Bangladesh is a country in South Asia located on the northern coast of the Bay of Bengal. It shares land borders with India on three sides and with Myanmar to the southeast. The country covers about 148,000 square kilometers, making it one of the more densely populated nations in the world. Bangladesh’s location in the Bengal delta places it at the confluence of several major rivers that originate in the Himalayas. These river systems deposit fertile sediment across the plains, shaping the country’s landscapes and supporting agriculture.

Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971 after a conflict that resulted in the separation of the region from Pakistan. Before this period, the territory had been known as East Pakistan. Earlier in the 20th century, the region had been part of British India. Independence marked the establishment of Bangladesh as a sovereign country with its own government and national institutions. Since then, the country has developed its own economic and administrative systems while maintaining regional and international relationships.

The official language of Bangladesh is Bengali, also known as Bangla. It is spoken by the vast majority of the population and is used in government, education, literature, and media. Bengali is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with many speakers both within Bangladesh and in neighboring regions. The language has a rich literary tradition that includes poetry, novels, and academic works. Written Bengali uses its own script, derived historically from the Brahmic family of scripts.