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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 53 usable: 41 with permanent-surface runways: 8 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 15

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 27,527 km paved: bituminous 1,856 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, improved earth 7,451 km; unimproved earth 18,220 km (often impassable during rainy season mid-May to mid-September)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

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 [time series]

1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT

Pipelines [time series]

petroleum products 136 km

Ports [time series]

none

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

none

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

service to general public practically non-existant; radio communications network provides generally erratic service to government users; 7,390 telephones (1986); broadcast stations - 10 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 satellite earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Lao People's Army (LPA; including naval, aviation, and militia elements), Air Force, National Police Department

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 1,015,357; fit for military service 547,566; reach military age (18) annually 49,348 (1994 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 60% of GDP and employs most of the work force; subsistence farming predominates; normally self-sufficient in nondrought years; principal crops - rice (80% of cultivated land), sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, cotton; livestock - buffaloes, hogs, cattle, poultry

Budget [time series]

revenues: $83 million expenditures: $188.5 million, including capital expenditures of $94 million (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 new kip (NK) = 100 at

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $276 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $605 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $995 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 226,000 kW production: 990 million kWh consumption per capita: 220 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

new kips (NK) per US$1 - 720 (July 1993). 710 (May 1992), 710 (December 1991), 700 (September 1990), 576 (1989)

Exports [time series]

$133 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: electricity, wood products, coffee, tin partners: Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, FSU, US, China

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$1.1 billion (1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of cannabis, opium poppy for the international drug trade, third-largest opium producer (180 metric tons in 1993)

Imports [time series]

$266 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures partners: Thailand, FSU, Japan, France, Vietnam, China

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 12% (1991 est.); accounts for about 18% of GDP (1991 est.)

Industries [time series]

tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

9.8% (1992 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $4.1 billion (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$900 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

7% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Laos has had a Communist centrally planned economy with government ownership and control of major productive enterprises. Since 1986, however, the government has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise. Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, limited external and internal telecommunications, and electricity available in only a limited area. Subsistence agriculture is the main occupation, accounting for over 60% of GDP and providing about 85-90% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend for its survival on foreign aid from the IMF and other international sources; aid from the former USSR and Eastern Europe has been cut sharply.

Unemployment rate [time series]

21% (1989 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 236,800 sq km land area: 230,800 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Utah

Climate [time series]

tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: deforestation; soil erosion natural hazards: subject to floods, drought, and blight international agreements: party to - Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

boundary dispute with Thailand

Irrigated land [time series]

1,200 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 5,083 km, Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 58% other: 35%

Location [time series]

Southeastern Asia, between Vietnam and Thailand

Map references [time series]

Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Note [time series]

landlocked

Terrain [time series]

mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamsai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louang Namtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Saravan, Savannakhet, Xekong, Vientiane, Viangchan*, Xaignabouri, Xiangkhoang

Capital [time series]

Vientiane

Constitution [time series]

promulgated 14 August 1991

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador HIEM PHOMMACHANH chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 332-6416 or 6417

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President NOUHAK PHOUMSAVAN (since 25 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Gen. KHAMTAI SIPHANDON (since 15 August 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president, approved by the Assembly

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

(202) 332-4923

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[851] 4675

Flag [time series]

three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Independence [time series]

19 July 1949 (from France)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme People's Court

Legal system [time series]

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: none

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

non-Communist political groups moribund; most leaders fled the country in 1975

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president; includes Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC); other parties moribund

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch (Third National Assembly) [time series]

elections last held on 20 December 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (85 total) number of seats by party NA

Government type (Type) [time series]

Communist state

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Victor TOMSETH embassy: Rue Bartholonie, Vientiane mailing address: B. P. 114, Vientiane, or American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [851] 2220, 2357, or 3570, 16-9581

People

Birth rate [time series]

43.23 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

14.74 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Lao 50%, Phoutheung (Kha) 15%, tribal Thai 20%, Meo, Hmong, Yao, and other 15%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

101.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1-1.5 million by occupation: agriculture 85-90% (est.)

Languages [time series]

Lao (official), French, English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 51.68 years male: 50.16 years female: 53.28 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15-45 can read and write (1993) total population: 64% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

4,701,654 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.85% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Buddhist 85%, animist and other 15%

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.07 children born/woman (1994 est.)