2003 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: 42.2% (male 1,255,172; female 1,242,823) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,592,697; female 1,639,431) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,192; female 104,230) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

51 (2002)

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 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

42 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m

26 (2002) Military Laos

Area

land

230,800 sq km

total

236,800 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, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997. Geography Laos

Birth rate

36.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$211 million

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

12.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$2.53 billion (1999)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Douglas A. HARTWICK

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 PHANTHONG Phommahaxay

Disputes - international

demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is nearing completion, but with Thailand several areas including Mekong River islets remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and Vietnam over squatters

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37 (1997)

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 1988-2001 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)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

1.4%

hydro

98.6%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

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

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 - 7,562 (2002), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27 March 2001)

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 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term

head of government

Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27 March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since NA May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998)

Exports

$345 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin

Exports - partners

Vietnam 25.7%, Thailand 19%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.3% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 332-4923

[856] (21) 212584

chancery

2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 332-6416

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September Communications Laos

Flag description

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

53%

industry

23%

services

24% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.7% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

18 00 N, 105 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand People Laos

Government type

Communist state

Highways

paved

9,664 km

total

21,716 km

unpaved

12,052 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 150 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,400 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.6% (1997)

lowest 10%

3.2%

Illicit drugs

world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 2002 - 23,200 hectares, a 5% increase over 2001; estimated potential production in 2002 - 180 metric tons, a 10% decrease from 2001); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$555 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners

Thailand 58.9%, Vietnam 12.3%, China 7.9% (2002)

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

female

78.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

99.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

88.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, 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

10,000 (2002) Transportation Laos

Irrigated land

1,640 sq km

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

2.4 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 80% (1997 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

3.47%

other

96.3% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.23%

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 (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)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109

elections

last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

56.33 years (2003 est.)

male

52.34 years

total population

54.3 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

38.1% (2003 est.) Government Laos

male

67.5%

total population

52.8%

Location

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

18.9 years (2002)

male

18.1 years

total

18.5 years

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 1 (2002 est.)

total

1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$55 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.2% (FY96) Transnational Issues Laos

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

1,411,042 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

759,499 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

67,260 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Nationality

adjective

Lao or Laotian

noun

Lao(s) or Laotian(s)

Natural hazards

floods, droughts

Natural resources

timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pipelines

refined products 540 km (2003)

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

5,921,545 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

40% (2002 est.)

Population growth rate

2.45% (2003 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% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

radiotelephone communications

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

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

4.94 children born/woman (2003 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