Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Two-thirds of the arc shaped delta lie in Bangladesh. The 65,000 miles of land see between 80 and 120 inches of rainfall a year in the tropical wet climate. Lakes, swamps and a maze of waterways cover the delta, yet it is still one of the world's most densely populated areas.
Cyclones, monsoons and overflow of melting snow from the Himalayas make the delta a dangerous place to live, but the agricultural richness of the area outweighs the risks for the millions of people who need the mineral rich soil to survive. Fish, in addition to the tea, rice and jute grown here make up a large part of the diet.
Three ecozones cover the area and support a wide range of plant and animal life. Sundari, bamboo and mangrove date palms make up the bulk of the forests. Bengal tigers, Indian pythons, Asian elephants, leopards, deer, dolphins, crocodiles and a wide array of birds also inhabit the delta.
The extreme poverty of the people who live in this area will be a factor in their ability to withstand the results of a changing climate. Higher temperatures impact weather patterns, causing more devastating cyclones, and also will cause greater flooding when more of the Himalayan snow melts. A change of only half a meter in sea level could result in millions of people losing their homes.