Quick answerDhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, with 10,278,882 people inside the city limits in 2022. The wider metropolitan area had about 36.6 million people in 2022. It is best known for the Ahsan Manzil, the Lalbagh Fort and the National Parliament House. Its official language is Bengali, and its currency is the Bangladeshi taka.
Dhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, with about 10.3 million people in the city and about 36.6 million in the metropolitan area (2022). It stands on the Buriganga River in the Ganges Delta and is the nation's political, financial and cultural centre.
Key facts
| Country | Bangladesh |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 10,278,882 (2022) |
| Population (metro) | 36,585,479 (2022) · Dhaka metropolitan area (UN) |
| Elevation | 32 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Asia/Dhaka |
| Language | Bengali |
| Currency | Bangladeshi taka (BDT, ৳) |
| Coordinates | 23.7644° N, 90.3889° E |
Overview
Dhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, on the Buriganga River in the Ganges Delta in the centre of the country. The city itself had 10,278,882 residents in the 2022 census, while the metropolitan area held 36,585,479 people, and the city sits 32 metres above sea level. It is the largest Bengali-speaking city in the world.
The area of Dhaka has been inhabited since the first millennium, and an early modern city grew here from the 17th century as a provincial capital of the Mughal Empire, famous for its fine muslin. Its landmarks include the pink Ahsan Manzil palace, the 17th-century Lalbagh Fort, the Dhakeshwari Temple, the Star Mosque, and the National Parliament House, designed by the architect Louis Kahn.
Today Dhaka is the political, financial and cultural centre of Bangladesh and the hub of its garment industry. It ranks fourth in South Asia by GDP, and its streets are famous for their cycle rickshaws, which number in the hundreds of thousands. The city is widely considered one of the most densely populated built-up urban areas in the world.
What Dhaka is known for
- Ahsan Manzil
- Lalbagh Fort
- National Parliament House
- Rickshaws
- Jamdani weaving
- Sadarghat river port
Landmarks
- Ahsan Manzil
- Lalbagh Fort
- National Parliament House
- Dhakeshwari Temple
- Star Mosque
- Liberation War Museum
- Sadarghat
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Dhaka?
About 10.3 million people live in Dhaka (10,278,882 in the 2022 census). The wider metropolitan area had about 36.6 million people. That makes Dhaka the largest city in Bangladesh and one of the largest urban areas in the world, and the largest Bengali-speaking city on Earth.
What is Dhaka famous for?
Dhaka is famous as the capital of Bangladesh and the largest Bengali-speaking city in the world, and for the pink Ahsan Manzil palace, Lalbagh Fort and the National Parliament House. It is also known for its rickshaws, its muslin and jamdani weaving, and as one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
Where is Dhaka located?
Dhaka is in central Bangladesh, on the Buriganga River in the Ganges Delta. It is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh and the centre of the Dhaka Division. Its coordinates are 23.76° N, 90.39° E, and its time zone is Bangladesh Standard Time.
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Keep exploring
- Bangladesh — the country Dhaka is in
- Chattogram — another city in Bangladesh
- Khulna — another city in Bangladesh
- Rajshahi — another city in Bangladesh
- All cities in Bangladesh
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.