Laos

Radio broadcast stations

AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

560,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

service to general public very poor; radiotelephone communications network provides generally erratic service to government users domestic: radiotelephone communications international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Telephones

6,600 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2

Televisions

32,000 (1993 est.)

Agriculture - products

sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, cotton; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Budget

revenues : $218 million expenditures: $379 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Currency

1 new kip (NK) = 100 at

Debt - external

$2 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy - overview

The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official communist states - has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise since 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, have been striking - growth has averaged 7.5% annually since 1988. Even so, Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. In non-drought years, Laos is self-sufficient overall in food, but each year flood, pests, and localized drought cause shortages in various parts of the country. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend on aid from the IMF and other international sources; aid from the former USSR/Eastern Europe has been cut sharply. As in many developing countries, deforestation and soil erosion will hamper efforts to maintain the high rate of GDP growth.

Electricity - capacity

261,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

48 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

890 million kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

new kips (NK) per US$1 - 961.00 (January 1997), 921.14 (1996), 804.69 (1995), 717.67 (1994), 716.25 (1993), 716.08 (1992) note: as of September 1995, a floating exchange rate policy was adopted

Exports

total value: $240 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: electricity, wood products, coffee, tin, garments partners : Thailand, Japan, France, Germany, Netherlands

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $5.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 56% industry: 19% services: 25% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,150 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.5% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $570 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures partners: Thailand, China, Japan, France, US

Industrial production growth rate

7.5% (1992 est.)

Industries

tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction

Inflation rate - consumer price index

15% (1996 est.)

Labor force

1 million-1.5 million by occupation: agriculture 80% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.6% in urban areas (1994 est.)

Area

total: 236,800 sq km land : 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Utah

Climate

tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

18 00 N, 105 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked

Irrigated land

1,250 sq km (1993 est.)

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

Land use

arable land : 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 54% other : 40% (1993 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

floods, droughts, and blight

Natural resources

timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Terrain

mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

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, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Constitution

promulgated 14 August 1991

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

Data code

LA

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Wendy Jean CHAMBERLIN embassy: Rue Bartholonie, B.P. 114, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador HIEM PHOMMACHANH chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416

Executive branch

chief of state : President NOUHAK PHOUMSAVAN (appointed 25 November 1992 by the Supreme People's Assembly to succeed KAYSONE PHOMVIHAN who died in office; elected by the new National Assembly 22 February 1993); Vice President SISAVAT KEOBOUNPHAN (since 20 April 1996 when the position of vice president was first created) head of government : Prime Minister Gen. KHAMTAI SIPHANDON (since 15 August 1991); Deputy Prime Ministers KHAMPHOUI KEOBOUALAPHA (since 15 August 1991) and BOUNGNANG VOLACHIT (since 20 April 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly elections : president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 22 February 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term election results: NOUHAK PHOUMSAVAN elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA

FAX

[1] (202) 332-4923

FAX

[856] (21) 212584

Flag description

three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Government type

Communist state

Independence

19 July 1949 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

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

Legal system

based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (85 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 December 1992 (next to be held NA 1997) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 85; note - the distribution of seats as of January 1997 is as follows - LPRP 78, independents 5, vacant 2

National capital

Vientiane

National holiday

National Day, 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic)

Political parties and leaders

Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders

noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Lao People's Army (LPA; includes riverine naval and militia elements), Air Force, National Police Department

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$105 million (FY92/93)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

8.1% (FY92/93)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,123,934 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 606,542 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males : 54,712 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 45% (male 1,174,029; female 1,144,634) 15-64 years: 52% (male 1,277,175; female 1,354,220) 65 years and over: 3% (male 76,544; female 90,357) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

41.25 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

13.4 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Infant mortality rate

94.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population : 53.19 years male: 51.63 years female: 54.83 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.6% male: 69.4% female : 44.4% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

5,116,959 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

2.78% (1997 est.)

Religions

Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.76 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

boundary dispute with Thailand

Illicit drugs

world's third largest opium producer (200 metric tons from some 25,250 hectares in 1996); heroin producer; increasingly used as transshipment point for heroin produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis LATVIA

Airports

39 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 25 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m : 3 under 914 m: 16 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 18,153 km paved: 2,505 km unpaved: 15,648 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT (1996 est.)

Pipelines

petroleum products 136 km

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

0 km

Waterways

about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m