Bangladesh is the eighth-most populated country in the world, accounting for approximately 2.2% of the global population. According to the final results of the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, the country's population was 169,828,911. Bangladesh has one of the highest population densities in the world and is the only country ranked among the top ten globally in both population density and total population.
Bangladesh is largely ethnically homogeneous, with the Bengali ethnolinguistic group comprising around 99% of the population. The Chittagong Hill Tracts, Sylhet, Mymensingh, Barisal, and parts of North Bengal are home to diverse indigenous communities. Numerous dialects of Bengali are spoken across the country, with the dialects of Chittagong and Sylhet being particularly distinctive.
According to the 2022 census, approximately 91.04% of Bangladeshis are Muslims, followed by Hindus (7.95%), Buddhists (0.61%), Christians (0.30%), and others (0.12%).
Bangladesh has experienced a significant decline in fertility rates since its independence in 1971. The total fertility rate (TFR) decreased from over 6 births per woman in the 1970s to approximately 2.1 births per woman in 2024, nearing replacement-level fertility.
Population
The population of Bangladesh has grown rapidly since 1947, when the region was part of East Pakistan. According to United Nations estimates, the population increased from approximately 44 million in 1950 to around 175.7 million in 2025. Population growth accelerated during the second half of the 20th century before gradually slowing due to declining fertility rates.
As of mid-2025, the population of Bangladesh was estimated at 175,686,899 people, according to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 revision.
Population growth rate
Bangladesh had high rates of population growth in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then however it has seen significant reduction in its total fertility rate. Over a period of three decades it dropped from almost 7 to 2 in 2005–2018.
Census The latest decennial census was conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics in 2022.
+ Population of Bangladesh Census date Census population (millions) Adjusted population (millions)1801 14.51851 20.31901 28.928 1911 31.555 1921 33.255 1931 35.602 1941 41.997 1951 41.932 1961 50.840 1974 71.479 76.398 1981 87.120 89.912 1991 106.313 111.455 2001 124.355 130.523 2011 142.319 152.518 2022 165.159 169.829
UN estimates
YearTotal population (millions)Population percentage aged 0–14 aged 15–64 aged 65+ 1950 37.895 1955 43.444 1960 50.102 1965 57.792 1970 66.881 1975 70.582 1980 80.624 1985 92.284 1990 105.256 1995 117.487 2000 127.658 2005 139.036 2010 147.575 2015 156.256 2020 164.689
Population by sex and age group
Population by sex and age group (Census 15.III.2011):
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 72 109 796 71 933 901 144 043 697 100 0–4 7 638 523 7 423 447 15 061 970 10.46 5–9 9 322 514 8 850 715 18 173 229 12.62 10–14 8 614 889 8 031 726 16 646 615 11.56 15–19 6 509 492 6 352 398 12 861 890 8.93 20–24 5 777 370 7 522 419 13 299 789 9.23 25–29 6 225 252 7 254 256 13 479 508 9.36 30–34 5 079 106 5 420 659 10 499 765 7.29 35–39 4 697 349 4 859 079 9 556 428 6.63 40–44 4 280 923 3 980 739 8 261 662 5.74 45–49 3 363 273 3 016 800 6 380 073 4.43 50–54 2 952 596 2 599 675 5 552 271 3.85 55–59 1 923 534 1 577 463 3 500 997 2.43 60–64 2 081 306 1 852 708 3 934 014 2.73 65–69 1 149 569 963 921 2 113 490 1.47 70–74 1 206 398 1 025 314 2 231 712 1.55 75–79 488 338 386 389 874 727 0.61 80–84 443 239 436 840 880 079 0.61 85–89 138 268 124 343 262 611 0.18 90–94 116 916 133 273 250 189 0.17 95+ 100 941 121 737 222 678 0.15Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% 0–14 25 575 926 24 305 888 49 881 814 34.63 15–64 42 890 201 44 436 196 87 326 397 60.62 65+ 3 643 669 3 191 817 6 835 486 4.75
Population census by sex and age group (2022 census): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 84 077 203 85 653 120 169 828 909 100 0–4 7 940 000 7 630 000 9.44 5–9 7 920 000 7 400 000 9.28 10–14 8 510 000 7 820 000 9.89 15–19 8 060 000 8 490 000 10.03 20–24 6 710 000 8 270 000 9.08 25–29 6 460 000 7 910 000 8.71 30–34 5 650 000 6 460 000 7.34 35–39 6 040 000 6 680 000 7.7 40–44 5 120 000 4 920 000 6.08 45–49 4 130 000 4 130 000 5.01 50–54 4 000 000 3 780 000 4.72 55–59 2 950 000 2 770 000 3.48 60–64 3 010 000 2 590 000 3.39 65–69 2 150 000 1 770 000 2.38 70–74 1 570 000 1 260 000 1.71 75–79 670 000 550 000 0.74 80+ 820 000 920 000 1.06Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPer cent 0–14 24 535 272 23 929 621 48 464 893 28.81 15–64 54 843 936 55 713 243 110 557 179 65.72 65+ 4 810 792 4 387 136 9 197 928 5.47
Gender ratio
Age range (years)Sex ratio (males/females) (2015 est.) at birth 1.04 0–14 1.03 15–24 0.89 25–54 0.90 55–64 1.01 65 and over 0.97 total population 0.95
Urban and rural The sprawling mega-city of Dhaka has a huge population, but the majority of the people nonetheless still live in villages in rural areas. Urban population: 37.4% of total population (2019 est.) Rate of urbanisation: 3.13% annual rate of change (2019 est.) Bangladesh is considered an urban country based on their population density
Population
Vital statistics
UN estimates
The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. Population estimates account for under numeration in population censuses.
YearMid-year populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Crude migration rate (per 1000)Total fertility rate (TFR)Infant mortality (per 1000 live births)Life expectancy (in years)195039,729,0001,848,0001,072,000 776,00046.527.019.56.30219.238.181951 40,549,000 1,907,000 1,066,000 842,00047.026.320.8 −0.26.34213.638.861952 41,427,000 1,960,000 1,056,000 904,00047.325.521.8 −0.16.35208.139.691953 42,329,000 2,016,000 1,067,000 949,00047.625.222.4 −0.66.38203.139.941954 43,282,000 2,079,000 1,047,000 1,032,00048.024.223.8 −1.36.44197.641.161955 44,316,000 2,140,000 1,044,000 1,096,00048.323.524.7 −0.86.49192.841.891956 45,408,000 2,198,000 1,048,000 1,150,00048.423.125.3 −0.76.53188.442.421957 46,561,000 2,262,000 1,037,000 1,225,00048.622.326.3 −0.96.57183.543.411958 47,743,000 2,329,000 1,043,000 1,286,00048.721.826.9 −1.56.62179.543.931959 49,005,000 2,405,000 1,045,000 1,360,00049.021.327.7 −1.36.71175.444.601960 50,396,000 2,493,000 1,070,000 1,423,00049.521.228.2 0.26.78173.444.741961 51,883,000 2,574,000 1,064,000 1,510,00049.620.529.1 0.46.83168.345.661962 53,462,000 2,650,000 1,055,000 1,595,00049.619.729.8 0.66.87164.346.701963 55,094,000 2,704,000 1,084,000 1,620,00049.119.729.4 1.16.84162.646.661964 56,774,000 2,760,000 1,068,000 1,692,00048.618.829.8 0.76.84158.747.741965 58,500,000 2,816,000 1,130,000 1,686,00048.219.328.8 1.66.83159.046.861966 60,265,000 2,881,000 1,088,000 1,792,00047.818.129.7 0.56.82154.748.581967 62,104,000 2,966,000 1,107,000 1,859,00047.817.829.9 0.66.85153.348.871968 63,996,000 3,046,000 1,130,000 1,916,00047.617.629.9 0.66.85152.549.091969 65,867,000 3,134,000 1,159,000 1,975,00047.517.629.9 −0.76.86152.049.171970 67,542,000 3,209,000 1,509,000 1,701,00047.422.325.1 0.36.88165.342.591971 68,376,000 3,262,0002,811,000451,00047.641.06.6 5.76.87199.426.001972 69,347,000 3,300,000 1,189,000 2,112,00047.517.130.4 −16.26.85151.349.591973 71,145,000 3,349,000 1,211,000 2,137,00047.017.030.0 −4.16.82151.149.831974 72,948,000 3,414,000 1,275,000 2,139,00046.717.429.2 −3.96.79153.649.161975 74,700,000 3,461,000 1,246,000 2,215,00046.216.629.5 −5.56.74149.350.291976 76,380,000 3,540,000 1,260,000 2,280,00046.216.429.7 −7.26.67147.950.651977 78,138,000 3,610,000 1,266,000 2,344,00046.116.129.9 −6.96.59146.151.201978 80,008,000 3,661,000 1,289,0002,372,00045.616.129.5 −5.66.52143.951.251979 81,908,000 3,735,000 1,306,000 2,429,00045.515.929.6 −5.96.42141.351.461980 83,930,000 3,793,000 1,313,000 2,479,00045.115.629.5 −4.86.32138.651.851981 86,155,000 3,859,000 1,324,000 2,535,00044.715.429.4 −2.96.24135.752.171982 88,555,0003,922,000 1,332,000 2,590,00044.315.029.2 −1.36.12132.652.541983 91,045,000 3,899,000 1,327,000 2,572,00042.814.628.2 −0.15.89129.253.011984 93,534,000 3,914,000 1,318,000 2,596,00041.814.127.7 −0.45.73125.853.541985 95,959,000 3,913,000 1,317,000 2,597,00040.713.727.0 −1.15.54122.653.901986 98,272,000 3,880,000 1,301,000 2,579,00039.413.226.2 −2.15.30118.454.421987 100,490,000 3,858,000 1,286,000 2,572,00038.312.825.6 −3.05.07114.754.931988 102,689,000 3,803,000 1,290,000 2,513,00037.012.524.4 −2.54.84110.955.031989 104,894,000 3,801,000 1,299,000 2,501,00036.212.423.8 −2.34.68106.955.091990 107,148,000 3,750,000 1,257,000 2,492,00035.112.023.2 −1.74.48103.055.991991 109,243,000 3,660,000 1,375,000 2,285,00033.612.920.7 −1.34.26103.654.151992 111,272,000 3,604,000 1,178,000 2,426,00032.411.221.2 −3.24.0395.257.641993 113,419,000 3,579,000 1,174,000 2,404,00031.410.920.5 −1.93.8391.357.931994 115,615,000 3,627,000 1,153,000 2,474,00031.110.520.6 −2.03.7487.358.621995 117,793,000 3,593,000 1,120,000 2,472,00030.410.120.2 −2.23.5983.459.471996 119,877,000 3,597,000 1,138,000 2,458,00030.09.820.3 −2.83.5179.559.491997 122,039,000 3,692,000 1,047,000 2,646,00030.49.421.0 −3.63.5075.561.431998 124,350,000 3,711,000 936,000 2,775,00030.29.021.1 −3.43.4371.863.921999 126,755,000 3,723,000846,0002,877,00029.98.621.2 −3.43.3668.166.232000 129,193,000 3,747,000 887,000 2,860,00029.68.321.3 −2.93.2864.665.782001 131,670,000 3,756,000 890,000 2,866,00029.27.921.2 −2.53.2061.366.142002 134,140,000 3,758,000 886,000 2,872,00028.57.620.9 −2.63.1358.266.612003 136,503,000 3,736,000 896,000 2,841,00027.77.320.4 −3.23.0355.366.822004 138,790,000 3,697,000 896,000 2,801,00027.07.119.9 −3.32.9452.667.192005 140,913,000 3,603,000 908,000 2,696,00026.16.819.2 −3.82.8550.067.302006 142,629,000 3,529,000 930,000 2,600,00025.36.618.6 −6.02.7647.567.242007 144,136,000 3,467,000 982,000 2,485,00024.56.518.0 −6.62.6745.466.712008 145,421,000 3,379,000 979,000 2,400,00023.76.317.4 −7.52.5843.067.052009 146,707,000 3,275,000 972,000 2,302,00022.86.216.6 −6.92.4841.067.402010 148,391,000 3,177,000 907,000 2,269,00021.96.015.8 −3.82.3839.068.642011 150,211,000 3,093,000 919,000 2,174,00021.15.915.2 −2.22.3137.268.812012 152,091,000 3,062,000 893,000 2,169,00020.75.814.9 −1.72.2635.669.552013 154,030,000 3,067,000 921,000 2,146,00020.65.814.8 −1.22.2533.969.572014 155,961,000 3,049,000 919,000 2,130,00020.35.714.6 −1.12.2332.469.992015 157,830,000 3,026,000 912,000 2,114,00020.35.614.6 −1.42.2330.970.492016 159,785,000 3,037,000 900,000 2,137,00020.25.614.7 −1.02.2329.471.092017 161,794,000 2,994,000 881,000 2,113,00020.05.514.5 −0.52.2128.071.792018 163,684,000 3,025,000 859,000 2,166,00020.15.414.6 −1.52.1926.672.572019 165,516,000 3,041,000 875,000 2,166,00020.15.414.8 −1.92.1825.272.812020 167,421,000 3,023,000 974,000 2,049,00020.36.114.2 −0.72.1824.071.972021 169,356,000 3,020,000 962,000 2,057,00020.46.314.1 −0.52.1722.972.382022 3,486,416 853,189 2,633,22720.65.015.52.182023 3,489,953 859,075 2,630,87820.45.015.32.162024 3,469,124 885,972 2,583,15220.05.114.92.142025 3,441,259 899,880 2,541,37919.65.114.52.11
Sample vital registration system