Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

7,390 telephones (1986); service to general public very poor; radio communications network provides generally erratic service to government users local: 16 telephone lines per 1,000 people intercity: radio communications international: 1 earth station

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 2 televisions: NA

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $105 million, 8.1% of GDP (FY92/93) LATVIA

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 1,051,105; males fit for military service 567,017; males reach military age (18) annually 51,437 (1995 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

principal crops - rice (80% of cultivated land), sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, cotton; livestock - buffaloes, hogs, cattle, poultry

Budget [time series]

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

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; international assistance in loans and grant aid (1993/94) $217.7 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 260,000 kW production: 870 million kWh consumption per capita: 44 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

new kips (NK) per US$1 - 717 (1994 est.), 720 (July 1993). 710 (May 1992), 710 (December 1991), 700 (September 1990), 576 (1989)

Exports [time series]

$277 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: electricity, wood products, coffee, tin, garments partners: Thailand 57%, Germany 10%, France 10%, Japan 5% (1991)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of cannabis, opium poppy for the international drug trade, fourth largest opium producer (85 metric tons in 1994); heroin producer; increasingly used as transshipment point for heroin produced in Burma

Imports [time series]

$528 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures partners: Thailand 55%, Japan 16%, China 8%, Italy 4% (1991)

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

growth rate 7.5% (1992 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP (1992 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

6.5% (1994 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power parity - $4 billion (1994 est.)

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

$850 (1994 est.)

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

8.4% (1994 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official Communist states - has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise since 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, have been striking - growth has averaged 7.5% annually since 1988. Even so, Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. In non-drought years, Laos is self-sufficient overall in food, but each year flood, pests, and localized drought cause shortages in various parts of the country. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend on aid from the IMF and other international sources; aid from the former USSR and Eastern Europe has been cut sharply. As in many developing countries, deforestation and soil erosion will hamper efforts to maintain the high rate of GDP growth.

Unemployment rate [time series]

21% (1992 est.)

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; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water natural hazards: floods, droughts, and blight international agreements: party to - Climate Change, 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]

1,554 sq km (1992 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, northeast of Thailand

Map references [time series]

Southeast Asia

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Capital [time series]

Vientiane

Constitution [time series]

promulgated 14 August 1991

Digraph [time series]

LA

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: [1] (202) 332-6416, 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]

[1] (202) 332-4923

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

[856] (21) 212584

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 traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, 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

Legislative branch (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

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 proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975

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

Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president; other parties proscribed

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

Communist state

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Victor L. TOMSETH embassy: Rue Bartholonie, Vientiane mailing address: B. P. 114, Vientiane; American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 45% (female 1,084,615; male 1,111,928) 15-64 years: 51% (female 1,280,142; male 1,199,149) 65 years and over: 4% (female 86,390; male 75,013) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

42.64 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

14.28 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

99.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1 million-1.5 million by occupation: agriculture 80% (1992 est.)

Languages [time series]

Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 52.2 years male: 50.66 years female: 53.81 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1992) total population: 50% male: 65% female: 35%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

4,837,237 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.84% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.98 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports [time series]

total: 52 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 25 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 17

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 14,130 km paved: 2,260 km unpaved: 11,870 km (1992 est.)

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]

total: 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]

0 km