World Facts

conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
Capital: Vientiane
Type of Government: Communist state-
Administrative Divisions: 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone** (khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 41.6% (male 1,300,094/female 1,289,227)
Agriculture: sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Airports: 44 (2004 est.)
With Paved Runways: total: 9
With Unpaved Runways:
Area: total: 236,800 sq km. slightly larger than Utah
Background: Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For three hundred years Lan Xang included large parts of present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closly aligned to Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.
Birth rate: 35.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget: revenues: $319.3 million
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)-
Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Communications:
Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991
Currency: kip (LAK)
Current account balance: $-58.35 million (2005 est.)
Death rate: 11.83 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external: $2.49 billion (2001)-
Dependency status: -
Dependent areas:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
Disputes - international: Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; Laos and Thailand pledge to complete demarcation of boundaries in 2005, while ongoing disputes over squatters and boundary encroachment by Thailand including Mekong River islets persist; in 2004 Cambodian-Laotian boundary commission agrees to re-erect missing markers in two adjoining provinces; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels-
Distribution of family income: -
Economic aid - donor:
Economic aid - recipient: $243 million (2001 est.)
Economy - overview: The government of Laos, one of the few remaining official Communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% in 1988-2004 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications, though the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system with possible support from Japan. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in food processing and mining. Construction will be another strong economic driver, especially as hydroelectric dam and road projects gain steam. In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based producers to face lower tariffs on exports. This may help spur growth. In addition, the European Union has agreed to provide $1 million to the Lao government for technical assistance in preparations for WTO membership. If the avian flu worsens and spreads in the region, however, prospects for tourism could dim.
Electricity - consumption:
Electricity - exports:
Electricity - imports:
Electricity - production:
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
Environment - current issues: unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water
Environment - International Agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
Ethnic groups: Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%
Exchange rates: kips per US dollar - 10,751 (2005), 10,820 (2004), 10,569 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.6 (2001)
Executive branch: chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27 March 2001)
Exports: $379 million (2005 est.)
Exports - partners: Thailand 19.3%, Vietnam 13.4%, France 8%, Germany 5.3%, UK 5% (2004)
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band
GDP (official exchange rate): $2.598 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (purchasing power parity): $11.92 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 48.6%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.2% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography - note: landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand-
Government - note:
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,700 (2003 est.)-
Heliports:
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2%-
Illicit drugs:
Imports: $541 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - partners: Thailand 60.5%, China 10.3%, Vietnam 7.1%, Singapore 4% (2004)
Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate: 13% (2005 est.)
Industries: copper, tin, and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement
Infant mortality rate: total: 85.22 deaths/1,000 live births
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.4% (2005 est.)
International organization participation: ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Internet country code: .la
Internet hosts: 937 (2003)
Internet users: 15,000 (2002)-
Investment (gross fixed):
Irrigated land: 1,640 sq km
Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National Assembly Standing Committee)
Labor force: 2.8 million (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Land boundaries: total: 5,083 km
Land use: arable land: 3.8%
Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Legal system: based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice
Legislative branch:
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 55.08 years
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam-
Major infectious diseases:
Manpower available for military service: males age 15-49: 1,500,625 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 15-49: 954,816 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 73,167 (2005 est.)
Map references: Southeast Asia
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Median age: total: 18.74 years-
Merchant marine: -
Military - note:
Military branches: Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $10.7 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.5% (2004)
Military service age and obligation: 15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)
National holiday: Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
Nationality: noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)-
Natural gas - consumption: -
Natural gas - exports: -
Natural gas - imports:
Natural gas - production: -
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Natural hazards: floods, droughts
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption: 2,950 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)-
Oil - proved reserves: -
People - note:
Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphadon, party president]; other parties proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders: noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975
Population: 6,217,141 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line: 40% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.42% (2005 est.)-
Ports and terminals: -
Public debt:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)-
Railways: -
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $217 million (August 2005)
Roadways: total: 32,620 km
Sex ratio:
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system: general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
Telephones - main lines in use: 61,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 55,200 (2002)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1999)
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Total fertility rate: 4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)-
Transportation - note:
Unemployment rate: 5.7% (1997 est.)-
Waterways: