Laos

Internet country code

.la

Internet hosts

937 (2003)

Internet users

15,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

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 domestic: radiotelephone communications international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

61,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

55,200 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1999)

Agriculture - products

sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Budget

revenues: $298.5 million expenditures: $429.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Currency

kip (LAK)

Currency code

LAK

Current account balance

$-58 million (2003)

Debt - external

$2.49 billion (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37 (1997)

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 7% in 1988-2001 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. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture 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.

Electricity - consumption

824.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

400 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

1.317 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

kips per US dollar - 10,443 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999)

Exports

$332 million (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin

Exports - partners

Thailand 20.7%, Vietnam 15.9%, France 7.3%, Germany 5.3%, Belgium 4% (2003)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $10.32 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 49.4% industry: 24.5% services: 26.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.5% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Imports

$492 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners

Thailand 59.4%, China 12.8%, Vietnam 10.2% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

9.7% (2001 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

15.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force

2.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 80% (1997 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

40% (2002 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$201 million (2003)

Unemployment rate

5.7% (1997 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

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

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

Irrigated land

1,640 sq km note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 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: 3.8% permanent crops: 0.35% other: 95.85% (2001)

Location

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

floods, droughts

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

Capital

Vientiane

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585 FAX: [856] (21) 212584

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

Executive branch

chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27 March 2001) head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27 March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone BOUPHAVANH (since 3 October 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998) 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 24 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA%

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, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, 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)

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 (109 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election) elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109

National holiday

Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Political parties and leaders

Lao People's Revolutionary Party or 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

Background

Laos was 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. Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Military branches

Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$10.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.5% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,456,500 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 783,800 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 68,563 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,277,152; female 1,265,761) 15-64 years: 54.9% (male 1,642,895; female 1,688,175) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,995; female 106,139) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

36.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

12.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

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.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 87.06 deaths/1,000 live births male: 97.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 76.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 54.69 years male: 52.71 years female: 56.75 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.4% male: 77.4% female: 55.5% (2002)

Median age

total: 18.6 years male: 18.3 years female: 19 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

6,068,117 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

2.44% (2004 est.)

Religions

Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is largely complete, but with Thailand several areas including Mekong River islets remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and Vietnam over squatters; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels

Illicit drugs

world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 2003 - 18,900 hectares, a 19% decrease over 2002; estimated potential production in 2003 - 200 metric tons, a 11% increase from 2002); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem

Airports

46 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 21,716 km paved: 9,664 km unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2004 est.)

Pipelines

refined products 540 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

none

Waterways

4,600 km note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2003)