from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Laos
Introduction
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 three hundred years Lan Xang
included large parts of present-day Cambodia and
Thailand, as well as all of what is now Laos. After
centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the
control 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 return to private enterprise and the
liberalization of foreign investment laws began in
1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.
Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of
Vietnam
Geographic 18 00 N, 105 00 E
coordinates:
Map Southeast Asia
references:
Area: total: 236,800 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
Area - slightly larger than Utah
comparative:
Land total: 5,083 km
boundaries: border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China
423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime none (landlocked)
claims:
Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry
season (December to April)
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Elevation lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
extremes: highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
Natural timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
resources:
Land use: arable land: 4.01%
permanent crops: 0.34%
other: 95.65% (2005)
Irrigated 1,750 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural floods, droughts
hazards:
Environment - unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most
current of the population does not have access to potable water
issues:
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and
note: thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part
of the western boundary with Thailand
People
Population: 6,368,481 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.4% (male 1,324,207/female 1,313,454)
15-64 years: 55.4% (male 1,744,206/female 1,786,139)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 89,451/female 111,024)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 18.9 years
male: 18.6 years
female: 19.2 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.39% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 35.49 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 11.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 83.31 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 92.95 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 73.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 55.49 years
expectancy at male: 53.45 years
birth: female: 57.61 years (2006 est.)
Total 4.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.1% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 1,700 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 200 (2003 est.)
deaths:
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 and the Yao 9%,
ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%
Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various
Christian denominations 1.5%)
Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic
languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.4%
male: 77.4%
female: 55.5% (2002)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic
Republic
conventional short form: Laos PDR or Laos
local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
local short form: none
Government Communist state
type:
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 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1
divisions: municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural),
and 1 special zone** (khetphiset, singular and plural);
Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan,
Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai,
Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)
*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong,
Xiangkhoang
Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)
National Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
holiday:
Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991
Legal system: based on traditional customs, French legal norms and
procedures, and socialist practice
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason
branch: (since 8 June 2006) and Vice President BOUN-GNANG
Volachit (since 8 June 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh
(since 8 June 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen.
ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister
Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit [since 8 June 2006],
Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26
February 1998), and Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN
Sisolit (since 27 March 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president, approved by the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by the
National Assembly for five-year terms; election last
held 8 June 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime
minister nominated by the president and elected by the
National Assembly for a 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 unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members
branch: elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in
2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - LPRP 113, independents 2
Judicial People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's
branch: 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 Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALY
parties and Sayasone]; other parties proscribed
leaders:
Political noncommunist political groups proscribed; most
pressure opposition leaders fled the country in 1975
groups and
leaders:
International ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
organization ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
participation: IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
(observer)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
representation chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH
representation embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam Road, Vientiane
from the US: mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, Box V, APO
AP 96546
telephone: [856] 21-26 7000
FAX: [856] 21-26 7074
Flag three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double
description: width), and red with a large white disk centered in the
blue band
Economy
Economy - The government of Laos, one of the few remaining
overview: official Communist states, began decentralizing control
and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The
results, starting from an extremely low base, were
striking - growth averaged 6% in 1988-2004 except
during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian
financial crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high
growth rate, Laos remains a country with a primitive
infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road
system, and limited external and internal
telecommunications, though the government is sponsoring
major improvements in the road system with possible
support from Japan. Electricity is available in only a
few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by
rice, accounts for about half of GDP and provides 80%
of total employment. The economy will continue to
benefit from aid by the IMF and other international
sources and from new foreign investment in food
processing and mining. Construction will be another
strong economic driver, especially as hydroelectric dam
and road projects gain steam. In late 2004, Laos gained
Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing
Laos-based producers to face lower tariffs on exports.
This new status may help spur growth. In addition, the
European Union has agreed to provide $1 million to the
Lao Government for technical assistance in preparations
for WTO membership. If the avian flu worsens and
spreads in the region, however, prospects for tourism
could dim.
GDP $12.29 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $2.523 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 7.3% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $2,000 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 45.5%
composition by industry: 28.7%
sector: services: 25.8% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 2.8 million (2002 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 80%
by occupation: industry and services: 20% (1997 est.)
Unemployment 2.4% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 34% (2005 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 3.2%
income or highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 37 (1997)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 7% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $319.3 million
expenditures: $434.6 million; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Agriculture - sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane,
products: tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo,
pigs, cattle, poultry
Industries: copper, tin, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power,
agricultural processing, construction, garments,
tourism, cement
Industrial 13% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 3.767 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 1.4%
production by hydro: 98.6%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 3.298 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 435 million kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 230 million kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 2,950 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Current $-134 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $379 million (2005 est.)
Exports - garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin
commodities:
Exports - Thailand 29.6%, Vietnam 12%, France 6.1%, Germany 4.6%
partners: (2005)
Imports: $541 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods
commodities:
Imports - Thailand 66.1%, China 9%, Vietnam 6.7% (2005)
partners:
Reserves of $249 million (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $2.49 billion (2001)
external:
Economic aid - $243 million (2001 est.)
recipient:
Currency kip (LAK)
(code):
Currency code: LAK
Exchange kips per US dollar - 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004),
rates: 10,569 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.6 (2001)
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Communications
Telephones - 90,067 (2006)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 520,546 (2006)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: service to general public is poor
system: but improving; the government relies on a
radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
domestic: radiotelephone communications
international: country code - 856; satellite earth
station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
Radio AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 730,000 (1997)
Television 7; note - including one station relaying Vietnam
broadcast Television from Hanoi (2006)
stations:
Televisions: 52,000 (1997)
Internet .la
country code:
Internet 1,108 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 25,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 44 (2006)
Airports - total: 9
with paved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - total: 35
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (2006)
Pipelines: refined products 540 km (2006)
Roadways: total: 32,620 km
paved: 4,590 km
unpaved: 28,030 km (2002)
Waterways: 4,600 km
note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897
additional km are intermittently navigable by craft
drawing less than 0.5 m (2005)
Merchant total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
marine: by type: cargo 1 (2006)
Military
Military Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air
branches: Force
Military 15 years of age for compulsory military service;
service age conscript service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 15-49: 1,500,625
available for females age 15-49: 1,521,116 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 15-49: 954,816
for military females age 15-49: 1,006,082 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 73,167
reaching females age 15-49: 71,432 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $11.04 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 0.4% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Military - Laos is one of the world's least developed countries;
note: the Lao People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded,
and ineffectively resourced; there is little political
will to allocate sparse funding to the military, and
the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely to
continue; the massive drug production and trafficking
industry centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an
important narcotics transit country, and armed Wa and
Chinese smugglers are active on the Lao-Burma border
(2005)
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Southeast Asian states have enhanced border
international: surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks
continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but
disputes remain over several areas along Mekong River
and Thai squatters; concern among Mekong Commission
members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong
River will affect water levels
Trafficking in current situation: Laos is a source country for men and
persons: women trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and
sexual exploitation; a significant number are economic
migrants who are subjected to commercial sexual
exploitation or conditions of forced or bonded labor in
Thailand; to a lesser extent, Laos is a transit and
destination country for women who are trafficked for
sexual exploitation including a small number of victims
from China and Vietnam trafficked to work as street
vendors and for sexual exploitation in prostitution
tier rating: Tier 3 - Laos does not fully comply with
the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do
so
Illicit drugs: estimated cultivation in 2004 - 10,000 hectares, a 45%
decrease from 2003; estimated potential production in
2004 - 49 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200
metric tons in 2003 (2005)