Most people are farmers, relying on sustainable agriculture for their livelihood. About 90 percent of the arable land is used for growing rice, the staple of its population. Despite its staggering population, traditional farming methods and frequent natural disasters and political upheavals, the country appears to be moving toward self-sufficiency in food production. Bangladesh is a country of rivers. The rivers serve as the main source of water for cultivation and as principal arteries of transportation.
Rivers also provide fish, an important source of protein.
Flooding of the rivers during the summer causes hardship, but fresh deposits of rich silt replenish the fertile soil. In fact, floods have become a way of life for rural Bangladeshis. Bangladesh is noted for the remarkable ethnic and cultural homogeneity of its population. Bangladeshis are particularly proud of their rich cultural and linguistic heritage. They identify themselves closely with Bengali, their national language.