LAOS LAOS REGION ASIA NATURAL RESOURCES INDUSTRY AGRICULTURE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION GLOBAL RELATIONS DATE OF INDEPENDENCE JULY 19 1949 FROM FRANCE DATE OF CURRENT CONSTITUTION AUGUST 14 1991 POPULATION 5407453 1999 EST AREA 91429 SQ MI CAPITAL VIENTIANE FORM OF GOVERNMENT COMMUNIST NATURAL RESOURCES TIMBER HYDROELECTRIC POWER GYPSUM TIN GOLD GEMSTONES MAIN INDUSTRIES MINING TIMBER ELECTRIC POWER FOOD PROCESSING CONSTRUCTION AGRICULTURE SWEET POTATOES VEGETABLES COFFEE SUGARCANE COTTON WATER BUFFALO PIGS CATTLE POULTRY CURRENCY NEW KIP GDP 6.6 BILLION 1998 EST GDP PER CAPITA 1260 1998 EST LANGUAGES LAO OFFICIAL FRENCH ENGLISH ASIAN LANGUAGES RELIGIONS BUDDHISM ANIMISM LITERACY RATE 60 LIFE EXPECTANCY 53 YEARS MALE 56 YEARS FEMALE BIRTHRATE 40 BIRTHS PER 1000 POPULATION DEATH RATE 13 DEATHS PER 1000 POPULATION
