laos englis

Introduction Laos Background: In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government, ending a monarchy 6 centuries old. Geography Laos Location: South East Asia, North East of Thailand, in the west of Vietnam Geographic Coordinates: 18 00 N, 105 00 E Map: South-East Asia Area: total: 236800 km2 Water: 6000 km2 Land: 230800 km2 Area - Comparison: slightly larger than Utah Land borders: Total: 5083 km Border countries: Burma 235 km, 541 km Cambodia, China 423 km, 1754 km Thailand, Vietnam 2130 km Littoral: 0 km (surrounded by land only) Maritime Claims: none (country surrounded by land only) Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May-November); dry season (December to April) Terrain: mostly wild mountains; some plains and plateaus Elevation extremes: the lowest point: Mekong River 70 m Highest point: Phou Bia 2817 m Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, precious stones Land use cultivated land with annual renewal (eg cereal fields): 4% Permanent crops (without renewal - ex. Orchards, vineyards ...): 0% Other: 96 (1998) Irrigated: 1640 km2 Note: irrigation rainy season - 2169 km2; irrigation during the dry season - 750 km2 (est. 1998) Natural hazards: floods, drought Environment - current problems: deforestation, soil erosion, the majority of the population has no access to drinking water Environment - international agreements: membership: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Mofication of Environment, Law of the Sea, Prohibition of Nuclear Tests, Protection of the Ozone Layer Signed but not ratified: none of the agreements cited Geography - note: surrounded by land, the largest part of the country is mountainous and covered by a thick forest and the Mekong forms a large part of the western border with Thailand Demography Laos Population: 5777180 (July 2002 est.) Age pyramid: 0-14 years: 42.5% (1233659 boys, girls 1219872) 15-64 years: 54.2% (1543246 men and women 1591419) 65 and over: 3.3% (86375 men and women 102609) (2002 est.) Population Growth: 2.47% (2002 est.) Birth rate: 37.39 births per 1000 population (2002 est.) Death rate: 12.71 deaths per 1000 inhabitants (2002 est.) Net migration: 0 migrant (s) / 1000 population (2002 est.) Gender breakdown: at birth: 1.03 male (s) / daughter Under 15 years: 1.01 male (s) / daughter 15-64 years: 0.97 male (s) / female 65 and over: 0.84 male (s) / female Total population: 0.98 male (s) / female (2002 est.) Infant mortality rate: 90.98 deaths per 1000 births normal (est. 2002) Life expectancy at birth: total, 53.88 years Women: 55.87 years (2002 est.) Men: 51.95 years Fertility: 5.03 birth (s) / female (est. 2002) HIV / AIDS - often in adults: 0.05% (est. 1999) HIV / AIDS - people living with the virus: 1400 (est. 1999) HIV / AIDS - deaths: 130 (est. 1999) Nationality: Name: Lao (ne) Adjective: Lao Ethnic groups: Lao Loum (plain) 68%, Lao Theung (plateau) 22%, Lao Soung (interior), including the Hmong (Meo) and Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese / Chinese% 1 Religions: 60% Buddhists, animists and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages Literacy: definition: Persons aged 15 and over who can read and write Total population: 57% Men: 70% Women: 44 (1999) Government Laos Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Laos Conventional short form: Laos Local short form: none Local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao Government type: Communist state Capital: Vientiane Administrative divisions: 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, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan * Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun ** Xekong, Xiangkhoang Independence: July 19, 1949 (vis-à-vis de la France) National holiday: Republic Day, December 2 (1975) Constitution promulgated on August 14, 1991 Legal System: based on traditional customs, standards and procedures and legal system French Socialists Suffrage: 18 years; universal Executive Body: Head of State: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (since February 26, 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since March 27, 2001) Head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since March 27, 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since March 27, 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since February 26, 1998) Cabinet: Cabinet set by the president, approved by the National Assembly Elections: President elected by the National Assembly for a term of 5 years; last elections on February 24, 2002 (next date: 2007); prime minister appointed by the President with the approval of the National Assembly for a term of 5 years Outcome of the elections: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percentage of votes of the National Assembly - NA% Legislature: unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by popular vote for a term of 5 years; note - the total number of seats: 109 instead of 99 for the elections 2002) Elections: Last date February 24, 2002 (next date: 2007) Election results: percentage of votes by party - NA%; seats by party - or approved PA PA (independent members of any party) 109 Judiciary: Supreme People's Court (the president of the Supreme People's Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the vice president of the Supreme People's Court and the judges are appointed by the Standing Committee of the National Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party or PA [KHAMTAI Siphandon, president of the party]; other parties banned Pressure groups and political leaders: non-Communist political groups banned, and most of the opposition leaders have fled the country in 1975 Adherence to international organizations: ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, PC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW , PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, FSM, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the USA: Head of Mission: Ambassador VANG Rattanavong FAX: [1 (202) 332-4923 Telephone: [1 (202) 332-6416 Court of Chancery: 2222 20008 Diplomatic Representation of the USA: Head of Mission: Ambassador Douglas A. HARTWICK 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 Description of flag: 3 horizontal stripes of red (top), blue (double width) and red with a large white disc centered in the blue stripe Laos Economy Economy - Overview: The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official Communist states - began to decentralize its control and encourage private enterprises in 1986. GDP: purchasing power parity - $ 9.2 billion (est. 2001) GDP - real growth: 5% (est. 2001) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $ 1630 (est. 2001) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 53% Industry: 22% Services: 25 (2000) People living below the poverty line: 40% (est. 2001) Income (or consumption) of household by the social ladder: lower (10% of the population): 3.2% of revenue Upper (10%): 30.6% of revenues (1997) Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37 (1997) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (est. 2001) Workers: 2.4 million (1999) Workers - by field of activity: agriculture 80% (est. 1997) Unemployment rate: 5.7% (est. 1997) Budget: Revenues: $ 211 million Cost: $ 462 million, including capital expenditure of $ NA (est. tax year 1998/99) Industries: tin mines and gypsum, wood, electricity, agriculture, construction, garments, tourism Growth rate of industrial production: 7.5% (est. 1999) Electricity - production: 1.02 billion kWh (2000) Electricity - output per source of energy: fossil fuels: 1.96% Hydroelectric: 98.04% Other: 0 (2000) Nuclear: 0% Electricity - consumption: 690.6 million kWh (2000) Electricity - exports: 400 million kWh (2000) Electricity - Imports: 142 million kWh (2000) Agriculture - products: sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugar cane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry Exports: $ 325 (2001) Exports - products: wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin Exports - partners: Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, GB 4.1%, 4% Belgium (2000) Imports: $ 540 (. 2000) Imports - Products: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel Imports - partners: Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000) External debt: $ 2.53 billion (1999) Economic aid - recipient: $ 345 million (est. 1999) Currency: kip (LAK) Currency code: LAK Exchange rate: US kips per dollar - 9467 .00 (December 2001), 8954 .58 (2001), 7887 .64 (2000), 7102 .03 (1999), 3298 .33 (1998), 1259 .98 (1997) Fiscal Year: October 1st - September 30 Communication Laos Telephones - fixed lines in service: 25000 (1997) Telephones - mobile: 4915 (1997) Telephone system: general assessment: service for the general public is poor but improving, with more than 20000 phones currently in service and 48000 more expected for 2001, the government relies on a radio-telephone network to communicate with Remote Areas Domestic: radio-telephone systems International satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) Radio Stations: 12 AM, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) Posts radio: 730000 (1997) TV Stations: 4 (1999) Televisions: 52000 (1997) Internet country code:. La Providers of Internet Access (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet Users: 6000 (2001) Transport Laos Railways: 0 (2001) Highways: total: 14000 km Paved: 3360 km Not paved: 10640 km (1991) Waterways: 4587 km Note: mainly Mekong and tributaries; 2897 km are navigable intermittently for boats up to a depth of 0.5 m Pipelines: petroleum products 136 km Ports: none Merchant Navy: total: 1 (1000) 2370 3110 DWT Ship by type: Cargo 1 (2002) Airports: 51 (2001) Airports - with harsh tracks: total: 9 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 5 914 to 1523 m: 3 (2001) Airports - with no paved runways: total: 42 1524 to 2437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 15 Less than 914 m: 26 (2001) Area military Laos Divisions military Laotienne People's Army (LPA; including Cruisers Force), Air Force, Department of the National Police Military - military majority: 18 years (2002 est.) Military - availability: males, age group 15-49: 1365027 (est. 2002) Military - fit for military service: males, age group 15-49: 734,945 (2002 est.) Military - reaching the age of majority annually Military Men: 64,437 (2002 est.) Military costs - in dollars: $ 55 million (year 1998) Military Expenditures - a percentage of GDP: 4.2% (FY 1996/97) Transnational problems Laos Disputes International: demarcation of the borders with Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam is almost complete, but for Thailand, several areas including the Mekong islands remain a source of conflict Illicit drugs: the third largest producer of illicit opium in the world (Extended crops estimated in 2001 to 22000 hectares, a decrease of 5% compared to 2000; potential production estimated in 2001 at 200 tons, which is comparable to the production of 2000); potential producer of heroin; transshipment place for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis; abuse problems of use of methamphetamine