1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
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; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
18 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography--note
landlocked
Irrigated land
1,250 sq km (1993 est.) 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% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 54% other: 40% (1993 est.)
Location
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 45% (male 1,235,797; female 1,203,520) 15-64 years: 52% (male 1,360,991; female 1,434,378) 65 years and over: 3% (male 78,195; female 94,572) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
39.93 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
12.56 deaths/1,000 population (1999 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
89.32 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 54.21 years male: 52.63 years female: 55.87 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60% male: 70% female: 48% (1998 est.)
Nationality
noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
5,407,453 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.74% (1999 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: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.55 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
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
Data code
LA
Executive branch
chief of state: President KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26 February 1998); Vice President OUDOM Khattiya (since 26 February 1998) head of government: Prime Minister SISAVAT Keobounphan (since 26 February 1998); Senior Deputy Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 20 April 1996); Deputy Prime Ministers KHAMPHOUI Keoboualapha (since 15 August 1991), CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 26 February 1998), SOMSAVAT Lengsavad (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 21 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); 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, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador VANG Rattanavong chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 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
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 proscribed Political pressure groups and leaders: noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975
Legal system
based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (99 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note--by presidential decree, on 27 October 1997, the number of seats increased from 85 to 99) elections: last held 21 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 99
National holiday
National Day, 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Budget
revenues: $230.2 million expenditures: $365.9 million, including capital expenditures of $317 million (1996)
Currency
1 new kip (NK) = 100 at
Debt--external
$1.2 billion (1996)
Economic aid--recipient
$290 million (1998)
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 averaged 7% in 1988-96. Because Laos depends heavily on its trade with Thailand, it fell victim to the financial crisis in the region beginning in 1997. 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 glutinous 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; Japan is currently the largest bilateral aid donor; aid from the former USSR/Eastern Europe has been cut sharply. As in many developing countries, deforestation and soil erosion will hamper efforts to regain a high rate of GDP growth.
Electricity--consumption
287 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
640 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
27 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
900 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 0.04% hydro: 99.96% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Exchange rates
new kips (NK) per US$1--4,217 (January 1999), 3,299.21 (1998), 1,256.73 (1997), 921.14 (1996), 804.69 (1995), 717.67 (1994) note: as of September 1995, a floating exchange rate policy was adopted
Exports
$330 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities
wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin
Exports--partners
Vietnam, Thailand, Germany, France
Fiscal year
1 October--30 September
GDP
purchasing power parity--$6.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 51% industry: 21% services: 28% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,260 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
4% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 26.4% (1992)
Imports
$630 million (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports--commodities
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel
Imports--partners
Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, China, Singapore
Industrial production growth rate
8.9% (1998 est.)
Industries
tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
112% (1998 est.)
Labor force
1 million-1.5 million
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 80% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line
46.1% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate
5.7% (1997 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 9, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios
580,000 (1995)
Telephone system
service to general public is poor but improving, with over 28,000 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: satellite earth station--1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)
Telephones
28,000 (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations
4 (1997)
Televisions
32,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
52 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 25 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 21,716 km paved: 9,673.5 km unpaved: 12,042.5 km (1998 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT (1998 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
Military and Security
Military branches
Lao People's Army (LPA; includes militia element), Lao People's Navy (LPN; includes riverine element), Air Force, National Police Department
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$77.4 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
4.2% (FY96/97)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 1,200,664 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 648,087 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 57,047 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
parts of the border with Thailand are indefinite
Illicit drugs
world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 1998--26,100 hectares, a 7% decrease over 1997; estimated potential production in 1998--140 metric tons, a 33% decrease over 1997); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamines produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis