In 2023, approximately 25.5 percent of the population in Bangladesh was aged up to 14 years old. This was a decrease from 2014, when over 30 percent of the population in Bangladesh was aged up to 14 years old.

In 1800, the population of the area of modern-day Bangladesh was estimated to be just over 19 million, a figure which would rise steadily throughout the 19th century, reaching over 26 million by 1900. At the time, Bangladesh was the eastern part of the Bengal region in the British Raj, and had the most-concentrated Muslim population in the subcontinent's east. At the turn of the 20th century, the British colonial administration believed that east Bengal was economically lagging behind the west, and Bengal was partitioned in 1905 as a means of improving the region's development. East Bengal then became the only Muslim-majority state in the eastern Raj, which led to socioeconomic tensions between the Hindu upper classes and the general population. Bengal Famine During the Second World War, over 2.5 million men from across the British Raj enlisted in the British Army and their involvement was fundamental to the war effort. The war, however, had devastating consequences for the Bengal region, as the famine of 1943-1944 resulted in the deaths of up to three million people (with over two thirds thought to have been in the east) due to starvation and malnutrition-related disease. As the population boomed in the 1930s, East Bengal's mismanaged and underdeveloped agricultural sector could not sustain this growth; by 1942, food shortages spread across the region, millions began migrating in search of food and work, and colonial mismanagement exacerbated this further. On the brink of famine in early-1943, authorities in India called for aid and permission to redirect their own resources from the war effort to combat the famine, however these were mostly rejected by authorities in London. While the exact extent of each of these factors on causing the famine remains a topic of debate, the general consensus is that the British War Cabinet's refusal to send food or aid was the most decisive. Food shortages did not dissipate until late 1943, however famine deaths persisted for another year. Partition to independence Following the war, the movement for Indian independence reached its final stages as the process of British decolonization began. Unrest between the Raj's Muslim and Hindu populations led to the creation of two separate states in1947; the Muslim-majority regions became East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (now Pakistan), separated by the Hindu-majority India. Although East Pakistan's population was larger, power lay with the military in the west, and authorities grew increasingly suppressive and neglectful of the eastern province in the following years. This reached a tipping point when authorities failed to respond adequately to the Bhola cyclone in 1970, which claimed over half a million lives in the Bengal region, and again when they failed to respect the results of the 1970 election, in which the Bengal party Awami League won the majority of seats. Bangladeshi independence was claimed the following March, leading to a brutal war between East and West Pakistan that claimed between 1.5 and three million deaths in just nine months. The war also saw over half of the country displaced, widespread atrocities, and the systematic rape of hundreds of thousands of women. As the war spilled over into India, their forces joined on the side of Bangladesh, and Pakistan was defeated two weeks later. An additional famine in 1974 claimed the lives of several hundred thousand people, meaning that the early 1970s was one of the most devastating periods in the country's history. Independent Bangladesh In the first decades of independence, Bangladesh's political hierarchy was particularly unstable and two of its presidents were assassinated in military coups. Since transitioning to parliamentary democracy in the 1990s, things have become comparatively stable, although political turmoil, violence, and corruption are persistent challenges. As Bangladesh continues to modernize and industrialize, living standards have increased and individual wealth has risen. Service industries have emerged to facilitate the demands of Bangladesh's developing economy, while manufacturing industries, particularly textiles, remain strong. Declining fertility rates have seen natural population growth fall in recent years, although the influx of Myanmar's Rohingya population due to the displacement crisis has seen upwards of one million refugees arrive in the country since 2017. In 2020, it is estimated that Bangladesh has a population of approximately 165 million people.

Bangladesh BD: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data was reported at 1.950 Ratio in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.981 Ratio for 2021. Bangladesh BD: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 4.240 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2022, with 63 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.882 Ratio in 1970 and a record low of 1.950 Ratio in 2022. Bangladesh BD: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics.;Weighted average;Relevance to gender indicator: it can indicate the status of women within households and a woman’s decision about the number and spacing of children.

The annual population growth in Bangladesh decreased by 0.04 percentage points (-3.74 percent) compared to the previous year. In 2023, the population growth thereby reached its lowest value in recent years. Population growth deals with the annual change in total population, and is affected by factors such as fertility, mortality, and migration.Find more key insights for the annual population growth in countries like Bhutan and India.

Bangladesh BD: Population Projection: Mid Year: Growth data was reported at -0.770 % in 2100. This records a decrease from the previous number of -0.760 % for 2099. Bangladesh BD: Population Projection: Mid Year: Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 0.440 % from Jun 1981 (Median) to 2100, with 120 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.580 % in 1981 and a record low of -0.770 % in 2100. Bangladesh BD: Population Projection: Mid Year: Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bangladesh – Table BD.US Census Bureau: Demographic Projection.

Abstract

The 1999-2000 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) is a nationally representative sample survey designed to provide information on basic national indicators of social progress including fertility, contraceptive knowledge and use, fertility preference, childhood mortality, maternal and child health, nutritional status of mothers and children and awareness of AIDS.

The 1999-2000 BDHS provides a comprehensive look at levels and trends in key health and demographic parameters for policy makers and program managers. The fertility has declined from 6.3 children per women in 1975 to 3.3 in 1999-2000. The pace of fertility decline has slowed in the most recent period compared to the rapid decline during late 1980s and early 1990s. The BDHS 1999-2000 findings also show the increasing trend of contraceptive use, declining childhood mortality, and improving nutritional status.

The Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) is intended to serve as a source of population and health data for policymakers and the research community. In general, the objectives of the BDHS survey are to: - Assess the overall demographic situation in Bangladesh - Assist in the evaluation of the population and health programs in Bangladesh - Advance survey methodology.

More specifically, the objective of the BDHS survey is to provide up-to-date information on fertility and childhood mortality levels; nuptiality; fertility preferences; awareness, approval, and use of family planning methods; breastfeeding practices; nutrition levels; and maternal and child health. This information is intended to assist policymakers and administrators in evaluating and designing programs and strategies for improving health and family planning services in the country.

The 1999-2000 BDHS survey was conducted under the authority of the National Institute for Population Research and Training (NIPORT) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The survey was implemented by Mitra and Associates, a Bangladeshi research firm located in Dhaka. Macro International Inc. of Calverton, Maryland, provided technical assistance to the project as part of its international Demographic and Health Surveys program, and financial assistance was provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)/Bangladesh.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Household
• Children under five years
• Women age 10-49
• Men age 15-59

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

Bangladesh is divided into 6 administrative divisions, 64 districts (zillas), and 490 thanas. In rural areas, thanas are divided into unions and then mauzas, a land administrative unit. Urban areas are divided into wards and then mahallas. The 1999-2000 BDHS survey employed a nationally representative, two-stage sample that was selected from the master sample maintained by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics for the implementation of surveys before the next census (2001). The master sample consists of 500 primary sampling units (PSUs) with enough PSUs in each stratum except for the urban strata of the Barisal and Sylhet divisions. In the rural areas, the primary sampling unit was the mauza, while in urban areas, it was the mahalla. Because the primary sampling units in the master sample were selected with probability proportional to size from the 1991 census frame, the units for the BDHS survey were subselected from the master sample with equal probability to make the BDHS selection equivalent to selection with probability proportional to size. A total of 341 primary sampling units were used for the BDHS survey (99 in urban areas and 242 in rural areas).

Since one objective of the BDHS survey is to provide separate survey estimates for each division as well as for urban and rural areas separately, it was necessary to increase the sampling rate for the Barisal and Sylhet divisions and for urban areas relative to the other divisions. Thus, the BDHS sample is not self-weighting and weighting factors have been applied to the data in this report.

Mitra and Associates conducted a household listing operation in all the sample points from September to December 1999. A systematic sample of 10,268 households was then selected from these lists. Every third household was selected for the men's survey, meaning that in addition to interviewing all ever-married women age 10-49, interviewers also interviewed all currently married men age 15-59 in those selected households. It was expected that the sample would yield interviews with approximately 10,000 ever-married women age 10-49 and 3,000 currently married men age 15-59.

Note: See detailed in APPENDIX A of the survey report

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face

Research instrument

Four types of questionnaires were used for the BDHS survey: a Household Questionnaire, a Women’s Questionnaire, a Men’s Questionnaire, and a set of questionnaires for the Service Provision Assessment (SPA) (community, health facilities, fieldworkers). The contents of these questionnaires were based on the MEASURE DHS+ Model A Questionnaire, which is designed for use in countries with relatively high levels of contraceptive use. These model questionnaires were adapted for use in Bangladesh during a series of meetings with a small Technical Task Force (TTF) that consisted of representatives from NIPORT; Mitra and Associates; USAID/Dhaka; the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B); Dhaka University; and Macro International Inc. (see Appendix A for a list of members). Draft questionnaires were then circulated to other interested groups and were reviewed by the BDHS Technical Review Committee. The questionnaires were developed in English and then translated in to and printed in Bangla.

The Household Questionnaire was used to list all the usual members and visitors in the selected households. Some basic information was collected on the characteristics of each person listed, including his/her age, sex, education, and relationship to the head of the household. The main purpose of the Household Questionnaire was to identify women and men who were eligible for individual interview. In addition, information was collected about the dwelling itself, such as the source of water, type of toilet facilities, materials used to construct the house, and ownership of various consumer goods.

The Women’s Questionnaire was used to collect information from ever-married women age 10-49. These women were asked questions on the following topics: · Background characteristics (age, education, religion, etc.) · Reproductive history · Knowledge and use of family planning methods · Antenatal and delivery care · Breastfeeding and weaning practices · Vaccinations and health of children under age five · Marriage · Fertility preferences · Husband’s background and respondent’s work · Height and weight of children under age five and of their mother · HIV and AIDS.

The Men’s Questionnaire was similar to that for women except that it omitted the sections on reproductive history, antenatal and delivery care, breastfeeding, vaccinations, and height and weight. The questionnaire for the Service Provision Assessment was completed for each sample point and included questions about the existence in the community of income-generating activities and other development organizations and the availability and accessibility of health and family planning services. Detailed analysis of the SPA data will be presented in a separate report.

Cleaning operations

All questionnaires for the BDHS survey were returned to Dhaka for data processing at Mitra and Associates. The processing operation consisted of office editing, coding of open-ended questions, data entry, and editing inconsistencies found by the computer programs. The data were processed on six microcomputers working in double shifts and carried out by ten data entry operators and two data entry supervisors. The BDHS data entry and editing programs were written in ISSA (Integrated System for Survey Analysis). Data processing commenced in mid-December 1999 and was completed by end of April 2000.

Response rate

A total of 10,268 households were selected for the sample, of which 9,854 were successfully interviewed. The shortfall is primarily due to dwellings that were vacant or in which the inhabitants had left for an extended period at the time they were visited by the interviewing teams. Of the 9,922 households occupied, 99 percent were successfully interviewed. In these households, 10,885 women were identified as eligible for the individual interview (i.e., ever-married and age 10-49) and interviews were completed for 10,544 or 97 percent of them. In the one-third of the households that were selected for inclusion in the men’s survey, 2,817 currently married men age 15-59 were identified, of which 2,556 or 91 percent were interviewed.

The principal reason for nonresponse among eligible women and men was the failure to find them at home despite repeated visits to the household. The nonresponse rate was low.

Note: See summarized response rates by residence (urban/rural) in Table 1.1 of the survey report.

Sampling error estimates

The estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: (1) nonsampling errors, and (2) sampling errors. Nonsampling errors are the results of mistakes made in implementing data collection and data processing, such as failure to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding of the questions on the part of either the interviewer or the respondent, and data entry errors. Although numerous efforts were

Bangladesh rural population for 2023 was 102,954,517, a 0.24% decline from 2022.

• Bangladesh rural population for 2022 was 103,206,552, a 0.19% decline from 2021.
• Bangladesh rural population for 2021 was 103,398,765, a 0.1% decline from 2020.
• Bangladesh rural population for 2020 was 103,504,655, a 0.1% decline from 2019.

Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.

The population density in Bangladesh reached its highest in 2020, amounting to approximately 1.27 thousand people per square kilometer. The South Asian country was the tenth most densely populated country in the world in 2019. Within the Asia Pacific region, Bangladesh’s population density was only exceeded by Macao, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Maldives. Overall, Asia had the highest population density in the world in 2018.

Population growth in Bangladesh

In 1971, Bangladesh gained its independence from Pakistan. Bangladesh’s birth rate and mortality rate had declined significantly in the past years with a life expectancy of 72.59 years in 2019. In general, the population in Bangladesh had been growing at a slow pace, slightly fluctuating around an annual rate of one percent. This growth was forecasted to continue, although it was estimated to halve by 2040. As of today, Dhaka is the largest city in Bangladesh.

Population density explained

According to the source, “population density is the mid-year population divided by land area in square kilometers.” Further, “population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents.” Bangladesh’s population reached an estimated number of 164.69 million inhabitants in 2020. In 2018, the country’s land area amounted 130.2 thousand square kilometers.

The total fertility rate in Bangladesh declined to 1.95 children per woman in 2022. Therefore, the fertility rate in Bangladesh saw its lowest number in that year with 1.95 children per woman. The total fertility rate is the average number of children that a woman of childbearing age (generally considered 15 to 44 years) is expected to have throughout her reproductive years. Unlike birth rates, which are based on the actual number of live births in a given population, fertility rates are estimates (similar to life expectancy) that apply to a hypothetical woman, as they assume that current patterns in age-specific fertility will remain constant throughout her reproductive years.Find more statistics on other topics about Bangladesh with key insights such as male smoking rate, crude birth rate, and number of refugees residing.

The crude birth rate in Bangladesh declined to 17.48 live births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2022. Therefore, 2022 marks the lowest rate during the observed period. The crude birth rate is the annual number of live births in a given population, expressed per 1,000 people. When looked at in unison with the crude death rate, the rate of natural increase can be determined.Find more statistics on other topics about Bangladesh with key insights such as fertility rate of women aged between 15 and 19 years old, number of refugees residing, and total life expectancy at birth.

In 2022, India overtook China as the world's most populous country and now has almost 1.46 billion people. China now has the second-largest population in the world, still with just over 1.4 billion inhabitants, however, its population went into decline in 2023. Global population As of 2025, the world's population stands at almost 8.2 billion people and is expected to reach around 10.3 billion people in the 2080s, when it will then go into decline. Due to improved healthcare, sanitation, and general living conditions, the global population continues to increase; mortality rates (particularly among infants and children) are decreasing and the median age of the world population has steadily increased for decades. As for the average life expectancy in industrial and developing countries, the gap has narrowed significantly since the mid-20th century. Asia is the most populous continent on Earth; 11 of the 20 largest countries are located there. It leads the ranking of the global population by continent by far, reporting four times as many inhabitants as Africa. The Demographic Transition The population explosion over the past two centuries is part of a phenomenon known as the demographic transition. Simply put, this transition results from a drastic reduction in mortality, which then leads to a reduction in fertility, and increase in life expectancy; this interim period where death rates are low and birth rates are high is where this population explosion occurs, and population growth can remain high as the population ages. In today's most-developed countries, the transition generally began with industrialization in the 1800s, and growth has now stabilized as birth and mortality rates have re-balanced. Across less-developed countries, the stage of this transition varies; for example, China is at a later stage than India, which accounts for the change in which country is more populous - understanding the demographic transition can help understand the reason why China's population is now going into decline. The least-developed region is Sub-Saharan Africa, where fertility rates remain close to pre-industrial levels in some countries. As these countries transition, they will undergo significant rates of population growth

By the early 1870s, the child mortality rate of the area of modern-day Bangladesh was estimated to be just over five hundred deaths per thousand live births, meaning that more than half of all infants born in these years would not survive past their fifth birthday. Child mortality would steadily climb towards the end of the 19th century, to a rate of almost 57 percent, as a series of famines would result in significant declines in access to nutrition and the increased displacement of the population. However, after peaking at just over 565 deaths per thousand births at the turn of the century, the British colonial administration partitioned the Bengal region (a large part of which lies in present-day India), which would begin to bring some bureaucratic stability to the region, improving healthcare and sanitation.

Child mortality would largely decline throughout the 20th century, with two temporary reversals in the late 1940s and early 1970s. The first of these can be attributed in part to disruptions in government services and mass displacement of the country’s population in the partitioning of India and Pakistan following their independence from the British Empire; during which time, present-day Bangladesh became East Pakistan. The second reversal would occur in the early 1970s, as a side effect for the Bangladesh Liberation War, the famine of 1974, and the subsequent transition to independence. Outside of these reversals, child mortality would decline significantly in the 20th century, and by the turn of the century, child mortality in Bangladesh would fall below one hundred deaths per thousand births; less than a fifth of the rate at the beginning of the century. In the past two decades, Bangladesh's child mortality has continued its decline to roughly a third of this rate, due to improvements in healthcare access and quality in the country; in 2020, it was estimated that for every thousand children born in Bangladesh, almost 97 percent will survive past the age of five years.

Correlation matrix between RUDAS scores with sociodemographic and comorbidities factors in elderly population (n = 150).

Sociodemographic characteristics of the participants (n = 150).

The annual population growth in Sri Lanka decreased to -0.65 percent compared to the previous year. Therefore, the population growth in Sri Lanka saw its lowest number in that year with -0.65 percent. Population growth refers to the annual change in population, and is based on the balance between birth and death rates, as well as migration.Find more key insights for the annual population growth in countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan.

In 2023, the unemployment rate in Bangladesh was at approximately 5.06 percent. After a decrease from 2010 through 2011, Bangladesh’s unemployment has been steady at around 4.3 percent. Stuck in the middle? In the Asia-Pacific region, Bangladesh’s economy is ranked somewhere in the middle, lower than Pakistan, but even higher than New Zealand. The same is true for gross national income (GNI) and about the same for unemployment (where it ranks eighth, behind China, Australia, and Afghanistan). But Bangladesh’s figures are not always seemingly mediocre: It is one of the most densely populated countries with one of the largest populations worldwide. On the way up Most of Bangladesh’s workforce is employed in the tertiary sector, which is gaining workers while the share of employed people in the primary sector, including agriculture, is decreasing. The country’s GDP is on a steady upswing, while inflation seems to recover and level off at around 5 percent for now. Bangladesh is, after all, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.