History & Background
Spanning roughly 10,000 square km across the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta shared between Bangladesh and India, the Sundarbans takes its name either from the dominant sundari tree or from "samudraban" (sea forest). Bangladesh's portion, covering about 60% of the total forest, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 in recognition of its unique tidal ecosystem, which shelters the Royal Bengal Tiger, saltwater crocodiles, spotted deer, and hundreds of bird species. The forest also serves as a critical natural barrier that has absorbed the force of numerous cyclones before they reach populated areas of southern Bangladesh.