Statistical information Laos 1998Laos

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

Laos in the World
Laos in the World

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Laos - Introduction 1998
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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 and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.


Laos - Geography 1998
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Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 105 00 E

Map referenceSoutheast Asia

Area
Total: 236,800 km²
Land: 230,800 km²
Water: 6,000 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries
Total: 5,083 km
Border countries: (5) 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
Extremes lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
Extremes highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 3%
Forests and woodland: 54%
Other: 40% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,250 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: floods, droughts, and blight

Geography
Note: landlocked


Laos - People 1998
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Population: 5,260,842 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 2.76% (1998 est.)

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

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%

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

Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%

Demographic profile
Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 45% (male 1,205,210; female 1,174,323)
15-64 years: 52% (male 1,318,061; female 1,393,386)
65 years and over: 3% (male 77,388; female 92,474) (July 1998 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.76% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 40.58 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 12.97 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 91.81 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 53.7 years
Male: 52.13 years
Female: 55.34 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.66 children born/woman (1998 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
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 56.6%
Male: 69.4%
Female: 44.4% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


Laos - Government 1998
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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: Vientiane

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch

Legislative branch

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag descriptionflag of Laos

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


Laos - Economy 1998
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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products

Industries

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force
Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports

Imports

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


Laos - Energy 1998
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Electricity

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


Laos - Communication 1998
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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


Laos - Military 1998
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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


Laos - Transportation 1998
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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


Laos - Transnational issues 1998
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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs


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