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.

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N 105 00 E

Area
Rank: 84
Land: 230,800 km²
Water: 6,000 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries
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 highest point: Phu Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber hydropower gypsum tin gold gemstones

Land use
Permanent crops: 0.42%
Other: 93.67% (2011)

Irrigated land: 3,100 km² (2005)

Total renewable water resources: 333.5 km³ (2011)

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: 6,695,166 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 103
Growth rate: 1.63% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 75
Below poverty line: 26% (2010 est.)

Nationality
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
15-24 years: 21.3% (male 706,679/female 716,368)
25-54 years: 34.6% (male 1,143,265/female 1,174,102)
55-64 years: 4.9% (male 160,650/female 166,605)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 113,301/female 137,728) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 57.6 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 %
Potential support ratio: 16.1 (2013)

Median age
Male: 21.4 years
Female: 21.9 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.63% (2013 est.)
Rank: 75

Birth rate: 25.23 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 58

Death rate: 7.86 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 108

Net migration rate: -1.12 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 149

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 4.41% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: VIENTIANE (capital) 799,000 (2009)

Environment
Current issues: unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 34
Male: 61.91 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 50.11 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 182
Male: 61.2 years
Female: 65.17 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.98 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 60

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 38.4% (2005)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.19 physicians/1000 population (2009)

Hospital bed density: 0.7 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 102
People living with hivaids: 8,500 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 106
Deaths: fewer than 200 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 101

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 2.6% (2008)
Rank: 179

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 31.6% (2006)
Rank: 13

Education expenditures: 3.3% of GDP (2010)
Rank: 135

Literacy
Total population: 72.7%
Male: 82.5%
Female: 63.2% (2005 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 11 years
Female: 10 years (2011)

Country name
Conventional short form: Laos
Local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
Local short form: Pathet Lao (unofficial)

Government type: Communist state

Capital
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 Louangphabang Oudomxai Phongsali Salavan Savannakhet Viangchan (Vientiane)* Viangchan Xaignabouli Xekong Xiangkhouang

Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day 2 December (1975)

Constitution: previous 1947 (preindependence); latest promulgated 13-15 August 1991; amended 2003 (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
Head of government: Prime Minister THONGSING Thammavong (since 24 December 2010); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002) Deputy 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 30 April 2011 (next to be held in 2016); 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 - NA; THONGSING Thammavong elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA

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
Judge selection and term of office: president of People's Supreme Court elected by National Assembly on recommendation of National Assembly Standing Committee; vice president of People's Supreme Court and judges appointed by National Assembly Standing Committee; term of office NA
Subordinate courts: provincial municipal district and military courts

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 (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
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 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 Lao People's Revolutionary Party as well as the country's bright future

National symbols: elephant

National anthem
Lyrics and music: SISANA Sisane/THONGDY Sounthonevichit

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. Laos' growth exceeded 7% per year during 2008-12. Despite this high growth rate 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 75% of the country. Laos' economy is heavily dependent on capital-intensive natural resource exports. The labor force however still relies on agriculture dominated by rice cultivation in lowland areas which accounts for about 30% of GDP and 75% of total employment. Economic growth has reduced official poverty rates from 46% in 1992 to 26% in 2010. The economy also has benefited from high-profile foreign direct investment in hydropower copper and gold mining logging and construction though some projects in these industries have drawn criticism for their environmental impacts. Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US in 2004. 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 Laos'' economic prospects. The government appears committed to raising the country''s profile among investors opening the country''s first stock exchange in 2011 and participating in regional economic cooperation initiatives. Laos was admitted to the WTO in 2012. The World Bank has declared that Laos'' goal of graduating from the UN Development Program''s list of least-developed countries by 2020 is achievable.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 134

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 22

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 177

Gross national saving:
Rank: 42

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 9.9%
Investment in fixed capital: 29.6%
Investment in inventories: -1.3%
Exports of goods and services: 39.6%
Imports of goods and services: -46.8%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 34%
Services: 40% (2012 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 11.4% (2012 est.)
Rank: 11

Labor force: 3.308 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 101
By occupation industry and services: NA (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.4% (2005 est.)
Rank: 19

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

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

Distribution of family income gini index: 34.6 (2002)
Rank: 81

Budget
Expenditures: $2.25 billion (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 70

Taxes and other revenues: 23.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 138

Public debt: 49.5% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 67

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7.6% (2011 est.)
Rank: 131

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

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 21.9% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 14

Stock of narrow money: $971.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 145

Stock of broad money: $3.155 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 137

Stock of domestic credit: $2.653 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 119

Current account balance: $-206.3 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 95

Exports: $1.854 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 140
Commodities: wood products coffee electricity tin copper gold cassava
Partners: Thailand 34% China 21.5% Vietnam 12.2% (2012)

Imports: $2.423 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 149
Commodities: machinery and equipment vehicles fuel consumer goods
Partners: Thailand 62.1% China 16.2% Vietnam 7.3% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $757.2 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 141

Debt external: $6.158 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 111

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 3.629 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 127
Consumption: 2.355 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 137
Exports: 2.02 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 41
Imports: 1 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 64
Installed generating capacity: 1.895 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 106
Generation sources fossil fuels: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 200
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 121
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 97.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 9
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 191

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 183
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 141
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 206
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 150

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 193
Products consumption: 3,391 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 177
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 189
Products imports: 3,160 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 171

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 151
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 162
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 131
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 86
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 156

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 1.404 million Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 159

Telephones
Main lines in use: 112,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 143
Mobile cellular: 6.492 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 99

Telephone system
Domestic: 4 service providers with 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 (2012)

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
Hosts: 1532 (2012)
Hosts rank: 166
Users: 300,000 (2009)
Users rank: 130

Military expenditures: 0.2% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 168

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

Airports: 41 (2013)
Rank: 103
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 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9
With unpaved runways: 22 (2013)

Pipelines: refined products 540 km (2013)

Roadways
Rank: 89
Paved: 530 km
Unpaved: 39,038 km (2007)

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: 24

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 River Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River and its tributaries will affect water levels; Cambodia and Vietnam are 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)