall. Devastating floods and typhoons very often deprive local people of their homes. The country is dependent on international food aid.

The overwhelming majority of Bangladeshis are Bengali. About 75 % of the population live in villages in rural areas. Bangladesh is the most densely populated country in the world (when small countries and city states such as Singapore or Vatican are excluded), with a population density of about 1,155/km2.
The Constitution of Bangladesh establishes the country as a parliamentary democracy. The government is led by a prime minister.

Bangladesh is divided into seven administrative divisions, each named after their respective divisional headquarters: Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Barisal, Khulna, Sylhet, Rangpur

High-yield agriculture cannot sustain such a large population. Malnutrition is a common phenomenon. Bangladesh is among the poorest countries in the world. The main crops are: rice, corn, wheat, tea, cotton and jute which is used to make burlap. People breed poultry and water buffaloes and often fish. Great rivers are used for transport as railways and roads are in poor condition.