Axion 3D Atlas/ATLAS.iso/stats/133.txt

Text File | 1998-01-23 | 11KB | 313 lines

{bitmap= 26,50,"flags\laos.bmp"}
{bigtext=150,120,"Laos"}



{1}Geography{4}
{4}To see a map of Laos, click {z,"89.633060,9.497131,116.067387,29.531267",here}{4}!

{2}Location:{4} Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand

{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 236,800 sq km
{3}land area:{4} 230,800 sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} slightly larger than Utah

{2}Land boundaries:{4}
{3}total:{4} 5,083 km
{3}border countries:{4} Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam
2,130 km

{2}Coastline:{4} 0 km (landlocked)

{2}Maritime claims:{4} none (landlocked)

{2}International disputes:{4} boundary dispute with Thailand

{2}Climate:{4} tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)

{2}Terrain:{4} mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
{3}lowest point:{4} Mekong River 70 m
{3}highest point:{4} Phou Bia 2,817 m

{2}Natural resources:{4} timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

{2}Land use:{4}
{3}arable land:{4} 4%
{3}permanent crops:{4} 0%
{3}meadows and pastures:{4} 3%
{3}forest and woodland:{4} 58%
{3}other:{4} 35%

{2}Irrigated land:{4} 1,554 sq km (1992 est.)

{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to
potable water

{2}natural hazards:{4} floods, droughts, and blight

{2}international agreements:{4} party to - Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not
ratified - Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

{2}Geographic note:{4} landlocked


{1}People{4}

{2}Population:{4} 4,975,772 (July 1996 est.)

{2}Age structure:{4}
{3}0-14 years:{4} 45% (male 1,142,825; female 1,114,628)
{3}15-64 years:{4} 51% (male 1,237,660; female 1,316,591)
{3}65 years and over:{4} 4% (male 75,748; female 88,320) (July 1996 est.)

{2}Population growth rate:{4} 2.81% (1996 est.)

{2}Birth rate:{4} 41.94 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Death rate:{4} 13.83 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Net migration rate:{4} 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Sex ratio:{4}
{3}at birth:{4} 1.05 male(s)/female
{3}under 15 years:{4} 1.02 male(s)/female
{3}15-64 years:{4} 0.94 male(s)/female
{3}65 years and over:{4} 0.86 male(s)/female
{3}all ages:{4} 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

{2}Infant mortality rate:{4} 96.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

{2}Life expectancy at birth:{4}
{3}total population:{4} 52.69 years
{3}male:{4} 51.14 years
{3}female:{4} 54.31 years (1996 est.)

{2}Total fertility rate:{4} 5.87 children born/woman (1996 est.)

{2}Nationality:{4}
{3}noun:{4} Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
{3}adjective:{4} Lao or Laotian

{2}Ethnic divisions:{4} Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland)
including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

{2}Religions:{4} Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%

{2}Languages:{4} Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

{2}Literacy:{4} age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
{3}total population:{4} 56.6%
{3}male:{4} 69.4%
{3}female:{4} 44.4%


{1}Government{4}

{2}Name of country:{4}
{3}conventional long form:{4} Lao People's Democratic Republic
{3}conventional short form:{4} Laos
{3}local long form:{4} Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
{3}local short form:{4} none

{2}Type of government:{4} Communist state

{2}Capital:{4} Vientiane

{2}Administrative divisions:{4} 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

{2}Independence:{4} 19 July 1949 (from France)

{2}National holiday:{4} National Day, 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic
Republic)

{2}Constitution:{4} promulgated 14 August 1991

{2}Legal system:{4} based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist
practice

{2}Suffrage:{4} 18 years of age; universal

{2}Executive branch:{4}
{3}chief of state:{4} President NOUHAK PHOUMSAVAN (since 25 November 1992) was elected for a
five-year term by the National Assembly
{3}head of government:{4} Prime Minister Gen. KHAMTAI SIPHANDON (since 15 August 1991) was
appointed for a five-year term by the president with the approval of the National Assembly; Deputy
Prime Minister KHAMPHOUI KEOBOUALAPHA (since NA)
{3}cabinet:{4} Council of Ministers was appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly

{2}Legislative branch:{4} unicameral
National Assembly: members elected for five-year terms; elections last held 20 December 1992
(next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (85 total) LPRP 85

{2}Judicial branch:{4} 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

{2}Political parties and leaders:{4} Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), KHAMTAI Siphandon,
party president; other parties proscribed

{2}Other political or pressure groups:{4} noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition
leaders fled the country in 1975

{2}International organization participation:{4} ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-
77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol,
IOC, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

{2}Diplomatic representation in US:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador HIEM PHOMMACHANH
{3}chancery:{4} 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
{3}telephone:{4} [1] [phone], 6417
{3}FAX:{4} [1] [phone]

{2}US diplomatic representation:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador Victor L. TOMSETH
{3}embassy:{4} Rue Bartholonie, B.P. 114, Vientiane
{3}mailing address:{4} American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546
{3}telephone:{4} [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585
{3}FAX:{4} [856] (21) 212584

{2}Flag:{4} three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk
centered in the blue band


{1}Economy{4}

{2}Economic overview:{4} 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/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.

{2}GDP:{4} purchasing power parity - $5.2 billion (1995 est.)

{2}GDP real growth rate:{4} 8% (1995 est.)

{2}GDP per capita:{4} $1,100 (1995 est.)

{2}GDP composition by sector:{4}
{3}agriculture:{4} 50%
{3}industry:{4} 17%
{3}services:{4} 33% (1993)

{2}Inflation rate (consumer prices):{4} 20% (1995 est.)

{2}Labor force:{4} 1 million-1.5 million
{3}by occupation:{4} agriculture 80% (1992 est.)

{2}Unemployment rate:{4} 21% (1992 est.)

{2}Budget:{4}
{3}revenues:{4} $198 million
{3}expenditures:{4} $351 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)

{2}Industries:{4} tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction

{2}Industrial production growth rate:{4} 7.5% (1992 est.)

{2}Electricity:{4}
{3}capacity:{4} 260,000 kW
{3}production:{4} 870 million kWh
{3}consumption per capita:{4} 44 kWh (1993)

{2}Agriculture:{4} sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, cotton; water buffalo, pigs,
cattle, poultry

{2}Illicit drugs:{4} 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

{2}Exports:{4} $278 million (f.o.b., 1994)
{3}commodities:{4} electricity, wood products, coffee, tin, garments
{3}partners:{4} Thailand, Japan, France, Germany, Netherlands

{2}Imports:{4} $486 million (c.i.f., 1994)
{3}commodities:{4} food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures
{3}partners:{4} Thailand, China, Japan, France, US

{2}External debt:{4} $2 billion (1995 est.)

{2}Economic aid:{4}
{3}recipient:{4} ODA, $NA

{2}Currency:{4} 1 new kip (NK) = 100 at

{2}Exchange rates:{4} new kips (NK) per US$1 - 920 (1995), 717 (1994 est.), 720 (July 1993), 710 (May
1992), 710 (December 1991), 700 (September 1990), 576 (1989)

{2}Fiscal year:{4} 1 October - 30 September


{1}Transportation{4}

{2}Railways:{4} 0 km

{2}Highways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 14,130 km
{3}paved:{4} 2,261 km
{3}unpaved:{4} 11,869 km (1992 est.)

{2}Waterways:{4} about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are
sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m

{2}Pipelines:{4} petroleum products 136 km

{2}Ports:{4} none

{2}Merchant marine:{4}
{3}total:{4} 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT (1995 est.)

{2}Airports:{4}
{3}total:{4} 39
{3}with paved runways over 3,047 m:{4} 1
{3}with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 5
{3}with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 3
{3}with paved runways under 914 m:{4} 16
{3}with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 1
{3}with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 13 (1995 est.)


{1}Communications{4}

{2}Telephones:{4} 6,600 (1991 est.)

{2}Telephone system:{4} service to general public very poor; radiotelephone communications network
provides generally erratic service to government users
{3}domestic:{4} radiotelephone communications
{3}international:{4} satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

{2}Radio broadcast stations:{4} AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0

{2}Radios:{4} 560,000 (1992 est.)

{2}Television broadcast stations:{4} 2

{2}Televisions:{4} 32,000 (1993 est.)


{1}Defense{4}

{2}Branches:{4} Lao People's Army (LPA; includes riverine naval and militia elements), Air Force,
National Police Department

{2}Manpower availability:{4}
{3}males age 15-49:{4} 1,087,264
{3}males fit for military service:{4} 586,664
{3}males reach military age (18) annually:{4} 53,250 (1996 est.)

{2}Defense expenditures:{4} exchange rate conversion - $105 million, 8.1% of GDP (FY92/93)