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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

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 [time series]

.la

Internet users [time series]

total: 300,000 | percent of population: 5.8% (2009) | country comparison to the world: 142

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 3, FM 34, shortwave 3 (2010)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: service to general public is improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas | 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)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 920,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 4.6 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 68 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

28 (2010)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $2.742 billion | expenditures: $3.297 billion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-4.7% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158

Central bank discount rate [time series]

4.3% (31 December 2010) | 4% (31 December 2009) | country comparison to the world: 84

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

24.5% (31 December 2014 est.) | 23.2% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Current account balance [time series]

-$2.907 billion (2014 est.) | -$593 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Debt - external [time series]

$7.52 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $6.861 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

36.7 (2008) | 34.6 (2002) | country comparison to the world: 82

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 has more recently been amongst the fastest in Asia and averaged nearly 8% per year for the last decade. 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 to 83% of the population. 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 25% of GDP and 73% 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 dams along the Mekong river, copper and gold mining, logging, and construction though some projects in these industries have drawn criticism for their environmental impacts. The strength of the natural resources and hydropower sectors have masked ongoing problems with the business environment that would have otherwise constrained growth. These problems include onerous registration requirements, a gap between legislation and implementation, and unclear or conflicting business regulations. Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US in 2004 and applied for Generalized System of Preferences trade benefits in 2013 after being admitted to the World Trade Organization earlier in the year. Laos is in the process of implementing a value-added tax system. 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 foreign investors and has developed special economic zones replete with generous tax incentives, but a small labor pool of both skilled and unskilled workers remains an impediment to investment. Laos broadly appears to be on target to graduate from the UN Development Program's list of least-developed countries by 2020, and the country is preparing for implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community at the end of 2015 and for the rotating ASEAN chairmanship in 2016.

Exchange rates [time series]

kips (LAK) per US dollar - | 8,052 (2014 est.) | 7,852.7 (2013 est.) | 8,007.3 (2012 est.) | 8,035.1 (2011 est.) | 8,258.8 (2010 est.)

Exports [time series]

$2.791 billion (2014 est.) | $2.448 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131

Exports - commodities [time series]

wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold, cassava

Exports - partners [time series]

China 34.2%, Thailand 27.4%, Vietnam 15.7% (2014)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$11.68 billion (2014 est.)

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

$34.4 billion (2014 est.) | $32.03 billion (2013 est.) | $29.66 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 116

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 23.7% | industry: 32.2% | services: 44.1% (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$5,000 (2014 est.) | $4,600 (2013 est.) | $4,300 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 167

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

7.4% (2014 est.) | 8% (2013 est.) | 7.9% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

Gross national saving [time series]

32.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | 29.5% of GDP (2013 est.) | 27.4% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 24

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 3.3% | highest 10%: 30.3% (2008)

Imports [time series]

$4.074 billion (2014 est.) | $3.452 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners [time series]

Thailand 55.2%, China 25.6%, Vietnam 6.6% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

9% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4.1% (2014 est.) | 6.4% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158

Labor force [time series]

3.445 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 73.1% | industry: 6.1% | services: 20.6% (2012 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$1.012 billion (2012 est.) | $576.8 million (2011) | country comparison to the world: 107

Population below poverty line [time series]

22% (2013 est.)

Public debt [time series]

46.2% of GDP (2014 est.) | 46.2% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$845.8 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $664 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Stock of broad money [time series]

$5.411 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $5.141 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$15.14 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | $12.44 billion (31 December 2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$5.157 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $4.665 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$1.629 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.414 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

23.4% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 132

Unemployment rate [time series]

1.3% (2012 est.) | 1.9% (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

1.623 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 207

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153

Electricity - consumption [time series]

2.4 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136

Electricity - exports [time series]

2.537 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 40

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

1.9% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

98.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Electricity - imports [time series]

1 billion kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

3.217 million kW (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - production [time series]

12.24 billion kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 162

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 152

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

3,520 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 191

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

3,160 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 170

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 161

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 236,800 sq km | land: 230,800 sq km | water: 6,000 sq km | country comparison to the world: 84

Area - comparative [time series]

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)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Mekong River 70 m | highest point: Phu Bia 2,817 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 3.49 cu km/yr (4%/5%/91%) | per capita: 588.9 cu m/yr (2005)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

18 00 N, 105 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand

Irrigated land [time series]

3,100 sq km (2005)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 5,274 km | border countries (5): Burma 238 km, Cambodia 555 km, China 475 km, Thailand 1,845 km, Vietnam 2,161 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 10.6% | arable land 6.2%; permanent crops 0.7%; permanent pasture 3.7% | forest: 67.9% | other: 21.5% (2011 est.)

Location [time series]

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Map references [time series]

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

floods, droughts

Natural resources [time series]

timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Terrain [time series]

mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Total renewable water resources [time series]

333.5 cu km (2011)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

17 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, Xaimsomboun, Xekong, Xiangkhouang

Capital [time series]

name: Vientiane (Viangchan) | geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E | time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

previous 1947 (preindependence); latest promulgated 13-15 August 1991; amended 2003 (2003)

Country name [time series]

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)

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador David A. CLUNE (since 16 September 2013) | embassy: Thadeua Road, Kilometer 9, Ban Somvang Thai, Haysatfong District, Vientiane | mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, Unit 8165, APO AP 96546 | telephone: [856] 21-48-7000 | FAX: [856] 21-48-7190

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Mai SAYAVONGS (since 3 August 2015) | chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416 | FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923 | consulate(s): New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006) | head of government: Prime Minister THONGSING Thammavong (since 24 December 2010); Deputy Prime Ministers SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001), Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), BOUNPON Bouttanavong (since July 2014), PHANKHAM Viphavan (since July 2014) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly | elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 30 April 2011 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister nominated by the president, elected by the National Assembly for 5-year term | election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason (LPRP) reelected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit reelected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA; THONGSING Thammavong elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

Communist state

Independence [time series]

19 July 1949 (from France)

International law organization participation [time series]

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

highest court(s): People's Supreme Court (consists of NA judges) | 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; judge tenure NA | subordinate courts: provincial, municipal, district, and military courts

Legal system [time series]

civil law system similar in form to the French system

Legislative branch [time series]

description: unicameral National Assembly or Sapha Heng Xat (132 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote from candidate lists provided by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party; members serve 5-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

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Pheng Xat Lao" (Hymn of the Lao People) | lyrics/music: 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

National holiday [time series]

Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

National symbol(s) [time series]

elephant; national colors: red, white, blue

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

Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 1,574,362 | females age 16-49: 1,607,856 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 1,111,629 | females age 16-49: 1,190,035 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 71,400 | female: 73,038 (2010 est.)

Military - note [time series]

serving one of the world's least developed countries, the Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF) is small, poorly funded, and ineffectively resourced; its mission focus is border and internal security, primarily in countering ethnic Hmong insurgent groups; together with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the government, the Lao People's Army (LPA) is the third pillar of state machinery, and as such is expected to suppress political and civil unrest and similar national emergencies; there is no perceived external threat to the state and the LPA maintains strong ties with the neighboring Vietnamese military (2012)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force (2011)

Military expenditures [time series]

NA% (2012) | 0.23% of GDP (2011) | NA% (2010)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

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

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 34.1% (male 1,190,119/female 1,166,774) | 15-24 years: 21.31% (male 731,531/female 741,107) | 25-54 years: 35.54% (male 1,211,600/female 1,245,010) | 55-64 years: 5.23% (male 177,142/female 184,409) | 65 years and over: 3.82% (male 119,392/female 144,460) (2015 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

24.25 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Child labor - children ages 5-14 [time series]

total number: 175,138 | percentage: 11% (2006 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

26.5% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 22

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

49.8% (2011/12)

Death rate [time series]

7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 62.8% | youth dependency ratio: 56.6% | elderly dependency ratio: 6.2% | potential support ratio: 16.1% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

2.8% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 147

Ethnic groups [time series]

Lao 54.6%, Khmou 10.9%, Hmong 8%, Tai 3.8%, Phuthai 3.3%, Leu 2.2%, Katang 2.1%, Makong 2.1%, Akha 1.6%, other 10.4%, unspecified 1% (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.26% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

500 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

11,100 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

2% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 181

Hospital bed density [time series]

1.5 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 52.97 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 58.52 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 47.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 63.88 years | male: 61.88 years | female: 65.95 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 181

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 79.9% | male: 87.1% | female: 72.8% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

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 with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2013)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

VIENTIANE (capital) 997,000 (2015)

Median age [time series]

total: 22.3 years | male: 22 years | female: 22.6 years (2015 est.)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 149

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

3% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 179

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Population [time series]

6,911,544 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104

Population growth rate [time series]

1.55% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79

Religions [time series]

Buddhist 66.8%, Christian 1.5%, other 31%, unspecified 0.7% (2005 est.)

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 11 years | male: 11 years | female: 10 years (2013)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.82 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 38.6% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 4.93% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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 [time series]

estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2008 was 1,900 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 (2009)

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: Laos is a source and, to a lesser extent, transit and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Lao economic migrants may encounter conditions of forced labor or sexual exploitation in destination countries, most often Thailand; Lao women and girls are exploited in Thailand’s commercial sex trade, domestic service, factories, and agriculture; Lao men and boys are victims of forced labor in the Thai fishing, construction, and agriculture industries; some Vietnamese and Chinese women and girls are subjected to sex trafficking in Laos while others are trafficked through Laos to neighboring countries, particularly Thailand; some Lao adults and children are subject to sex and labor exploitation domestically | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Laos does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; authorities sustained moderate efforts to prosecute and convict trafficking offenders; the government failed to identify victims exploited within the country or among those deported from abroad; the government relies almost entirely on local and international organizations to implement its anti-trafficking programs, including providing assistance to trafficking victims (2014)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

41 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 103

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 8 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 33 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 | 914 to 1,523 m: 9 | 22 (2013)

Pipelines [time series]

refined products 540 km (2013)

Roadways [time series]

total: 39,568 km | paved: 530 km | unpaved: 39,038 km (2007) | country comparison to the world: 89

Waterways [time series]

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) | country comparison to the world: 23