Statistical information Laos 2017

Laos in the World

Laos - Introduction 2017

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Background: Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang established in the 14th century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975 the communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997 and the WTO in 2013.

Laos - Geography 2017

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Location: Southeastern Asia northeast of Thailand west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N 105 00 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 236,800 km²
Land: 230,800 km²
Water: 6,000 km²
Rank: 85
Comparative: about twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries
Total: 5,274 km
Border countries: (5) Burma 238 km; Cambodia 555 km; China 475 km; Thailand 1845 km; Vietnam 2,161 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
Mean elevation: 710 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m: highest point: Phu Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber hydropower gypsum tin gold gemstones

Land use

Land use
Agricultural land: 10.6%

arable land: 6.2%
permanent crops: 0.7%
permanent pasture: 3.7%

Forest: 67.9%
Other: 21.5%

Irrigated land: 3,100 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: floods droughts

Geography
Note: landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand

Laos - People 2017

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Population
Distribution: most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia: 7,126,706 (July 2017 est.)
Rank: 101
Growth rate: 1.51% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 78
Below poverty line: 22% (2013 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Lao or Laotian
Adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups: Lao 53.2% Khmou 11% Hmong 9.2% Phouthay 3.4% Tai 3.1% Makong 2.5% Katong 2.2% Lue 2% Akha 1.8% other 11.6%
Note: the Laos Government officially recognizes 49 ethnic groups but the total number of ethnic groups is estimated to be well over 200

Languages: Lao (official) French English various ethnic languages

Religions: Buddhist 64.7% Christian 1.7% none 31.4% other/not stated 2.1% (2015 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 32.76%
15-24 years: 21.17%
25-54 years: 36.7%
55-64 years: 5.48%
65 years and over: 3.89% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 60.2
Youth dependency ratio: 54
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.2
Potential support ratio: 16.1

Median age
Total: 23 years
Male: 22.7 years
Female: 23.3 years
Rank: 172

Population growth rate: 1.51% (2017 est.)
Rank: 78

Birth rate: 23.6 births/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 63

Death rate: 7.4 deaths/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 115

Net migration rate: -1.1 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 139

Population distribution: most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia

Urbanization
Urban population: 40.7% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4.13% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: VIENTIANE (capital) 997,000 (2015)

Environment
Current issues: unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male/female
25-54 years: 0.97 male/female
55-64 years: 0.96 male/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 49.9 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 55.2 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 44.4 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 30

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.6 years
Male: 62.6 years
Female: 66.7 years
Rank: 184

Total fertility rate: 2.7 children born/woman (2017 est.)
Rank: 67

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 49.8% (2011/12)

Drinking water source:

urban: 85.6% of population
rural: 69.4% of population
total: 75.7% of population
urban: 14.4% of population
rural: 30.6% of population
total: 24.3% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.18 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 1.5 beds/1000 population (2012)

Sanitation facility access:

urban: 94.5% of population
rural: 56% of population
total: 70.9% of population
urban: 5.5% of population
rural: 44% of population
total: 29.1% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2016 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 86
People living with hivaids: 11,000 (2016 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 94
Deaths: 500 (2016 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 5.3% (2016)
Rank: 180

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 26.5% (2011)
Rank: 22

Education expenditures: 3.3% of GDP (2014)
Rank: 147

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 79.9%
Male: 87.1%
Female: 72.8%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 11 years

Youth unemployment

Laos - Government 2017

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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: Mueang Lao
Etymology: name means 'Land of the Lao [people]'

Government type: communist state

Capital
Name: Vientiane
Geographic coordinates: 17 58 N 102 36 E
Time difference: UTC+7

Administrative divisions: 17 provinces (khoueng singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang singular and plural); Attapu Bokeo Bolikhamxai Champasak Houaphan Khammouan Louangnamtha Louangphabang Oudomxai Phongsali Salavan Savannakhet Viangchan (Vientiane)* Viangchan Xaignabouli Xaisomboun Xekong Xiangkhouang

Dependent areas

Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day (National Day) 2 December (1975)

Constitution: previous 1947 (preindependence); latest promulgated 13-15 August 1991; amended 2003 2015 (2016)

Legal system: civil law system similar in form to the French system

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Laos
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President BOUNNYANG Vorachit ; Vice President PHANKHAM Viphavan (since 20 April 2016)
Head of government: Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisoulit ; Deputy Prime Ministers BOUNTHONG Chitmani SONXAI Siphandon SOMDI Douangdi (since 20 April 2016)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president approved by the National Assembly
Electionsappointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term ; election last held on 20 April 2016 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister nominated by the president elected by the National Assembly for 5-year term
Election results: BOUNNYANG Vorachit elected president; PHANKHAM Viphavan (LPRP) elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA; THONGLOUN Sisoulit (LPRP) elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Sapha Heng Xat
Elections: last held on 20 March 2016
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 144 independent 5

Judicial branch
Highest court: People's Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: president of People's Supreme Court appointed by National Assembly on recommendation of the president of the republic for a 5-year term; vice presidents of People's Supreme Court appointed by the president of the republic on recommendation of the National Assembly; appointment of chamber judges NA; tenure of court vice presidents and chamber judges NA
Subordinate courts: appellate courts; provincial municipal district and military courts

Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [BOUNNYANG Vorachit]
Note: other parties proscribed

International organization participation: ADB ARF ASEAN CP EAS FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IPU ISO (subscriber) ITU MIGA NAM OIF OPCW PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador MAI Xaignavong
In the us chancery: 2,222 S Street NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 332-6,416
In the us FAX: [1] 332-4,923
In the us consulate: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Rena BITTER
From the us embassy: Thadeua Road Kilometer 9 Ban Somvang Tai Hatsayfong District Vientiane
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane Unit 46,222 APO AP 96,546-6,222
From the us telephone: [856] 21-48-7,000
From the us FAX: [856] 21-48-7,190

Flag description

: three horizontal bands of red (top) blue (double width) and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band; the red bands recall the blood shed for liberation; the blue band represents the Mekong River and prosperity; the white disk symbolizes the full moon against the Mekong River but also signifies the unity of the people under the Lao People's Revolutionary Party as well as the country's bright future

National symbols: elephant; national colors: red white blue

National anthem
Name: 'Pheng Xat Lao'
Lyrics and music: SISANA Sisane/THONGDY Sounthonevichit
Note: music adopted 1945 lyrics adopted 1975; the anthem's lyrics were changed following the 1975 Communist revolution that overthrew the monarchy

National heritage

Laos - Economy 2017

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Economy overview:

The government of Laos one of the few remaining one-party communist states began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. Economic growth averaged more than 6% per year in the period 1988-2008 and Laos' growth has more recently been amongst the fastest in Asia averaging nearly 8% per year for most of the last decade. However growth has declined over the past year and is expected to be about 6.8% in 2017 according to the IMF.
Nevertheless Laos remains a country with an underdeveloped infrastructure particularly in rural areas. It has a basic but improving road system and limited external and internal land-line telecommunications. Electricity is available to 83% of the population. Agriculture dominated by rice cultivation in lowland areas accounts for about 25% of GDP and 73% of total employment. Recently the country has faced a persistent current account deficit falling foreign currency reserves and growing public debt as slow recovery of the global economy especially that of China has driven down the prices of its mineral exports.
Laos' economy is heavily dependent on capital-intensive natural resource exports. The economy has benefited from high-profile foreign direct investment in hydropower dams along the Mekong River copper and gold mining logging and construction although some projects in these industries have drawn criticism for their environmental impacts.
Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US in 2004 and applied for Generalized System of Preferences trade benefits in 2013 after being admitted to the World Trade Organization earlier in the year. Laos held the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2016. Laos is in the process of implementing a value-added tax system. The government appears committed to raising the country's profile among foreign investors and has developed special economic zones replete with generous tax incentives but a limited labor pool a small domestic market and corruption remain impediments to investment. Laos also has ongoing problems with the business environment including onerous registration requirements a gap between legislation and implementation and unclear or conflicting regulations.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:

$45.25 billion (2016 est.)
$41.75 billion (2015 est.)
$38.5 billion (2014 est.)

Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 114

Real gdp growth rate:

7% (2016 est.)
7.3% (2015 est.)
7.6% (2014 est.)

Rank: 10

Real gdp per capita:

$6,900 (2016 est.)
$6,500 (2015 est.)
$6,200 (2014 est.)

Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 165

Gross national saving:

14.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
14.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
19.9% of GDP (2014 est.)

Rank: 129

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 62.9%
Government consumption: 13.2%
Investment in fixed capital: 33.1%
Investment in inventories: 4.9%
Exports of goods and services: 34.9%
Imports of goods and services: -49%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 21.6%
Industry: 32.8%
Services: 38.9%

Agriculture products: sweet potatoes vegetables corn coffee sugarcane tobacco cotton tea peanuts rice; cassava (manioc tapioca) water buffalo pigs cattle poultry

Industries: mining (copper tin gold gypsum); timber electric power agricultural processing rubber construction garments cement tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2016 est.)
Rank: 18

Labor force: 3.521 million (2016 est.)
Rank: 101
By occupation agriculture: 73.1%
By occupation industry: 6.1%
By occupation services: 20.6%

Labor force

Unemployment rate:

1.5% (2016 est.)
1.4% (2015 est.)

Rank: 10

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 22% (2013 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.3%
Highest 10: 30.3%

Distribution of family income gini index:

36.7 (2008)
34.6 (2002)

Rank: 84

Budget
Revenues: $2.921 billion
Expenditures: $3.824 billion
Surplus or deficit: -6.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 179

Taxes and other revenues: 21.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Rank: 139

Public debt:

67.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
65.6% of GDP (2015 est.)

Rank: 54

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices:

2% (2016 est.)
1.3% (2015 est.)

Rank: 107

Central bank discount rate:

4.3% (31 December 2010)
4% (31 December 2009)

Rank: 84

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

18% (31 December 2016 est.)
18.2% (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 23

Stock of narrow money:

$1.243 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$1.192 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 148

Stock of broad money:

$8.197 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$7.341 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 111

Stock of domestic credit:

$8.381 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$7.288 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 112

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$1.012 billion (2012 est.)
$576.8 million (2011 est.)

Rank: 106

Current account balance:

$-1.678 billion (2016 est.)
$-2.265 billion (2015 est.)

Rank: 159

Exports:

$2.705 billion (2016 est.)
$2.769 billion (2015 est.)

Rank: 127
Commodities: wood products coffee electricity tin copper gold cassava
Partners: Thailand 40.1% China 28.5% Vietnam 13.7% (2016)

Imports:

$5.547 billion (2016 est.)
$5.233 billion (2015 est.)

Rank: 117
Commodities: machinery and equipment vehicles fuel consumer goods
Partners: Thailand 64.6% China 16.5% Vietnam 9.4% (2016)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$940.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$1.058 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 126

Debt external:

$12.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$11.65 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 105

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:

$15.14 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$12.44 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Rank: 87

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:

kips (LAK) per US dollar -
8,129 (2016 est.)
8,129 (2015 est.)
8,148 (2014 est.)
8,049 (2013 est.)
8,007 (2012 est.)

Laos - Energy 2017

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Electricity
Access population without electricity: 900,000
Access electrification total population: 87%
Access electrification urban areas: 97%
Access electrification rural areas: 82%
Production: 11.46 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Production rank: 95
Consumption: 4.239 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 126
Exports: 8.469 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Exports rank: 26
Imports: 2.05 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Imports rank: 55
Installed generating capacity: 4.541 million kW (2015 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 81
Generation sources fossil fuels: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 210
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 125
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 98.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 5
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 146

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 157
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 150
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 147
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 154

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products production rank: 161
Products consumption: 3,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption rank: 184
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products exports rank: 169
Products imports: 3,480 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products imports rank: 175

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 156
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 200
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 134
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 146
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 es)
Proven reserves rank: 158

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 500,000 Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 182

Energy consumption per capita

Laos - Communication 2017

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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1,266,605
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18
Fixed lines rank: 81
Mobile cellular total: 3.727 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 54
Mobile cellular rank: 122

Telephone system
General assessment: service to public is generally improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
Domestic: mobile cellular network coverage including 3G is relatively widespread although usage has slowed as the regulator imposed a strict policy on pricing and competition is effectively discouraged; network performance has suffered because of insufficient maintenance and upgrades
International: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik and a second to be developed by China (2017)

Broadcast media: 6 TV stations operating out of Vientiane - 3 government-operated and the others commercial; 17 provincial stations operating with nearly all programming relayed via satellite from the government-operated stations in Vientiane; Chinese and Vietnamese programming relayed via satellite from Lao National TV; broadcasts available from stations in Thailand and Vietnam in border areas; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems provide access to a wide range of foreign stations; state-controlled radio with state-operated Lao National Radio (LNR) broadcasting on 5 frequencies - 1 AM 1 SW and 3 FM; LNR's AM and FM programs are relayed via satellite constituting a large part of the programming schedules of the provincial radio stations; Thai radio broadcasts available in border areas and transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are also accessible (2012)

Internet
Country code: .la
Users total: 1.258 million
Users percent of population: 18.2%
Users rank: 142

Broadband fixed subscriptions

Laos - Military 2017

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Military expenditures:

0.2% of GDP (2013)
0.22% of GDP (2012)
0.23% of GDP (2011)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - minimum 18-months (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups

Laos - Transportation 2017

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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,181,187
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,356,497 mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: RDPL (2016)

Airports: 41 (2013)
Rank: 103
With paved runways total: 8
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 33
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 22

Heliports

Pipelines: refined products 540 km (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 39,586 km
Paved: 5,415 km
Unpaved: 34,171 km
Rank: 89

Waterways: 4,600 km (primarily on the Mekong River and its tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m) (2012)
Rank: 23

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals

Laos - Transnational issues 2017

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Disputes international: southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River; Cambodia and Laos have a longstanding border demarcation dispute; concern among Mekong River Commission members that China's construction of eight dams on the Upper Mekong River and construction of more dams on its tributaries will affect water levels sediment flows and fisheries; Cambodia and Vietnam are concerned about Laos' extensive plans for upstream dam construction for the same reasons

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs
Rank: li>a href='../rankorder/rankorderguide.html'>Guide to Country Comparisons: estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2015 was estimated to be 5,700 hectares compared with 6,200 hectares in 2014; estimated potential production of between 84 and 176 mt of raw opium; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem