|
|
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 had influence
reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of
what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the
domination 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 closely
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. |
|
Location: |
Southeastern Asia, northeast of
Thailand, west of Vietnam |
|
Geographic coordinates: |
18 00 N, 105 00 E |
|
Map references: |
Southeast Asia |
|
Area: |
total: 236,800 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km |
|
Area - comparative: |
slightly larger than Utah
|
|
Land boundaries: |
total: 5,083 km
border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,
Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km |
|
Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked) |
|
Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked) |
|
Climate: |
tropical monsoon; rainy season
(May to November); dry season (December to April) |
|
Terrain: |
mostly rugged mountains; some
plains and plateaus |
|
Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Mekong
River 70 m
highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m |
|
Natural resources: |
timber, hydropower, gypsum,
tin, gold, gemstones |
|
Land use: |
arable land: 4.01%
permanent crops: 0.34%
other: 95.65% (2005) |
|
Irrigated land: |
1,750 sq km (2003) |
|
Total renewable water resources: |
333.6 cu km (2003) |
|
Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
Total: 3 cu km/yr
(4%/6%/90%)
Per capita: 507 cu m/yr (2000) |
|
Natural hazards: |
floods, droughts |
|
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
|
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 |
|
Population: |
6,521,998 (July 2007 est.)
|
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 41.2% (male
1,349,352/female 1,338,252)
15-64 years: 55.7% (male
1,795,029/female 1,835,168)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male
90,188/female 114,009) (2007 est.) |
|
Median age: |
total: 19 years
male: 18.7 years
female: 19.3 years (2007 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate: |
2.37% (2007 est.) |
|
Birth rate: |
34.98 births/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
|
Death rate: |
11.28 deaths/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
|
Net migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
|
Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.04
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.008 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.978 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.791 male(s)/female
total population: 0.984 male(s)/female
(2007 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate: |
total: 81.44
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 90.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 71.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 55.89
years
male: 53.82 years
female: 58.04 years (2007
est.) |
|
Total fertility rate: |
4.59 children born/woman (2007
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.1% (2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
1,700 (2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 200 (2003 est.)
|
|
Nationality: |
noun: Lao(s) or
Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao
Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao
9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1% |
|
Religions: |
Buddhist 65%, animist 32.9%,
Christian 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.8% (1995 census) |
|
Languages: |
Lao (official), French,
English, and various ethnic languages |
|
Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 68.7%
male: 77%
female: 60.9% (2001 est.) |
|
Country name: |
conventional long form:
Lao People's Democratic Republic
conventional short form: Laos
local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
local short form: none |
|
Government type: |
Communist state |
|
Capital: |
name: Vientiane
geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E
time
difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time) |
|
Administrative divisions: |
16 provinces (khoueng, singular
and plural), 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural);
Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha,
Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan
(Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang |
|
Independence: |
19 July 1949 (from France)
|
|
National holiday: |
Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
|
|
Constitution: |
promulgated 14 August 1991
|
|
Legal system: |
based on traditional customs,
French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
|
Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President
BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)
head of government:
Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June 2006); Deputy Prime
Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI
Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998),
and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001)
cabinet: Ministers
appointed by president, approved by National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by National
Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be
held in 2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by
National Assembly for five-year term
election results:
CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice
president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh
elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 97% |
|
Legislative branch: |
unicameral National Assembly
(115 seats; members elected by popular vote from a list of candidates
selected by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party
- LPRP 113, independents 2 |
|
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) |
|
Political parties and leaders: |
Lao People's Revolutionary
Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
political parties and groups
other than LPRP are proscribed |
|
International organization participation: |
ACCT, ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP,
EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer) |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador PHIANE Philakone
chancery: 2222 S Street NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO
embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam,
Vientiane
mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP
96546
telephone: [856] 21-26-7000
FAX: [856]
21-26-7190 |
|
Flag description: |
three horizontal bands of red
(top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in
the blue band |
|
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% per year in
1988-2007 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 about half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment.
The economy will continue to benefit from aid by the IMF and other
international sources and from new foreign investment in hydropower and
mining. Construction will be another strong economic driver, especially as
hydroelectric dam and road projects gain steam. Several policy changes
since 2004 may help spur growth. In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade
Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based producers to benefit
from lower tariffs on exports. Laos is taking steps to join the World
Trade Organization in the next few years; the resulting trade policy
reforms will improve the business environment. On the fiscal side, a
value-added tax (VAT) regime, slated to begin in 2008, would streamline
the government's inefficient tax system. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$12.61 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP (official exchange rate): |
$3.061 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP - real growth rate: |
7% (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$1,900 (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 41.2%
industry: 32.5%
services: 26.3% (2007 est.) |
|
Labor force: |
2.1 million (2006 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (2005 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate: |
2.4% (2005 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line: |
30.7% (2005 est.) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 28.5% (2002) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
34.6 (2002) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
5% (2007 est.) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $470.4 million
expenditures: $643.5 million (2007 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products: |
sweet potatoes, vegetables,
corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water
buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry |
|
Industries: |
copper, tin, and gypsum mining;
timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments,
tourism, cement |
|
Industrial production growth rate: |
12% (2007 est.) |
|
Electricity - production: |
1.715 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 1.4%
hydro: 98.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
|
|
Electricity - consumption: |
1.193 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - exports: |
728 million kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - imports: |
326 million kWh (2005) |
|
Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption: |
2,950 bbl/day (2005 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports: |
0 bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - imports: |
2,898 bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2005) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
|
|
Current account balance: |
$-355 million (2007 est.)
|
|
Exports: |
$720.9 million (2007 est.)
|
|
Exports - commodities: |
garments, wood products,
coffee, electricity, tin |
|
Exports - partners: |
Thailand 41%, Vietnam 9.7%,
China 4.1%, Malaysia 4% (2006) |
|
Imports: |
$1.199 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
|
Imports - commodities: |
machinery and equipment,
vehicles, fuel, consumer goods |
|
Imports - partners: |
Thailand 68.8%, China 11.3%,
Vietnam 5.5% (2006) |
|
Economic aid - recipient: |
$379 million (2006 est.) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$513.5 million (31 December
2007 est.) |
|
Debt - external: |
$3.179 billion (2006) |
|
Currency (code): |
kip (LAK) |
|
Currency code: |
LAK |
|
Exchange rates: |
kips per US dollar - 9,658
(2007), 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004), 10,569 (2003)
|
|
Fiscal year: |
1 October - 30 September
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use: |
90,067 (2006) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular: |
638,200 (2006) |
|
Telephone system: |
general assessment:
service to general public is poor but improving; the government relies on
a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
domestic: multiple service providers; combined fixed-line and
mobile-cellular subscribership about 10 per 100 persons
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) |
|
Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006)
|
|
Radios: |
730,000 (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations: |
7 (includes 1 station relaying
Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006) |
|
Televisions: |
52,000 (1997) |
|
Internet country code: |
.la |
|
Internet hosts: |
935 (2007) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
|
Internet users: |
25,000 (2005) |
|
Airports: |
42 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 9
2,438 to
3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3
(2007) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 33
1,524
to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 23
(2007) |
|
Pipelines: |
refined products 540 km (2007)
|
|
Roadways: |
total: 31,210 km
paved: 4,494 km
unpaved: 26,716 km (2003) |
|
Waterways: |
4,600 km
note:
primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently
navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2007) |
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT
or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2007)
|
|
Military branches: |
Lao People's Armed Forces
(LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force (2008)
|
|
Military service age and obligation: |
15 years of age for compulsory
military service; minimum 18-month conscript service obligation (2006)
|
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 15-49:
1,500,625
females age 15-49: 1,521,116 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 15-49: 954,816
females age 15-49: 1,006,082 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 73,167
females age 15-49: 71,432 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
0.5% (2006) |
|
Military - note: |
Laos is one of the world's
least developed countries; the Lao People's Armed Forces are small, poorly
funded, and ineffectively resourced; there is little political will to
allocate sparse funding to the military, and the armed forces' gradual
degradation is likely to continue; the massive drug production and
trafficking industry centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an
important narcotics transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers
are active on the Lao-Burma border (2005) |
|
Disputes - international: |
Southeast Asian states have
enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks
continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain
over islands in the Mekong River; concern among Mekong Commission members
that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water
levels |
|
Illicit drugs: |
estimated opium poppy
cultivation in 2005 was 5,600 hectares, about a 45% decrease from 2004;
estimated potential opium production in 2005 was 28 metric tons, a
significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003; unsubstantiated reports
of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine
problem |
This page was last updated on 12 February, 2008
|
