Map of Laos | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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Location: Southeast Asia, between Vietnam and Thailand

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: 236,800 km²
Land: 230,800 km²

Land boundaries: total 5,083 km, Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

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

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Elevation

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use
Arable land: 4%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 3%
Forest and woodland: 58%
Other: 35%

Irrigated land: 1,200 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 4,569,327 (July 1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
Adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups:

Languages: Lao (official), French, English

Religions: Buddhist 85%, animist and other 15%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 43.82 births/1000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate: 15.22 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; subject to floods
Current issues note: landlocked

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 104.4 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 51.18 years
Male: 49.67 years
Female: 52.77 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.16 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15-45 can read and write (1985)
Total population: 84%
Male: 92%
Female: 76%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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

Government type: Communist state

Capital

Administrative divisions:

Dependent areas

Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday:

Constitution: promulgated August 1991

Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: president, prime minister and two deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: National Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador HIEM Phommachanh
In the us chancery: 2,222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 332-6,416 or 6,417
From the us embassy: Rue Bartholonie, Vientiane
From the us mailing address: B. P. 114, Vientiane, or AMEMB, Box V, APO AP 96,546
From the us telephone: (856) 2,220, 2,357, 2,384
From the us fax: (856) 4,675

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: One of the world's poorest nations, Laos has had a Communist centrally planned economy with government ownership and control of productive enterprises of any size. In recent years, however, the government has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise. Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure; that is, it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, limited external and internal telecommunications, and electricity available in only a limited area. Subsistence agriculture is the main occupation, accounting for over 60% of GDP and providing about 85-90% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend for its survival on foreign aid from the IMF and other international sources; aid from the former USSR and Eastern Europe has been cut sharply.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (1991)

Real gdp per capita: $200 (1991)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 60% of GDP and employs most of the work force; subsistence farming predominates; normally self-sufficient in nondrought years; principal crops - rice (80% of cultivated land), sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, cotton; livestock - buffaloes, hogs, cattle, poultry

Industries

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 12% (1991 est.), accounts for about 18% of GDP (1991 est.)

Labor force: 1-1.5 million
By occupation: agriculture 85-90% (est.)