Statistical information Laos 1999

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 and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.
top of pageLocation: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 105 00 E
Map reference:
Southeast AsiaAreaTotal: 236,800 km²
Land: 230,800 km²
Water: 6,000 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Utah
Land boundariesTotal: 5,083 km
Border countries: (5) Burma 235 km;
, Cambodia 541 km;
, China 423 km;
, Thailand 1,754 km;
, Vietnam 2,130 kmCoastline: 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
Extremes highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Land useArable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 3%
Forests and woodland: 54%
Other: 40% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,250 km² (1993 est.)
Note: rainy season irrigation_2,169 km²; dry season irrigation_750 km² (1998 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: floods, droughts, and blight
GeographyNote: landlocked
top of pagePopulation: 5,407,453 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 2.74% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: 46.1% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: 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 profileAge structure0-14 years: 45% (male 1,235,797; female 1,203,520)
15-64 years: 52% (male 1,360,991; female 1,434,378)
65 years and over: 3% (male 78,195; female 94,572) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.74% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 39.93 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 12.56 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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: 0.83 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 89.32 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 54.21 years
Male: 52.63 years
Female: 55.87 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.55 children born/woman (1999 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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 60%
Male: 70%
Female: 48% (1998 est.)
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
Capital: Vientiane
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
Dependent areasIndependence: 19 July 1949 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic)
Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991
Legal system: based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26 February 1998); Vice President OUDOM Khattiya (since 26 February 1998)
Head of government: Prime Minister SISAVAT Keobounphan (since 26 February 1998); Senior Deputy Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 20 April 1996); Deputy Prime Ministers KHAMPHOUI Keoboualapha (since 15 August 1991), CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 26 February 1998), SOMSAVAT Lengsavad (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
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
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
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACCT, 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)
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador VANG Rattanavong
In the us chancery: 2,222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 332-6,416
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 332-4,923
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Wendy Jean CHAMBERLIN
From the us embassy: Rue Bartholonie, B.P. 114, Vientiane
From the us mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96,546
From the us telephone: [856] (21) 212,581, 212,582, 212,585
From the us FAX: [856] (21) 212,584
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: The government of Laos_one of the few remaining official communist states_has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise since 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, have been striking_growth averaged 7% in 1988-96. Because Laos depends heavily on its trade with Thailand, it fell victim to the financial crisis in the region beginning in 1997. Laos is a landlocked 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 predominant crop is glutinous rice. In non-drought years, Laos is self-sufficient overall in food, but each year flood, pests, and localized drought cause shortages in various parts of the country. 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. As in many developing countries, deforestation and soil erosion will hamper efforts to regain a high rate of GDP growth.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 4% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $1,260 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 51%
Industry: 21%
Services: 28% (1998 est.)
Agriculture products: sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Industries: tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments
Industrial production growth rate: 8.9% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 1 million-1.5 million
By occupation: agriculture 80% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.7% (1997 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: 46.1% (1993 est.)
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $230.2 million
Expenditures: $365.9 million, including capital expenditures of $317 million (1996)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 October_30 September
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: $330 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Commodities: wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin
Partners: Vietnam, Thailand, Germany, France
Imports: $630 million (c.i.f., 1998)
Commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel
Partners: Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, China, Singapore
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $1.2 billion (1996)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: new kips (NK) per US$1_4,217 (January 1999), 3,299.21 (1998), 1,256.73 (1997), 921.14 (1996), 804.69 (1995), 717.67 (1994)
Note: as of September 1995, a floating exchange rate policy was adopted
top of pageElectricityProduction: 900 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 0.04%
Production by source hydro: 99.96%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1998)
Consumption: 287 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 640 million kWh (1996)
Imports: 27 million kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaLaos - Communication 1999
top of pageTelephones: 28,000 (1998 est.)
Telephone system: service to general public is poor but improving, with over 28,000 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)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $77.4 million (FY96/97)
Percent of gdp: 4.2% (FY96/97)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsLaos - Transportation 1999
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 52 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 9
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 43
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 17
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 25 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelines: petroleum products 136 km
Railways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterways: about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m
Merchant marine: total:1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT (1998 est.)
Ports and terminalsLaos - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes international: parts of the border with Thailand are indefinite
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 1998_26,100 hectares, a 7% decrease over 1997; estimated potential production in 1998_140 metric tons, a 33% decrease over 1997; potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamines produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis