Laos

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

• most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane;
• large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border;
• overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia

• unexploded ordnance;
• deforestation;
• soil erosion;
• loss of biodiversity;
• water pollution, most of the population does not have access to potable water

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

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

noun:

Lao(s) or Laotian(s)

adjective:

Lao or Laotian

• most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane;
• large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border;
• overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia

at birth:

1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

0.98 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.83 male(s)/female

total population:

0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

degree of risk:

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases:

dengue fever and malaria

conventional long form:

Lao People's Democratic Republic

conventional short form:

Laos

local long form:

Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

local short form:

Mueang Lao (unofficial)

etymology:

name means "Land of the Lao [people]"

name:

Vientiane (Viangchan)

geographic coordinates:

17 58 N, 102 36 E

time difference:

UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

the meaning in Pali, a Buddhist liturgical language, is "city of sandalwood"

• 17 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 prefecture* (kampheng nakhon);
• Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun, Xekong, Xiangkhouang

history:

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

amendments:

• proposed by the National Assembly;
• passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the president of the republic;
• amended 2003, 2015

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Laos

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

10 years

chief of state:

President BOUNNYANG Vorachit (since 20 April 2016); Vice President PHANKHAM Viphavan (since 20 April 2016)

head of government:

Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 20 April 2016); Deputy Prime Ministers BOUNTHONG Chitmani, SONXAI Siphandon, SOMDI Douangdi (since 20 April 2016)

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 20 April 2016 (next to be held in 2021);
• prime minister nominated by the president, elected by the National Assembly for 5-year term

election results:

• BOUNNYANG Vorachit (LPRP) elected president;
• PHANKHAM Viphavan (LPRP) elected vice president;
• percent of National Assembly vote - NA;
• THONGLOUN Sisoulit (LPRP) elected prime minister;
• percent of National Assembly vote - NA

description:

unicameral National Assembly or Sapha Heng Xat (149 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 20 March 2016 (next to be held in 2021)

election results:

• percent of vote by party - NA;
• seats by party - LPRP 144, independent 5;
• composition - men 108, women 41, percent of women 27.5%

highest courts:

People's Supreme Court (consists of the court president and organized into criminal, civil, administrative, commercial, family, and juvenile chambers, each with a vice president and several judges)

judge selection and term of office:

• president of People's Supreme Court appointed by the National Assembly upon the recommendation of the president of the republic for a 5-year term;
• vice presidents of the People's Supreme Court appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the National Assembly;
• appointment of chamber judges NA;
• tenure of court vice presidents and chamber judges NA

subordinate courts:

appellate courts; provincial, municipal, district, and military courts

chief of mission:

Ambassador KHAMPHAN Anlavan (since January 2019)

chancery:

2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 332-6416

FAX:

[1] (202) 332-4923

consulate(s):

New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Peter HAYMOND (since 7 February 2020)

telephone:

[856] 21-48-7000

embassy:

Thadeua Road, Kilometer 9, Ban Somvang Tai, Hatsayfong District, Vientiane

mailing address:

American Embassy Vientiane, Unit 46222, APO AP 96546-6222

FAX:

[856] 21-48-7190

• 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

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

Fitch rating:

CCC (2020)

Moody's rating:

Caa2 (2020)

agriculture:

73.1%

industry:

6.1%

services:

20.6% (2012 est.)

lowest 10%:

3.3%

highest 10%:

30.3% (2008)

• 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

number of registered air carriers:

1 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

1,251,961 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:

1.53 million mt-km (2018)

total:

39,586 km (2009)

paved:

5,415 km (2009)

unpaved:

34,171 km (2009)

total:

1

by type:

general cargo 1 (2019)

• the LPAF is armed largely with weapons from the former Soviet Union with a smaller mix of more modern weapons from China, Russia, and Ukraine;
• since 2010, China and Russia are the top suppliers of military hardware to Laos (2019 est.)

• 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;
• Cambodia and Laos have a longstanding border demarcation dispute;
• concern among Mekong River Commission members that China's construction of eight dams on the Upper Mekong River and construction of more dams on its tributaries will affect water levels, sediment flows, and fisheries;
• Cambodia and Vietnam are concerned about Laos' extensive plans for upstream dam construction for the same reasons

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;
• a small, possibly growing, number of Lao women and girls are sold as brides in China and South Korea and subsequently sex trafficked;
• Lao men and boys are victims of forced labor in the Thai fishing, construction, and agriculture industries;
• some Lao children, as well as Vietnamese and Chinese women and girls, are subjected to sex trafficking in Laos;
• other Vietnamese and Chinese, and possibly Burmese, adults and girls transit Laos for sexual and labor exploitation in neighboring countries, particularly Thailand

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 investigate, prosecute, and convict trafficking offenders;
• the government failed to make progress in proactively identifying victims exploited within the country or among those deported from abroad;
• the government continues to rely almost entirely on local and international organizations to provide and fund services to trafficking victims;
• although Lao men and boys are trafficked, most protective services are only available to women and girls, and long-term support is lacking;
• modest prevention efforts include the promotion of anti-trafficking awareness on state-controlled media (2015)

• estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2015 was estimated to be 5,700 hectares, compared with 6,200 hectares in 2014;
• estimated potential production of between 84 and 176 mt of raw opium;
• unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production;
• growing domestic methamphetamine problem