Statistical information Laos 1993

Laos in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Southeast Asia, between Vietnam and Thailand
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 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
ElevationNatural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Land useArable land: 4%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 3%
Forest and woodland: 58%
Other: 35%
Irrigated land: 1,200 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 4,569,327 (July 1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
Adjective: Lao or Laotian
Ethnic groups:
Lao 50%, Phoutheung (Kha) 15%, tribal Thai 20%, Meo,
Hmong, Yao, and other 15%
Languages: Lao (official), French, English
Religions: Buddhist 85%, animist and other 15%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth 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 distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; soil erosion; subject to floods
Current issues note: landlocked
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 104.4 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal 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 rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15-45 can read and write (1985)
Total population: 84%
Male: 92%
Female: 76%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional 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
CapitalAdministrative divisions:
16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo,
Bolikhamsai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louang Namtha, Louangphrabang,
Oudomxai, Phongsali, Saravan, Savannakhet, Sekong, Vientiane, Vientiane*,
Xaignabouri, Xiangkhoang
Dependent areasIndependence: 19 July 1949 (from France)
National holiday:
National Day, 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao
People's Democratic Republic)
Constitution: promulgated August 1991
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 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 leadersInternational organization participation:
ACCT (associate), AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn 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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 parityReal gdp growth rate: 4% (1991)
Real gdp per capita: $200 (1991)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture 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
IndustriesIndustrial 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.)
Unemployment rate: 21% (1989 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $83 million; expenditures $188.5 million, including capital expenditures of $94 million (1990 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $72 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: electricity, wood products, coffee, tin
Partners: Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, USSR, US, China
Imports: $238 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures
Partners: Thailand, USSR, Japan, France, Vietnam, China
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: new kips (NK) per US$1 - 710 (May 1992), 710 (December 1991), 700 (September 1990), 576 (1989), 385 (1988), 200 (1987)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 226,000 kW capacity; 990 million kWh produced, 220 kWh per capita (1992) processing, construction
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaLaos - Communication 1993
top of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsLaos - Transportation 1993
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 54
Usable: 41
With permanentsurface runways: 8
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 15
HeliportsPipelines: petroleum products 136 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m
Merchant marinePorts and terminalsLaos - Transnational issues 1993
top of pageDisputes international: boundary dispute with Thailand
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, opium poppy for the international drug trade, third-largest opium producer