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Background:
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Laos
was 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. Initial closer ties to
Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a
gradual return to private enterprise, a
liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the
admission into ASEAN in 1997. |
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Location:
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Southeastern
Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam |
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Geographic coordinates:
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18 00
N, 105 00 E |
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Map references:
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Southeast
Asia |
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Area:
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total:
236,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
larger than Utah |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
5,083 km
border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541
km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130
km |
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Coastline:
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0 km
(landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none
(landlocked) |
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Climate:
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tropical
monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
(December to April) |
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Terrain:
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mostly
rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Mekong River 70 m
highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m |
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Natural resources:
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timber,
hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 3.8%
permanent crops: 0.35%
other: 95.85% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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1,640
sq km
note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km;
dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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floods,
droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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unexploded
ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the
population does not have access to potable water |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked;
most of the country is mountainous and thickly
forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the
western boundary with Thailand
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Population:
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6,068,117
(July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 41.9% (male 1,277,152; female 1,265,761)
15-64 years: 54.9% (male 1,642,895; female
1,688,175)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,995; female
106,139) (2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
18.6 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 19 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.44%
(2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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36.47
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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12.1
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
87.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 76.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004
est.)
male: 97.05 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 54.69 years
male: 52.71 years
female: 56.75 years (2004 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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4.86
children born/woman (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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1,700
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less
than 200 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Lao
Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao
Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%,
ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1% |
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Religions:
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Buddhist
60%, animist and other 40% (including various
Christian denominations 1.5%) |
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Languages:
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Lao
(official), French, English, and various ethnic
languages |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.4%
male: 77.4%
female: 55.5% (2002)
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
conventional short form: Laos
local short form: none
local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai
Paxaxon Lao |
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Government type:
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Communist
state |
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Capital:
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Vientiane |
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Administrative divisions:
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16
provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1
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*,
Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong,
Xiangkhoang |
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Independence:
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19 July
1949 (from France) |
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National holiday:
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Republic
Day, 2 December (1975) |
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Constitution:
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promulgated
14 August 1991 |
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Legal system:
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based
on traditional customs, French legal norms and
procedures, and socialist practice |
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Suffrage:
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18
years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon
(since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen.
CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27 March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG
Volachit (since 27 March 2001); First Deputy Prime
Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002),
Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27
March 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT
Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by
the president, approved by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National
Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24
February 2002 (next to be held in 2007); prime
minister appointed by the president with the
approval of the National Assembly for a five-year
term
election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected
president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - total
number of seats increased from 99 to 109 for the
2002 election)
elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next
to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved
(independent, non-party members) 109 |
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Judicial branch:
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People's
Supreme Court (the president of the People's 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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Lao
People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI
Siphandon, party president]; other parties
proscribed |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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noncommunist
political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders
fled the country in 1975 |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT,
ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC
20008 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH
embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114,
Vientiane
mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO
AP 96546
telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585
FAX: [856] (21) 212584 |
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Flag description:
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three
horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width),
and red with a large white disk centered in the blue
band
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Economy - overview:
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The
government of Laos - one of the few remaining
official Communist states - began decentralizing
control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986.
The results, starting from an extremely low base,
were striking - growth averaged 7% in 1988-2001
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. Electricity is
available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence
agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides
80% of total employment. The economy will continue
to benefit from aid from the IMF and other
international sources and from new foreign
investment in food processing and mining. |
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GDP:
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purchasing
power parity - $10.32 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.5%
(2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing
power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
49.4%
industry: 24.5%
services: 26.1% (2003 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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40%
(2002 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest
10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 30.6% (1997) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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37
(1997) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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15.3%
(2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2.6
million (2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture
80% (1997 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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5.7%
(1997 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$298.5 million
expenditures: $429.9 million, including
capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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sweet
potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane,
tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo,
pigs, cattle, poultry |
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Industries:
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tin and
gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural
processing, construction, garments, tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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9.7%
(2001 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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1.317
billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 1.4%
hydro: 98.6%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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824.7
million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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400
million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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2,750
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA
(2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA
(2001) |
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Current account balance:
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$-58
million (2003) |
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Exports:
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$332
million (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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garments,
wood products, coffee, electricity, tin |
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Exports - partners:
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Thailand
20.7%, Vietnam 15.8%, France 7.3%, Germany 5.3%,
Belgium 4% (2003 est.) |
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Imports:
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$492
million f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods |
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Imports - partners:
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Thailand
59.7%, China 12.8%, Vietnam 10.2% (2003 est.) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
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$201
million (2003) |
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Debt - external:
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$2.49
billion (2001) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$243
million (2001 est.) |
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Currency:
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kip (LAK) |
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Currency code:
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LAK |
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Exchange rates:
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kips
per US dollar - 10,443 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002),
8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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1
October - 30 September
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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61,900
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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55,200
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: service to general public is poor
but improving with over 20,000 telephones currently
in service and an additional 48,000 expected by
2001; 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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 12,
FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) |
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Radios:
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730,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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4
(1999) |
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Televisions:
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52,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.la |
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Internet hosts:
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937
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1
(2000) |
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Internet users:
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15,000
(2002)
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Highways:
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total:
21,716 km
paved: 9,664 km
unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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4,587
km approximately
note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897
additional km are intermittently navigable by craft
drawing less than 0.5 m |
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Pipelines:
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refined
products 540 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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none |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports:
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46
(2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 23 (2003 est.)
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Military branches:
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Lao
People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air
Force |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18
years of age (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males
age 15-49: 1,456,500 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males
age 15-49: 783,800 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age
annually:
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males:
68,563 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$10.9
million (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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0.5%
(2003)
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| Transnational
Issues |
Laos |
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Disputes - international:
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demarcation
of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam
is largely complete, but with Thailand several areas
including Mekong River islets remain in dispute;
ongoing disputes with Thailand and Vietnam over
squatters |
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Illicit drugs:
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world's
third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated
cultivation in 2002 - 23,200 hectares, a 5% increase
over 2001; estimated potential production in 2002 -
180 metric tons, a 10% decrease from 2001);
potential heroin producer; transshipment point for
heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma;
illicit producer of cannabis; growing
methamphetamine abuse problem
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