1) A very low lying river delta (largely <3 m) – and still subsiding (8-18 mm/yr) due to sediment compaction. 2) Bangladesh’s 2 largest cities (Dhaka and Chittagong) are located on the coast and host >20 million people. Chittagong is the main port. 3) The triangular shape of the Bay of Bengal acts as a funnel for incoming water. 4) Tropical cyclones are areas of low atmospheric pressure - sea levels rise to create a ‘Storm Surge’ 5) Tropical cyclones bring intense rainfall and strong winds, which increasing wave height. 6) Engineered coastal embankments have helped to protect against storm surge and flooding since the 1960s. 7) Unconsolidated delta sediment is likely to be heavily eroded.  8) Mangrove swamps (which offer stability and a buffer to cyclones) are being deforested. 9) The Ganges and Brahmaputra river system is third largest discharge in the world (30,770 m3 per second). It also has the world’s largest suspended sediment load (1.84 billion tons per year). 10) An early warning system (Bangladesh cyclone preparedness program) uses >5000 volunteers to make people aware of oncoming cyclones. 11) Projected sea level rise ~ 55 cm within a century. 40% of Bangladesh’s farmland will be lost. 12) Emergency shelters provide safe evacuation points and temporary schools.

3.7 - Bangladesh under Pressure

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