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.

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N 105 00 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 236,800 km²
Rank: 84
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 1754 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: Phu Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber hydropower gypsum tin gold gemstones

Land use
Arable land: 4.01%
Permanent crops: 0.34%
Other: 95.65% (2005)

Irrigated land: 3,000 km² (2008)

Total renewable water resources: 333.6 km³ (2003)

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

Population: 6,477,211 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 104
Growth rate: 1.684% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 68
Below poverty line: 26% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Lao or Laotian
Adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups: Lao 55% Khmou 11% Hmong 8% other (over 100 minor ethnic groups) 26% (2005 census)

Languages: Lao (official) French English various ethnic languages

Religions: Buddhist 67% Christian 1.5% other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 36.7%
15-64 years: 59.6% (male 1,908,176/female 1,950,544)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 107,876/female 131,513) (2011 est.)

Median age
Total: 21 years
Male: 20.7 years
Female: 21.3 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.684% (2011 est.)
Rank: 68

Birth rate: 26.13 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 55

Death rate: 8.13 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 98

Net migration rate: -1.16 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 154

Urbanization
Urban population: 33% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 59.46 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 36
Male: 65.49 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 53.18 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 62.39 years
Rank: 179
Male: 60.5 years
Female: 64.36 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.14 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 56

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.272 physicians/1000 population (2005)
Rank: 144

Hospital bed density: 1.2 beds/1000 population (2005)
Rank: 137

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 107
People living with hivaids: 8,500 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 106
Deaths: fewer than 200 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 111

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
Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk wit

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2000)
Rank: 69

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 31.6% (2006)
Rank: 16

Education expenditures: 2.3% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 150

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 73%
Male: 83%
Female: 63% (2005 Census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 9 years
Male: 10 years
Female: 9 years (2008)

Country name
Conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
Conventional short form: Laos
Local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
Local short form: Pathet Lao (unofficial)

Government type: Communist state

Capital
Name: Vientiane
Geographic coordinates: 17 58 N 102 36 E
Time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (khoueng singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang singular and plural); Attapu Bokeo Bolikhamxai Champasak Houaphan Khammouan Louangnamtha Louangphrabang Oudomxai Phongsali Salavan Savannakhet Viangchan (Vientiane)* Viangchan Xaignabouli Xekong Xiangkhoang

Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day 2 December (1975)

Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991; amended in 2003

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason ; Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)
Head of government: Prime Minister THONGSING Thammavong (since 24 December 2010); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002) Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006) SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998) and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001)
Cabinet: Ministers appointed by president approved by National Assembly
Elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held on 8 June 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for five-year term
Election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 97%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (132 seats; members elected by popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 30 April 2011 (next to be held in 2016)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 128 independents 4

Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court People's Provincial and Municipal Courts People's District Courts and Military Courts
Note: 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 leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; 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 WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador SENG Soukhathivong
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 Karen B. STEWART
From the us embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie That Dam Vientiane
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane APO AP 96,546
From the us telephone: [856] 21-26-7,000
From the us fax: [856] 21-26-7,190

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 Pathet Lao as well as the country's bright future

National symbols: elephant

National anthem
Name: 'Pheng Xat Lao'
Lyricsmusic: 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

Economy overview: The government of Laos one of the few remaining one-party Communist states began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results starting from an extremely low base were striking - growth averaged 6% per year from 1988-2008 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis that began in 1997. Despite this high growth rate Laos remains a country with an underdeveloped infrastructure particularly in rural areas. It has a rudimentary but improving road system and limited external and internal telecommunications. China has signed a deal with the Lao to build a high speed rail system in the country. Construction on the $7 billion project is slated to begin in April 2011 and will take five years. Electricity is available in urban areas and in many rural districts. Subsistence agriculture dominated by rice cultivation in lowland areas accounts for about 30% of GDP and 75% of total employment. The government in FY09/10 received $586 million from international donors. Economic growth has reduced official poverty rates from 46% in 1992 to 26% in 2010. The economy has benefited from high foreign investment in hydropower mining and construction. Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US in 2004 and is taking steps required to join the World Trade Organization such as reforming import licensing. Related trade policy reforms will improve the business environment. On the fiscal side Laos initiated a VAT tax system in 2010. Simplified investment procedures and expanded bank credits for small farmers and small entrepreneurs will improve Lao's economic prospects. The government appears committed to raising the country's profile among investors. The World Bank has declared that Laos's goal of graduating from the UN Development Program's list of least-developed countries by 2020 is achievable. According Laotian officials the 7th Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2011-15 will outline efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 135
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 23

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 181
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 29.2%
Industry: 32.4%
Services: 38.3% (2010 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 17.7% (2010 est.)
Rank: 6

Labor force: 3.69 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 92
By occupation agriculture: 75.1%
By occupation industry and services: NA (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.4% (2005 est.)
Rank: 21

Population below poverty line: 26% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.3%
Highest 10: 30.3% (2008)

Distribution of family income gini index: 34.6 (2002)
Rank: 84

Budget
Revenues: $1.136 billion
Expenditures: $1.338 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -3.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 102

Taxes and other revenues: 17.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 171

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0% (2009 est.)
Rank: 159

Central bank discount rate: 4% (31 December 2009)
Rank: 92

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 24.775% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 12

Stock of narrow money: $564.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 148

Stock of broad money: $1.805 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 138

Stock of domestic credit: $1.22 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 132

Current account balance: $9.3 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 85

Exports: $1.053 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 143
Commodities: wood products coffee electricity tin copper gold
Partners: Thailand 31.1% China 23% Vietnam 12.9% (2010)

Imports: $1.461 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 153
Commodities: machinery and equipment vehicles fuel consumer goods
Partners: Thailand 65.6% China 14.6% Vietnam 6.6% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $618.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 144

Debt external: $4.721 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 115

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 1.553 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 140
Consumption: 2.23 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 135
Exports: 341 million kWh (2010 est.)
Imports: 999 million kWh (2010 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 203
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 195
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 128
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 142
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 154

Telephones
Main lines in use: 103,100 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 146
Mobile cellular: 4.003 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 109

Telephone system
General assessment: service to general public is poor but improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
Domestic: multiple service providers; mobile cellular usage growing very rapidly
International: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and a second to be developed by China (2008)

Broadcast media: 2 television stations operating out of Vientiane - 1 government-operated and the other jointly-owned by the government and a Thai company; roughly 15 provincial stations operating with nearly all programming relayed via satellite from the government-operated station in Vientiane; relays from Hanoi provide access to a Vietnamese television station; 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 2 SW and 2 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 (2008)

Internet
Country code: .la
Hosts: 1468 (2010)
Hosts rank: 161
Users: 300,000 (2009)
Users rank: 130

Military expenditures: 0.5% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 160

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum 18-month service obligation (2010)

Airports: 41 (2010)
Rank: 104
With paved runways total: 9
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 32
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 21 (2010)

Pipelines: refined products 540 km (2010)

Roadways
Total: 39,568 km
Rank: 91
Paved: 530 km
Unpaved: 39,038 km (2009)

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) (2010)
Rank: 24

Merchant marine
Total: 1
Rank: 157
By type: cargo 1 (2008)

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; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels; Cambodia is concerned about Laos' extensive upstream dam construction

Illicit drugs: estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2008 was 1900 hectares about a 73% increase from 2007; estimated potential opium production in 2008 more than tripled to 17 metric tons; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem (2007)