BANGLADESH (Asia)

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Hiding behind the evening-news images of cyclones and floods is a lush land with a rich history. Visit archaeological sites dating back over 2000 years, check out the longest beach and the largest littoral mangrove forest in the world, and see the decaying mansions of 19th-century maharajas.

Despite being the world's most crowded country, rural Bangladesh feels relaxed, spacious and friendly: travellers from India have been agreeably surprised to find border officials offering them cups of tea rather than reams of forms to fill in.

Facilities are limited but, if you have an independent streak, it's definitely worth avoiding the crowds heading to India and Nepal and following the old slogan of Bangladesh's tourist body: 'Come to Bangladesh before the tourists'.

Geographically, historically, and culturally, Bangladesh forms the larger and more populous part of Bengal, the remainder of which constitutes the neighboring Indian state of Bangla. From 1947 to 1971 the region of Bangladesh was a province of Pakistan. As such, its official designation was changed from East Bengal to East Pakistan in 1955. On March 26, 1971, leaders of East Pakistan declared the region independent as Bangladesh (Bengali for "Bengal nation"), and its independence was assured on December 16, 1971, when Pakistani troops in the region surrendered to a joint force of Bangladeshi and Indian troops.