Economy - overview:
Bangladesh's economy has grown roughly 6% per year since 1996 despite political instability, poor infrastructure, corruption, insufficient power supplies, slow implementation of economic reforms, and the 2008-09 global financial crisis and recession. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, almost half of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector with rice as the single-most-important product. Garment exports, the backbone of Bangladesh's industrial sector, accounted for more than 80% of total exports and surpassed $25 billion in 2015. The sector has remained resilient in recent years amidst a series of factory accidents that have killed more than 1,000 workers and crippling strikes, including a nationwide transportation blockade implemented by the political opposition during the first several months of 2015. Steady garment export growth combined with remittances from overseas Bangladeshis - which totaled about $15 billion and 8% of GDP in 2015 are the largest contributors to Bangladesh's sustained economic growth and rising foreign exchange reserves.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$577 billion (2015 est.) $536.5 billion (2014 est.) $496.6 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 34
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$202.3 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2015 est.) 6% (2014 est.) 5.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,600 (2015 est.) $3,400 (2014 est.) $3,200 (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 178
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
28.9% of GDP (2015 est.) 29.1% of GDP (2014 est.) 29.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 72.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 5.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 29%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 1.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 17.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -25.8% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 16%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 30.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 53.6% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services 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, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, tea, salt, sugar, edible oils, soap and detergent, fabricated metal products, electricity, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:
9.4% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
81.95 million
note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances were $10.9 billion in FY09/10 (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 47%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 13%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 40% (2010 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
4.9% (2015 est.) 5% (2014 est.)
note: about 40% of the population is underemployed; many persons counted as employed work only a few hours a week and at low wages
country comparison to the world: 51
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
31.5% (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.)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.1 (2010) 33.6 (1996)
country comparison to the world: 111
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $21.28 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $27.45 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
11% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-3% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
31.9% of GDP (2015 est.) 28.8% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.7% (2015 est.) 7% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
5% (31 December 2010) 5% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 76
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.2% (31 December 2015 est.) 13% (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$21.69 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $19.01 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$107.5 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $95.2 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$113.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $101.2 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$50.98 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $41.73 billion (31 December 2012) $23.55 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$1.896 billion (2015 est.) -$154 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$29.93 billion (2015 est.) $29.93 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
garments, knitwear, agricultural products, frozen food (fish and seafood), jute and jute goods, leather

Exports - partners:
US 14.3%, Germany 13.6%, UK 7.9%, France 5.2%, Spain 4.3%, Italy 4.1% (2014)

Imports:
$38.22 billion (2015 est.) $40.1 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
cotton, machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
China 18.8%, India 14.8%, Singapore 5.8%, Malaysia 4.2% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$26.41 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $22.31 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$24.47 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $27.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$9.355 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $8.593 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$134.1 million (31 December 2015 est.) $130 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
taka (BDT) per US dollar - 77.42 (2015 est.) 77.57 (2014 est.) 77.614 (2013 est.) 81.86 (2012 est.) 74.152 (2011 est.)