The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Southeast Asia
Illicit drugs Laos, in 36 editions.
The entry for Laos published Illicit drugs in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 20 editions. Each is shown as published. Illicit drugs in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 20
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Illicit drugs” (1990 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Rewritten since 2024- illicit producer of cannabis and opium poppy for the international drug trade;
- production of cannabis increased in 1989;
- marijuana and heroin are shipped to Western countries, including the US
illicit producer of cannabis and opium poppy for the international drug trade; production of cannabis increased in 1989; marijuana and heroin are shipped to Western countries, including the US
illicit producer of cannabis and opium poppy for the international drug trade
illicit producer of cannabis and opium poppy for the international drug trade; production of cannabis increased in 1989; marijuana and heroin are shipped to Western countries, including the US trade
The same text in 1992 and 1993.
- illicit producer of cannabis,
- opium poppy for the international drug trade,
- third-largest opium producer
illicit producer of cannabis and cannabis, opium poppy for the international drug trade trade,
third-largest opium producer
- illicit producer of cannabis,
- opium poppy for the international drug trade,
- third-largest opium producer (180 metric tons in 1993)
illicit producer of cannabis, opium poppy for the international drug trade,
trade, third-largest opium producer (180 metric tons in 1993)
- 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
illicit producer of cannabis, opium poppy for the
international drugthird-largest fourth largest opium producer (180 (85 metric
tons in 1993) 1994); heroin producer; increasingly used as transshipment
point for heroin produced in Burma
- world's third largest opium producer (180 metric tons from nearly 20,000 hectares in 1995);
- heroin producer;
- increasingly used as transshipment point for heroin produced in Burma;
- illicit producer of cannabis
illicit producer of cannabis, opium poppy for the world's third largest opium producer
international drug trade, fourth(85 (180 metric
tons from nearly 20,000 hectares in 1994); 1995); heroin producer;
increasingly used as transshipmentBurma
Burma; illicit producer of cannabis
- world's third largest opium producer (200 metric tons from some 25,250 hectares in 1996);
- heroin producer;
- increasingly used as transshipment point for heroin produced in Burma;
- illicit producer of cannabis LATVIA
world's third largest opium producer (180 (200 metric
from nearly 20,000 some 25,250 hectares in 1995); 1996); heroin producer;
as transshipment point for heroin produced in
of cannabis
LATVIA
- world's third largest opium producer (cultivation in 1997-28,150 hectares, an 11% increase over 1996; potential production-210 metric tons, a 5% increase over 1996);
- heroin producer;
- transshipment point for heroin and amphetamines produced in Burma;
- illicit producer of cannabis LATVIA
world's third largest opium producer (200 metric tons (cultivation in
from some 25,250 hectares
1997-28,150 hectares, an 11% increase over 1996; potential
production-210 metric tons, a 5% increase over 1996); heroin producer; increasingly usedas transshipment point for heroin and amphetamines produced in Burma;
illicit producer
LATVIA
- world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 1998--26,100 hectares, a 7% decrease over 1997; estimated potential production in 1998--140 metric tons, a 33% decrease over 1997);
- potential heroin producer;
- transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamines produced in Burma;
- illicit producer of cannabis
world's third largest third-largest illicit opium producer (cultivation in1997-28,150 (estimated cultivation in 1998--26,100 hectares, an 11% increase a 7% decrease over 1996; potentialproduction-210 1997; estimated potential production in 1998--140 metric tons, a 5% increase 33%
decrease over 1996); 1997); potential heroin producer;
for heroin and amphetamines methamphetamines produced in Burma;
of cannabis
LATVIA
- world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 1999 - 21,800 hectares, a 16% decrease over 1998; estimated potential production in 1999 - 140 metric tons, about the same as in 1998);
- potential heroin producer;
- transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamines produced in Burma;
- illicit producer of cannabis [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]
world's third-largest illicit opium producer1998--26,100 1999 - 21,800 hectares, a 7% 16% decrease over
1997;1998--140 1999 - 140 metric tons, a 33% about the same as in 1998); potential heroin producer; transshipment point
decrease over 1997);
- world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 1999 - 21,800 hectares, a 16% decrease over 1998; estimated potential production in 1999 - 140 metric tons, about the same as in 1998);
- potential heroin producer;
- transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma;
- illicit producer of cannabis
world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 1999 - 21,800 hectares, a 16% decrease over 1998; estimated potential production in 1999 - 140 metric tons, about the same as in 1998); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamines methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]
The same text in 2002 and 2003.
- 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
world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 1999 2002 - 21,800 23,200 hectares, a 16% decrease 5% increase over 1998; 2001; estimated potential production in 1999 2002 - 140 180 metric tons, about the same as in 1998); a 10% decrease from 2001); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem
- world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 2003 - 18,900 hectares, a 19% decrease over 2002; estimated potential production in 2003 - 200 metric tons, a 11% increase from 2002);
- potential heroin producer;
- transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma;
- illicit producer of cannabis;
- growing methamphetamine abuse problem
world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 2002 2003 - 23,200 18,900 hectares, a 5% increase 19% decrease over 2001; 2002; estimated potential production in 2002 2003 - 180 200 metric tons, a 10% decrease 11% increase from 2001); 2002); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem
The same text in 2005 and 2006.
- estimated cultivation in 2004 - 10,000 hectares, a 45% decrease from 2003;
- estimated potential production in 2004 - 49 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003 (2005)
Rewritten: too little of the 2004 text remains to mark the changes.
estimated cultivation in 2004 - 10,000 hectares, a 45% decrease from 2003; estimated potential production in 2004 - 49 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003 (2005)
- estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2005 was 5,600 hectares, about a 45% decrease from 2004;
- estimated potential opium production in 2005 was 28 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003;
- unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production;
- growing domestic methamphetamine problem
estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2004 - 10,000 2005 was 5,600 hectares, about a 45% decrease from 2003; 2004; estimated potential opium production in 2004 - 49 2005 was 28 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003 (2005) 2003; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem
The same text in 7 editions, 2008 to 2014.
- 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 (2007)
estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2005 2008 was 5,600 1,900 hectares, about a 45% decrease 73% increase from 2004; 2007; estimated potential opium production in 2005 was 28 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200 2008 more than tripled to 17 metric tons in 2003; tons; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem (2007)
The same text in 2015 and 2016.
- 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)
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 (2007) (2009)
The same text in 4 editions, 2017 to 2020.
- 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
estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2008 2015 was 1,900 estimated to be 5,700 hectares, about a 73% increase from 2007; compared with 6,200 hectares in 2014; estimated potential opium production in 2008 more than tripled to 17 metric tons; of between 84 and 176 mt of raw opium; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem (2009)
The same text in 2021 and 2022.
- Bokeo Province part of the “Golden Triangle,” a notorious drug production and transit area;
- remains a poppy cultivator and source of illicit opium and a transit hub for other illicit drugs such as amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) and chemical precursors;
- estimate of 4,925 ha of opium poppy cultivated in Laos in 2018
Rewritten: too little of the 2020 text remains to mark the changes.
Bokeo Province part of the “Golden Triangle,” a notorious drug production and transit area; remains a poppy cultivator and source of illicit opium and a transit hub for other illicit drugs such as amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) and chemical precursors; estimate of 4,925 ha of opium poppy cultivated in Laos in 2018
The same text in 2023 and 2024.
- Laos remains a key transit route for drug trafficking and the movement of precursor chemicals;
- opium produced is typically smuggled out of the country and refined elsewhere and not trafficked in significant quantities to the United States
Rewritten: too little of the 2022 text remains to mark the changes.
Laos remains a key transit route for drug trafficking and the movement of precursor chemicals; opium produced is typically smuggled out of the country and refined elsewhere and not trafficked in significant quantities to the United States
- USG identification:
- major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)
Rewritten: too little of the 2024 text remains to mark the changes.
USG identification:
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)
No edition has those words. Try a shorter word.
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Laos: Illicit drugs.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/laos/illicit-drugs.