2000 Edition

Background

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, an easing of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Area

land

230,800 sq km

total

236,800 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

highest point

Phou Bia 2,817 m

lowest point

Mekong River 70 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

border countries

Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

total

5,083 km

Land use

arable land

3%

forests and woodland

54%

other

40% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

3%

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 43% (male 1,191,608; female 1,173,144) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,447,788; female 1,500,016) 65 years and over: 3% (male 85,028; female 99,875) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

38.29 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

13.35 deaths/1,000 population (2000 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

94.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

55.02 years (2000 est.)

male

51.22 years

total population

53.09 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

44% (1999 est.)

male

70%

total population

57%

Nationality

adjective

Lao or Laotian

noun

Lao(s) or Laotian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

5,497,459 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.5% (2000 est.)

Religions

Buddhist 60% (in October 1999, the regime proposed a constitutional amendment making Buddhism the state religion; the National Assembly is expected to vote on the amendment sometime in 2000), animist and other 40%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.21 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

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

(21) 212581, 212582, 212585

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador VANG Rattanavong

telephone

(202) 332-6416

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly

chief of state

President KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26 February 1998); note - currently the position of vice president is vacant; Vice President OUDOM Khattiya died on 9 December 1999 and a replacement has not yet been named

election results

KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA

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

head of government

Prime Minister SISAVAT Keobounphan (since 26 February 1998); Senior Deputy Prime Minister BOUN-NHANG Vorachith (since 20 April 1996); Deputy Prime Ministers CHOUMMALI Saygnasone (since 26 February 1998), SOMSAVAT Lengsavad (since 26 February 1998)

FAX

(202) 332-4923

(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, 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)

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 (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)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 99

elections

last held 21 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP ; 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

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$385.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)

revenues

$202.7 million

Currency

1 new kip (NK) = 100 at

Debt - external

$2.32 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$345 million (1999 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 1988-96. Since mid-1996, however, reform efforts have slowed, and the economy has suffered as a result. Because Laos depends heavily on its trade with Thailand, it was further damaged by the regional financial crisis beginning in 1997. From June 1997 to June 1999 the Lao kip lost 87%, and reached a crisis point in September 1999 when it fluctuated wildly, falling from 3,500 kip to the dollar to 9,000 kip to the dollar in a matter of weeks. Now that the currency has stabilized, however, the government seems content to let the current situation persist, despite 140% inflation in 1999 and limited foreign exchange reserves. A landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure, Laos 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. 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 attain a high rate of GDP growth.

Electricity - consumption

514 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

782 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

50 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

1.34 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

2.99%

hydro

97.01%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

new kips (NK) per US$1 - 7,674.00 (January 2000),7,102.03 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998), 1,259.98 (1997), 921.02 (1996), 804.69 (1995)

note

as of September 1995, a floating exchange rate policy was adopted

Exports

$271 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin

Exports - partners

Vietnam, Thailand, Germany, France, Belgium

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

51%

industry

22%

services

27% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,300 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.2% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 26.4% (1992)

Imports

$497 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel

Imports - partners

Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, China, Singapore, Hong Kong

Industrial production growth rate

7.5% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

140% (1999 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.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

730,000 (1997)

Telephone system

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

satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

20,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,600 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1999)

Televisions

52,000 (1997)

Airports

52 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 25 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

9,673.5 km

total

21,716 km

unpaved

12,042.5 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 1 (1999 est.)

total

1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT

Pipelines

petroleum products 136 km

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

0 km

Waterways

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

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 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.2% (FY96/97)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,275,184 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 686,803 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

62,243 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

parts of the border with Thailand are indefinite

Illicit drugs

world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 1999 - 21,800 hectares, a 16% decrease over 1998; estimated potential production in 1999 - 140 metric tons, about the same as in 1998); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamines produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis

LATVIA