View source for Place:Countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal

[[File:Bay of Bengal map.png|thumb|300px|Map of the Bay of Bengal region]]
The '''countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal''' include littoral and landlocked countries that depend on the Bay of Bengal for maritime usage. Historically, the Bay of Bengal has been a highway of transport, trade and cultural exchange between diverse peoples encompassing [[Place:South Asia|South Asia]] and [[Place:Southeast Asia|Southeast Asia]]. Today, the Bay of Bengal region is the convergence of two major geopolitical blocs- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the [[Organization:South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation|South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation]] (SAARC). The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) promotes regional engagement in the area.

The Bay of Bengal countries are often categorized into a maritime [[Earth:Subregion|subregion]]. The bay hosts vital shipping routes linking its littoral and landlocked hinterland with the [[Earth:Indian Ocean|Indian Ocean]]. Its sea bed is being explored and exploited for [[Chemistry:Hydrocarbon|hydrocarbon]] reserves.

==Littoral countries==
*{{flag|Bangladesh}} The republic of Bangladesh is the eighth-most populous country in the world. It is located at the northern apex of the Bay of Bengal, forming the largest and eastern part of the bay's historical namesake region, Bengal. It is hugely dependent on the bay for sources of nutrition (fish), shipping, energy and employment.<ref>{{cite web |author=Hafez Ahmed |url=http://print.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/old/more.php?news_id=123499&date=2012-03-15 |title=BD wins maritime suit against Myanmar |website=Print.thefinancialexpress-bd.com |date= |accessdate=2017-07-23 }} </ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Ravi Prasad, Special to Hart Energy |url=http://www.epmag.com/bangladesh-focuses-bay-bengal-762006 |title=Bangladesh Focuses On Bay Of Bengal &#124; Exploration & Production |publisher=Epmag.com |date=2014-11-19 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref> The Bangladeshi port of Chittagong is one of the busiest ports on the bay. The Bangladeshi capital [[Place:Dhaka|Dhaka]] hosts the headquarters of BIMSTEC. *{{flag|India}} The {{wipe|India}}n states of West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have coastlines on the Bay of Bengal. India's eastern military command is based in the port city of [[Place:Kolkata|Kolkata]], a former Indian capital. Two of India's busiest ports Chennai and Vizag are also located on the bay. In addition to mainland India's coastline, the Indian union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is located on the bay. The islands are largely reserved as a base for the Indian military.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/andamans-strong-navy-army-base-developed-commercial-hub/1/955173.html |title=With strong navy and army base, 'Andamans should be developed as commercial hub' : FYI, News - India Today |publisher=Indiatoday.intoday.in |date=2017-05-16 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref>
*{{flag|Indonesia}} The northern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, including the province of Aceh, forms the southeastern boundary of the Bay of Bengal.<ref name="britannica1">{{cite web|last=Verlaan |first=Philomene A. |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Bay-of-Bengal |title=Bay of Bengal &#124; bay, Indian Ocean |publisher=Britannica.com |date=1959-08-21 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref> 
*{{flag|Myanmar}} Formerly known as Burma, Myanmar's entire coastline is located on the Bay of Bengal. Its largest city and commercial capital [[Place:Yangon|Yangon]] is located in the littoral Irrawaddy delta on the bay. Myanmar's Rakhine State forms a large part of the country's coastline. Rakhine State's provincial capital is the port city of Sittwe.
*{{flag|Sri Lanka}} Dondra Head in southern Sri Lanka forms the southwestern boundary of the Bay of Bengal.<ref name="britannica1"/> The coastline includes Sri Lanka's Eastern, Northern and Southern provinces. The Sri Lankan ports of Jaffna, Trincomalee and Hambantota are located on the bay. Western Sri Lanka's Colombo port relies on the bay's transshipment traffic.
*{{flag|Thailand}} As a peripheral country,<ref name="britannica1"/> Thailand's western coastline is linked with the Bay of Bengal through the Andaman Sea, a marginal sea of the Indian Ocean.

==Landlocked countries and regions==
*{{flag|Bhutan}} The landlocked Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is dependent on the Bay of Bengal as its sole maritime access route. Bhutan currently uses Indian and Bangladeshi seaports for maritime trade. Bhutan is dependent on the Indian port of Kolkata
*{{flag|China}} The Bay of Bengal's coastline with Myanmar has been described as China's "second coast".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/ChinasSecondCoast_ngoswami_190614 |title=China's Second Coast: Implications for Northeast India &#124; Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses |publisher=Idsa.in |date=2014-06-19 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref> The Sino-Myanmar pipelines transport oil and natural gas from the deep-water port of Kyaukpyu to Yunnan Province. The Tibet Autonomous Region also forms part of the Bay of Bengal's landlocked hinterland
*{{flag|India}} Landlocked Northeast India's only maritime passage depends on the Bay of Bengal. The Kolkata Port in West Bengal, {{wipe|India}} serves this region. The landlocked states include Assam, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
*{{flag|Nepal}} The landlocked republic of Nepal forms part of the wider hinterland of the Bay of Bengal. Nepal has transit agreements with India and Bangladesh for use of seaports.

==Other dependent countries==
*{{flag|Maldives}} Although the Maldives is not located in the Bay of Bengal, its fishing industry depends on the bay. Fishing is one of the chief employment sectors in the Maldives. 
*{{flag|Malaysia}} Peninsular Malaysia is located near the Bay of Bengal. The Malaysian fishing and international trade sectors depend on the Bay of Bengal. 
*{{flag|Singapore}} Singapore's economy relies significantly on container traffic from the littoral Bay of Bengal countries, which use the Port of Singapore for transshipment.

==Maritime history==
===Early history===
[[File:Indian_cultural_zone.svg|thumb|right|240x180px|Historic Indian cultural influence in South Asia and Southeast Asia: Indianized Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms within [[Social:Greater India|Greater India]] were spread across Indonesia and Malaysia (Srivijaya, Majapahit, Gangga Negara, Kalingga, Kutai, Singhasari, Tarumanagara and Pan Pan), Malaysia (Langkasuka, Thailand (Dvaravati), Indochina (Champa, Funan, and Chenla), and Myanmar (Pagan).]] 

Prince Vijaya, the first recorded king of Sri Lanka, traveled from ancient Vanga (Bengal) through the Bay of Bengal to the island of Lanka and colonized it. Ancient [[Social:Malay language|Malay]] chronicles record the sailor Buddha Gupta traveling from Bengal to the [[Place:Malay Archipelago|Malay Archipelago]] through the Bay of Bengal.<ref name="Suhrawardi2015">{{cite book|author=Ghulam M. Suhrawardi|title=Bangladesh Maritime History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-HgZCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA83|date=6 November 2015|publisher=FriesenPress|isbn=978-1-4602-7278-7|page=83}}</ref> Ptolemy's map refers to the Bay of Bengal as the Gulf of the Ganges.<ref name="Suárez1992">{{cite book|author=Thomas Suárez|title=Shedding the Veil: Mapping the European Discovery of America and the World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XqjsCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT35|date=31 March 1992|publisher=World Scientific|isbn=978-981-4505-79-6|page=35}}</ref>

Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms in Southeast Asia depended on the Bay of Bengal for trade and cultural exchange. The South Indian [[History:Chola dynasty|Chola dynasty]] dominated the region in the 11th century, with records describing the Bay of Bengal as ''Chola's Lake''.<ref name="KulkeKesavapany2009">{{cite book|author1=Hermann Kulke|author2=K Kesavapany|author3=Vijay Sakhuja|title=Nagapattinam to Suvarnadwipa: Reflections on the Chola Naval Expeditions to Southeast Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2swhCXJVRzwC&pg=PA80|year=2009|publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies|isbn=978-981-230-937-2|page=80}}</ref>

Islam in Southeast Asia also spread through the Bay of Bengal, by serving as a bridge between the Malay Archipelago and Indo-Islamic states in the subcontinent.<ref>{{cite book|author=Sunil S. Amrith|title=Crossing the Bay of Bengal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eWwAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA37|date=7 October 2013|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-72846-2|page=37}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Robert D. Kaplan |url=https://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/24/opinion/la-oe-kaplan-20101024 |title=Eastern Islam and the 'clash of civilizations' |website=Articles.latimes.com |date=2010-10-24 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref>

In the 14th and 15th centuries, explorers like Ibn Battuta of Morocco, Niccolo De Conti of the Venetian Republic and Admiral Zheng He of Imperial China ventured through the Bay of Bengal. The [[History:Maldives|Maldives]] depended on the Bay of Bengal for its huge shell currency trade.<ref>Boomgaard, P. (1 January 2008). "Linking Destinies: Trade, Towns and Kin in Asian History". BRILL – via Google Books.</ref>

In the 16th century, the Portuguese empire began traversing the sea routes of the Bay of Bengal. Portuguese maps referred to the bay as the "Gulf of Bengal".<ref name="Amrith2013">{{cite book|author=Sunil S. Amrith|title=Crossing the Bay of Bengal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eWwAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA18|date=7 October 2013|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-72846-2|page=18}}</ref> The Burmese Empires and the [[History:Kingdom of Mrauk U|Kingdom of Mrauk U]] were major powers on the Bay of Bengal. The Kingdom of Mrauk U engaged in a naval war with the Mughal Empire of India in 1666. In the 18th century, numerous European trading companies established settlements across the region.

In the 19th century, the British government established direct crown rule in the Indian subcontinent; while the Dutch government established supremacy in the Indonesian archipelago. Colonialism disrupted and ended the region's traditional maritime networks.

===Modern era===
In the early 20th century, shipping between British India and British Burma rapidly increased. Rangoon became one of the world's busiest ports for immigrant arrivals, ranking alongside {{wipe|New York City}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzBh71QMuqw |title=The Bay of Bengal: Rise and Decline of a South Asian Region |publisher=YouTube |date=2014-06-16 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref> In Rangoon, thousands of Indian migrants arrived to settle in British Burma. The migration fostered strong economic links between India and Burma. British Burma's petroleum industry supplied much of India's petroleum demand. However, commercial links were disrupted during [[Social:World War II|World War II]], when Burma came under Japanese occupation. The Japanese took control of the Andaman Islands and used them as a penal colony. After the partition of India in 1947 and Burma's independence in 1948, there was a decline in Indo-Burmese commerce.

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 over Bangladesh's independence, the Indian and Pakistani navies engaged in naval combat in the Bay of Bengal. A Pakistani submarine, the {{ship|PNS|Ghazi||6}}, sunk in the bay. In December 1971, the {{wipe|United States}} and [[Place:Soviet Union|Soviet Union]] mobilized naval strike groups around the Bay of Bengal.<ref>Rais, R.B (1987), The Indian Ocean and the Superpowers, Rowman & Littlefield, {{ISBN|0-389-20695-4}}.</ref>

Bangladesh and Myanmar engaged in a naval standoff over disputed maritime territory in 2008. The two countries settled their maritime boundary dispute in 2012 at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.itlos.org/fileadmin/itlos/documents/cases/case_no_16/C16_Judgment_14_03_2012_rev.pdf |title=INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR THE LAW OF THE SEA |date=2012 |website=Itlos.org |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref> In 2014, India and Bangladesh resolved their maritime boundary disputes at a UN tribunal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bangladesh-wins-maritime-dispute-with-india/article6191797.ece |title=Bangladesh wins maritime dispute with India |newspaper=The Hindu |date= 9 July 2014|accessdate=2017-07-23|last1=Habib |first1=Haroon }}</ref>

The Rohingya refugee crisis, caused by persecution in Myanmar's Rakhine State, has been a major humanitarian and security challenge in the region.

==Demographics==
=== Population ===
According to Sunil S. Amrith, one in four people on earth live in the countries that border the Bay of Bengal. Its littoral areas — including coastal regions of eastern India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Sumatra — are home to over half a billion people.<ref>{{cite news|author=Sunil S. Amrith |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/14/opinion/the-bay-of-bengal-in-peril-from-climate-change.html |title=The Bay of Bengal, in Peril From Climate Change |newspaper={{wipe|The New York Times}} |date=2013-10-13 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref>
{|class="infobox" style="text-align:center; width:97%; margin-right:10px Ki; font-size:90%"
|+Most populous urban areas among littoral Bay of Bengal countries
|-
!rowspan=23 width:150|<br />
[[File:GulshanDhaka.jpg|border|135px|Dhaka]]<br />Dhaka<br />[[File:Kolkata skyline at night.jpg|150px|Kolkata]]<br/>Kolkata

[[File:Aerial view of Lumphini Park.jpg|135px|Bangkok]]<br />Bangkok<br />
<br />
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|Rank
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|City
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|Country
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|Region/County
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|Population (urban)
!rowspan=23 width:150|
[[File:Jakarta.jpg|135px|Jakarta]]<br />Jakarta<br />
[[File:Parrys Corner, Chennai, India.jpg|135px|Chennai]]<br />Chennai<br />
[[File:Central Business District 05.jpg|135px|Yangon]]<br />Yangon<br />
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|1||align=left|'''[[Place:Dhaka|Dhaka]]'''||Bangladesh||Dhaka Division||18,898,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/dhaka-population/ |title=Dhaka Population 2017 |publisher=World Population Review |date=2016-11-19 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|2||align=left|'''[[Place:Kolkata|Kolkata]]'''||{{wipe|India}}||West Bengal||14,617,882<ref>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/paper2/data_files/india2/Million_Plus_UAs_Cities_2011.pdf |title=Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011 |website=Censusindia.gov.in |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|3||align=left|'''[[Place:Bangkok|Bangkok]]'''||Thailand||Bangkok Province||14,565,547<ref name="2010 census 1">{{cite web|title=Table 1 Population by sex, household type and household by type, average size of private household by region and area: 2010 |url=http://service.nso.go.th/nso/nso_center/project/table/files/C-pop/2553/000/00_C-pop_2553_000_010000_00100.xls |publisher=National Statistics Office|work=Statistic tables, NSO website|accessdate=18 September 2012}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|4||align=left|'''[[Place:Jakarta|Jakarta]]'''||Indonesia||Special Capital Region||10,075,310<ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.jakarta.go.id/user/login?came_from=http%3A%2F%2Fdata.jakarta.go.id%2Fdataset%2Fdata-jumlah-penduduk-dki-jakarta |title=Masuk |publisher=data.jakarta.go.id |date=2015-03-30 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref> 
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|5||align=left|'''Chennai'''||{{wipe|India}}||Tamil Nadu||8,917,749<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citypopulation.de/India-TamilNadu.html |title=Tamil Nādu (India): State, Major Agglomerations & Cities - Population Statistics in Maps and Charts |publisher=Citypopulation.de |date= |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|6||align=left|'''[[Place:Yangon|Yangon]]'''||Myanmar||Yangon Region||7,360,703<ref name="google1">{{cite web|url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B067GBtstE5TeUlIVjRjSjVzWlk/view |title=Census Main Report (UNION) - ENGLISH.pdf - Google Drive |date= |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|7||align=left|'''Chittagong'''||Bangladesh||Chittagong Division||4,009,423<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbs.gov.bd/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/National%20Reports/Union%20Statistics.pdf |title=Wayback Machine |accessdate=2017-07-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208044832/http://www.bbs.gov.bd/WebTestApplication/userfiles/Image/National%20Reports/Union%20Statistics.pdf |archivedate=2015-12-08 }}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|8||align=left|'''[[Place:Colombo|Colombo]]'''||Sri Lanka||Western Province||2,323,826<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LccRAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA726#v=onepage |title=Britannica Book of the Year 2014 - Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. - Google Books |date= March 2014|isbn=9781625131713 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|9||align=left|'''Gazipur City'''||Bangladesh||Dhaka Division||1,820,374<ref name="citypopulation.de">{{Cite web | url=http://citypopulation.de/Bangladesh-UA.html |title = Bangladesh: Divisions and Urban Areas - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|10||align=left|'''Mandalay'''||Myanmar||Mandalay Region||1,726,889<ref name="google1"/>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|11||align=left|'''Narayanganj'''||Bangladesh||Dhaka Division||1,636,441<ref name="citypopulation.de"/>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|12||align=left|'''Khulna'''||Bangladesh||Khulna Division||1,636,441<ref name="citypopulation.de"/>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|13||align=left|'''Guwahati'''||{{wipe|India}}||Assam||962,334<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/census/city/191-guwahati.html |title=Guwahati City Population Census 2011 &#124; Assam |publisher=Census2011.co.in |date= |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|14||align=left|'''Chiang Mai'''||Thailand||Chiang Mai Province||960,906
|-
| colspan="5"  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|<small>Sources: Census reports of Bangladesh, Thailand, India and Myanmar</small>
|}
{{clear}}

==Economy==
===Statistical data (2017)===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Country !! Nominal GDP !! [[Finance:Purchasing power parity|Purchasing power parity]] !! [[Social:Per capita|Per capita]] !! [[Finance:Currency|Currency]]
|-
| Bangladesh || $246 billion || $686 billion || $1508 || Bangladeshi taka
|-
| Bhutan || $2 billion|| $7 billion || $2,674 || [[Finance:Bhutanese ngultrum|Bhutanese ngultrum]]
|-
| {{wipe|China}} || $11 trillion || $23 trillion || $8,113|| Reminbi
|-
| {{wipe|India}} || $2 trillion || $8.7 trillion || $1723 || Indian rupee
|-
| Indonesia || $932 billion || $3.2 trillion || $3604 || [[Finance:Indonesian rupiah|Indonesian rupiah]]
|-
| Myanmar || $66 billion || $334 billion || $1269 || Myanmar kyat
|-
| Nepal || $21 billion || $77 billion || $733 || [[Finance:Nepalese rupee|Nepalese rupee]]
|-
| Sri Lanka || $82 billion|| $278 billion || $3887 || Sri Lankan rupee
|-
| Thailand || $406 billion || $1 trillion || $5889 || [[Physics:Thai baht|Thai baht]]
|}

===Fishing===
Fisheries is an important economic activity in countries with coasts along the Bay of Bengal, particularly in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh,
Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia. The fishing industry in the Bay of Bengal area provides employment and sustenance to large numbers of people. Based on a recent estimate, the total number employed on a full-time basis in fisheries in the area covered by the Bay of Bengal is 1.85 million. In
addition, a large number of people are engaged in fishing as a part-time activity. The total population in the households of those engaged in fishing, full-time or part-time, in this area, is estimated at around ten million.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp.fao.org/DOCREP/FAO/field/006/ad480e/ad480e01.pdf |title=Fisheries in the Bay of Bengal |website=FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department |access-date=1 August 2017}}</ref>

In recent years, the fishing industry has developed into an important earner of foreign exchange through the export of marine and aquatic products. In Bangladesh fish exports account for 15 per cent of the total export earnings. Though the percentage contribution of the fisheries sector to total export earnings of the country is yet marginal in the other countries in absolute terms, the export earnings have been increasing very fast. As export items, fish and fish products are very important, as the net earnings from these products are extremely high, a result of their being almost one hundred per cent local resource-based.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>

The increased production of marine fish has come primarily through the motorization of traditional craft, the introduction of new craft and the introduction and popularization of new’ types of synthetic gear, which have replaced the traditional gear. It is in Thailand alone that the private/commercial sector has taken the initiative of introducing and extending craft and gear; there has been very little state support or intervention in these activities in this country.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> The increasing emphasis accorded to the development of coastal aquaculture is another feature common to almost every country in the region. In countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India, a primary reason for the increased emphasis on coastal aquaculture is the increase in foreign exchange earnings generated from shrimp farming.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>

===Tourism===
Thailand's Andaman coast is the largest hub of tourism in the region. Sri Lanka's tourism industry has seen growth despite decades of civil war in the country's north. Bangladesh and India have significantly developed their domestic tourism industries, such as in Cox's Bazar. South India's renowned temple cities, such as Tanjore, are located near the Bay of Bengal. In Bangladesh, the notable mosque city of Bagerhat is located near the Bay of Bengal. Myanmar has prioritized tourism development, particularly in cultural heritage sites like Mrauk U and Bagan.

===Transport===
The Port of Colombo in Sri Lanka handles over 5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU)s of container traffic. The Port of Chittagong in Bangladesh handles over 2 million TEUs of container traffic. The Port of Chennai in India handles around 1.7 million TEUs of container traffic. Ports which handle over 100,000 TEUs of container traffic include the Port of Kolkata, Tuticorin Port Trust, the Port of [[Place:Yangon|Yangon]], Port of Mongla and Port of Vizag. Colombo is the busiest seaport in BIMSTEC. Chittagong is the busiest seaport on the Bay of Bengal coastline,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seanews.com.tr/chittagong-breaks-record-tops-2-million-teu-a-year-sooner-than-targeted/158288/ |title=Chittagong breaks record, tops 2 million TEU a year sooner than targeted - PORTS |publisher=SeaNews |date= |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref> followed by Chennai, Kolkata, Tuticorin, Yangon, Visakhapatnam and Mongla.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=145881 |title=Chennai Port trust : performance during the year |publisher=Pib.nic.in |date=2016-04-16 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref><ref name="kolkataporttrust1">{{cite web |url=http://www.kolkataporttrust.gov.in/showfile.php?layout=2&lid=1714 |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2017-07-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616194355/http://kolkataporttrust.gov.in/showfile.php?layout=2&lid=1714 |archivedate=2017-06-16 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/vizag-port-poised-to-emerge-as-transhipment-hub/article8457021.ece |title=Vizag port poised to emerge as transhipment hub |newspaper=The Hindu |date=2016-04-10 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref><ref name="worldbank1">{{cite web|url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IS.SHP.GOOD.TU |title=Container port traffic (TEU: 20 foot equivalent units) &#124; Data |publisher=Data.worldbank.org |date= |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joc.com/port-news/asian-ports/bangladesh-port-expands-shippers-seek-chittagong-alternative_20170607.html |title=Bangladesh port expands as shippers avoid Chittagong |website=Joc.com |date=2012-06-05 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref> Sittwe Port and Hambantota are other important ports in the region.

Thailand and India signed direct coastal shipping agreements with Bangladesh in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.porttechnology.org/news/bangladesh_thailand_in_multi_billion_trade_boom |title=Bangladesh-Thailand in Multi-Billion Trade Boom? - Port Technology International |website=Porttechnology.org |date=2016-02-10 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/india-and-bangladesh-sign-standard-operating-procedure-to-operationalize-agreement-on-coastal-shipping/ |title=India And Bangladesh Sign Standard Operating Procedure To Operationalize Agreement On Coastal Shipping |website=Marineinsight.com |date=2016-12-29 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref>

====Busiest seaports (2015-16)====
{|class="infobox" style="text-align:center; width:97%; margin-right:10px; font-size:90%"
|+Top seaports in the Bay of Bengal littoral region
|-
!rowspan=23 width:150|<br />
[[File:20160122 Sri Lanka 3614 Colombo sRGB (25470240960).jpg|border|135px|Colombo]]<br />Colombo<br />
[[File:Chittagong Port Area 12.jpg|border|135px|Chittagong]]<br />Chittagong<br />
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|Rank
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|Port City
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|Harbour
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|Country
!  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|Container traffic (TEU)
!rowspan=23 width:150|
[[File:Kolkata port 20170924 100222.jpg|border|135px|Kolkata]]<br />Kolkata<br />
[[File:Vizag Seaport aerial view.jpg|border|135px|Vizag]]<br />Vizag<br />
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|1||align=left|'''[[Place:Colombo|Colombo]]'''||Port of Colombo||Sri Lanka||5 million <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.lk/article/511147/Colombo-Port-creates-history-with-5-m-TEU-mark |title=Colombo Port creates history with 5 m TEU mark |publisher=Ft.lk |date=2015-12-21 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|2||align=left|'''Chittagong'''||Port of Chittagong||Bangladesh||2.2 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/10/08/chittagong-port-ranks-76th-lloyds-register/ |title=Chittagong Port ranks 76th in Lloyd's Register |website=Dhakatribune.com |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|3||align=left|'''Chennai'''||Port of Chennai||{{wipe|India}}||1.5 million<ref name="autogenerated2"/>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|4||align=left|'''[[Place:Kolkata|Kolkata]]'''||Port of Kolkata||{{wipe|India}}||771,676{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}}</small><ref name="JOC">{{cite web | url = http://www.joc.com/port-news/asian-ports/port-nhava-sheva/india’s-major-ports-see-67-percent-growth-container-volumes_20150407.html | title = India's major ports see 6.7 percent growth in container volumes | publisher = JOC.co | date = 7 April 2015| accessdate = 27 June 2015}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|5||align=left|'''Tuticorin'''||Tuticorin Port Trust||{{wipe|India}}||560,000 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joc.com/port-news/asian-ports/port-nhava-sheva/india%E2%80%99s-major-ports-see-67-percent-growth-container-volumes_20150407.html |title=India's major ports see 6.7 percent growth in container volumes |publisher=Joc.com |date=2012-06-05 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|6||align=left|'''Visakhapatnam'''||Visakhapatnam Port||{{wipe|India}}||291,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/vizag-port-poised-to-emerge-as-transhipment-hub/article8457021.ece |title=Vizag port poised to emerge as transhipment hub |publisher=The Hindu |date=2016-04-10 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|7||align=left|'''[[Place:Yangon|Yangon]]'''||Port of Yangon||Myanmar||244,888<ref name="worldbank1"/>
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;"|8||align=left|'''Mongla'''||Port of Mongla||Bangladesh||100,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.joc.com/port-news/asian-ports/bangladesh-port-expands-shippers-seek-chittagong-alternative_20170607.html |title=Bangladesh port expands as shippers avoid Chittagong |publisher=Joc.com |date=2012-06-05 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref>
|-
| colspan="5"  style="text-align:center; background:#f5f5f5;"|<small></small>
|}
{{clear}}

===Oil and gas===
The Bay of Bengal has large untapped oil and [[Chemistry:Natural gas|natural gas]] reserves.<ref>{{cite news|author=Sajeeb Wazed |url=http://thediplomat.com/2017/07/investment-in-bay-of-bengal-will-unlock-potential-for-billions/ |title=Investment in Bay of Bengal Will Unlock Potential for Billions |newspaper=The Diplomat |date= |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref> Geologists believe the region holds many of the largest reserves in the [[Earth:Asia-Pacific|Asia-Pacific]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Jack Detsch |url=http://thediplomat.com/2014/11/bangladesh-asias-new-energy-superpower/ |title=Bangladesh: Asia's New Energy Superpower? |newspaper=The Diplomat |date= |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref> Currently, there are few offshore platforms operating in the Bay of Bengal. The Shwe offshore platform is operated by Daewoo International for supplies to China through Myanmar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.offshore-mag.com/articles/print/volume-73/issue-02/departments/vessels-rigs-surface-systems/shwe-platform-installed-off-myanmar.html|title=SHWE platform installed off Myanmar|website=Offshore-mag.com|accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref> Bangladesh's Sangu platform, which opened in 1994, was shut down in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/bangladesh-offshore-energy-idUSL4N0HR42Y20131001 |title=RPT-Santos closes down Bangladesh's only offshore gas field |publisher={{wipe|Reuters}} |date=2013-10-01 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref> India's Reliance Industries began production in an offshore block near India's coast in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/74634/reliance_fires_up_gas_production_from_indias_kgd6_block |title=Reliance Fires Up Gas Production from India's KG-D6 Block &#124; Rigzone |website=Rigzone.com |date=2009-04-02 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref>

==Security and strategic importance==
[[File:US Navy 110922-N-KK935-221 Ships from the U.S. and Bangladesh Navies transit as part of the sea phase of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training.jpg|thumb|CARAT 2013 in the Bay of Bengal]]
[[File:Ships from the Indian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the U.S. Navy sail in formation in the Bay of Bengal during exercise Malabar 2017.jpg|thumb|Malabar 2017 in the Bay of Bengal]]

===Common security space===
The BIMSTEC countries view the Bay of Bengal as a common security space. The first conference of national security chiefs in the region was held in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theindependentbd.com/post/86572 |title=Bimstec countries see Bay of Bengal as common security space |website=Theindependentbd.com |date= |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref>

===Non-traditional security challenges===
The Bay of Bengal has non-traditional security challenges of piracy, [[Social:Human trafficking|human trafficking]], terrorist networks and drug smuggling, which has led to greater cooperation between the navies of Bangladesh, India, the {{wipe|United States}} and Thailand.

===Sino-Indian rivalry===
The Bay of Bengal is a prime zone of strategic competition between two of Asia's largest countries- China and India. An example is in the case of Myanmar, where the Sino-Myanmar pipelines and Chinese-funded Kyaukpyu port project was followed by the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project funded by India. China and India have jostled for strategic influence in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The Sri Lankan port of Hambantota was built by the Chinese.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eastwestcenter.org/events/the-rise-the-bengal-tigers-the-growing-strategic-importance-the-bay-bengal |title=The Rise of the Bengal Tigers: The Growing Strategic Importance of the Bay of Bengal &#124; East-West Center |website=Eastwestcenter.org |date=2015-06-04 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author1=Constantino Xavier |author2=David Brewster |author3=Anthony Bergin |author4=C. Raja Mohan |url=http://carnegieindia.org/2017/02/07/bay-of-bengal-as-new-strategic-space-event-5509 |title=The Bay of Bengal as a New Strategic Space - Carnegie India - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace |publisher=Carnegie India |date= |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=David Brewster |url=https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-bay-of-bengal-the-indo-pacifics-new-zone-of-competition/ |title=The Bay of Bengal: the Indo-Pacific's new zone of competition &#124; The Strategist |website=Aspistrategist.org.au |date=2014-12-02 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref>

===Japanese initiatives===
In 2014, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced an initiative to develop an industrial corridor in Bangladesh to strengthen Japan's economic footprint in the region. The initiative is termed "Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt" (BIG-B).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jica.go.jp/bangladesh/english/office/activities/initiative.html |title=The Initiative of BIG-B (The Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt) &#124; Bangladesh &#124; Countries & Regions |website=Jica.gp.jp |date=2014-06-16 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref> Japan is keen to establish a maritime surveillance center for the Indian Ocean region in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bdnews24.com/neighbours/2017/04/20/japan-keen-on-making-sri-lanka-a-centre-for-strategic-maritime-surveillance |title=Japan keen on making Sri Lanka a centre for strategic maritime surveillance |website=Bdnews24.com |date=2017-04-20 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref>

===Naval competition===
Bangladesh, Thailand and Myanmar depend on China as a source of military equipment. Some analysts have speculated of an arms race emerging between these countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aseantoday.com/2017/01/aseans-new-arms-race-nations-scramble-to-rearm-as-concerns-over-security-grow/ |title=ASEAN's new arms race: nations scramble to rearm as concerns over security grow |website=Aseantoday.com |date= |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Saurav Jha |url=http://thediplomat.com/2016/12/the-bay-of-bengal-naval-arms-race/ |title=The Bay of Bengal Naval Arms Race |newspaper=The Diplomat |date=2014-04-23 |accessdate=2017-07-25}}</ref>

===Joint exercises===
The United States, a major Indo-Pacific naval power, conducts the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) involving Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. In 2011, CARAT was held off the coast of southeastern Bangladesh. The Malabar naval exercise is held by the navies of the United States, India and {{wipe|Japan}}.

===Natural disaster management===
The Bay of Bengal region has seen some of modern history's worst natural disasters, such as the 1970 Bhola cyclone and 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The international community often mobilizes naval forces to assist in relief operations in the aftermath of devastating natural disasters, with most recently being after Cyclone Sidr and Cyclone Nargis.

==See also==
* Eastern South Asia
* Andaman Sea
* Andaman and Nicobar Islands
* History of Indian influence on Southeast Asia
* Kra Isthmus
* Maritime Silk Route

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Regions of Asia]]

{{Sourceattribution|Countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal|1}}