2001 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.75% (male 1,212,577; female 1,196,795) 15-64 years: 53.94% (male 1,494,927; female 1,544,851) 65 years and over: 3.31% (male 85,632; female 101,185) (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

51 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 25 (2000 est.) Laos Military

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Utah

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. Laos Geography

Birth rate

37.84 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Budget

revenues: $211 million expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)

Capital

Vientiane

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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

Currency

kip (LAK)

Currency code

LAK

Death rate

13.02 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Debt - external

$2.46 billion (1998 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Karen Brevard STEWART embassy: 19 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 VANG Rattanavong chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416

Disputes - international

parts of the border with Thailand are indefinite

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% during 1988-97. Reform efforts subsequently slowed, and GDP growth dropped an average of 3 percentage points. Because Laos depends heavily on its trade with Thailand, it was damaged by the regional financial crisis beginning in 1997. Government mismanagement deepened the crisis, and from June 1997 to June 1999 the Lao kip lost 87% of its value. Laos' foreign exchange problems peaked in September 1999 when the kip fell 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 limited government revenue and 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.

Electricity - consumption

173.6 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

705 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

142 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

792 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 2.78% hydro: 97.22% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

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

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%

Exchange rates

kips per US dollar - 7,578.00 (December 2000), 7,102.03 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998), 1,259.98 (1997), 921.02 (1996)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since NA March 2001) head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since NA March 2001); Deputy Prime Ministers THONGLOUN Sisolit (since NA March 2001), 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 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%

Exports

$323 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin

Exports - partners

Vietnam, Thailand, Germany, France, Belgium

FAX

[1] (202) 332-4923

[856] (21) 212584

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September Laos Communications

Flag description

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $9 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 51% industry: 22% services: 27% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2000 est.)

Geographic coordinates

18 00 N, 105 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked Laos People

Government type

Communist state

Highways

total: 14,000 km paved: 3,360 km unpaved: 10,640 km (1991)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

130 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,400 (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

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 methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis

Imports

$540 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel

Imports - partners

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

Independence

19 July 1949 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

7.5% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

92.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

33% (2000 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ARF, 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)

Internet country code

.la

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

2,000 (2000) Laos Transportation

Irrigated land

1,250 sq km (1993 est.) note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)

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)

Labor force

1 million - 1.5 million

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 80% (1997 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.)

Languages

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

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 53.48 years male: 51.58 years female: 55.44 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57% male: 70% female: 44% (1999 est.) Laos Government

Location

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Merchant marine

total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Military branches

Lao People's Army (LPA; includes riverine element), Air Force, National Police Department

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$55 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.2% (FY96/97) Laos Transnational Issues

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,319,537 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 710,627 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 64,437 (2001 est.)

National holiday

Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Nationality

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

Natural hazards

floods, droughts, and blight

Natural resources

timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Pipelines

petroleum products 136 km

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

Population

5,635,967 (July 2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

46.1% (1993 est.)

Population growth rate

2.48% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

none

Radio broadcast stations

AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

730,000 (1997)

Railways

0 km

Religions

Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 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 (2001 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

25,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4,915 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1999)

Televisions

52,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Total fertility rate

5.12 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.7% (1997 est.)

Waterways

4,587 km approximately note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m