Laos

Lao People's Democratic RepublicSathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

Communist stateIndependence 19 July 1949 (from France)

Laos as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 83 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalVientiane

Area236,800 sq km

LocationSoutheastern Asia, northeast of Thailand

Populationas each edition published it

4.84 million July 1995 est. · 4.02m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.84% 1995 est. · 2.86% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

52.2 years 1995 est. · 51.18 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.98 children per woman 1995 est. · 5.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

99.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 126 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$850 1994 est. · $200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

8.4% 1994 est. · 4% in 1993

Geography

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand

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Land useshare of 236,800 sq km

arable land 4%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 3%forest and woodland 58%other 35%irrigated 1,554 sq km (1992 est.)

Area

236,800sq km

land area: 230,800 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Utah

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Land boundaries

5,083km

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

Location

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Natural resources

timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Environment

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

People

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Population

4,837,237

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.84% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

42.64Death

14.28Net migration

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years52.2

50.66 · 53.81

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy50%

65% · 35%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1992)

Ethnic divisions

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

Labor force

1million

-1.5 millionby occupation: agriculture 80% (1992 est.)

Age structure

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.)

Infant mortality rate

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

Nationality

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

Languages

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

Government

Communist state; President NOUHAK PHOUMSAVAN (since 25 November 1992); Prime Minister Gen. KHAMTAI SIPHANDON (since 15 August 1991)

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Names

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

Administrative divisions

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

National holiday

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

Legal system

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

Executive branch

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

National Assembly

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

Political parties and leaders

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

Other political or pressure groups

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

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador HIEM PHOMMACHANH
chancery:: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 332-6416, 6417

FAX

[1] (202) 332-4923

US diplomatic representation

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

FAX

[856] (21) 212584

Flag

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

Economy

The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official | Communist states - has been decentralizing control and encouraging | private enterprise since 1986.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$850

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

8.4%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 7.5% (1992 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP (1992 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

6.5%

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

21%

(1992 est.)

Installed generating capacity, 260,000 kW

Electricity production

870 millionElectricity consumption per capita

44 (1993)

Overview

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.

National product

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

Budget

revenues:: $NA
expenditures:: $NA

Exports

$277 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: electricity, wood products, coffee, tin, garments
partners:: Thailand 57%, Germany 10%, France 10%, Japan 5% (1991)

Imports

$528 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities:: food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures
partners:: Thailand 55%, Japan 16%, China 8%, Italy 4% (1991)

External debt

$NA

Industries

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

Agriculture

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

Illicit drugs

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

Economic aid

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