Laos Population: 6,695,166
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| Background | |
| Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997 and the WTO in 2013. |
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| Geography | |
| Landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand | |
| Location: | Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam |
| Geographic coordinates: | 18 00 N, 105 00 E |
| Area: | total: 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km Size comparison: slightly larger than Utah |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 5,083 km border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km |
| Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims: | none (landlocked) |
| Climate: | tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) |
| Terrain: | mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phu Bia 2,817 m |
| Natural resources: | timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones |
| Land use: | arable land: 4.01% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 95.65% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 3,000 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | floods, droughts |
| Current Environment Issues: | unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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| People | |
| Population: | 6,695,166 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 35.5% (male 1,198,288/female 1,178,180) 15-24 years: 21.3% (male 706,679/female 716,368) 25-54 years: 34.6% (male 1,143,265/female 1,174,102) 55-64 years: 4.9% (male 160,650/female 166,605) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 113,301/female 137,728) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 21.4 years male: 21.1 years female: 21.6 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.655% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 25.68 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 57.77 deaths/1,000 live births male: 63.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 62.77 years male: 60.85 years female: 64.76 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.98 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 8,500 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 200 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian |
| Ethnic groups: | Lao 55%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 8%, other (over 100 minor ethnic groups) 26% (2005 census) |
| Religions: | Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census) |
| Languages: | Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 73% male: 83% female: 63% (2005 Census) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: Pathet Lao (unofficial) |
| Government type: | Communist state |
| Capital: | name: Vientiane (Viangchan) geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhouang |
| Independence: | 19 July 1949 (from France) |
| National holiday: | Republic Day, 2 December (1975) |
| Constitution: | promulgated 14 August 1991; amended in 2003 |
| Legal system: | civil law system similar in form to the French system |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006) head of government: Prime Minister THONGSING Thammavong (since 24 December 2010); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001) cabinet: Ministers appointed by president, approved by National Assembly (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held on 30 April 2011 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for five-year term election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA; THONGSING Thammavong elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly (132 seats; members elected by popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 30 April 2011 (next to be held in 2016) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 128, independents 4 |
| Judicial branch: | People's Supreme Court, People's Provincial and Municipal Courts, People's District Courts, and Military Courts note: 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 |
| Political parties and leaders: | Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador SENG Soukhathivong chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Karen B. STEWART embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] 21-26-7000 FAX: [856] 21-26-7190 |
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| Economy | |
| The government of Laos, one of the few remaining one-party communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% per year from 1988-2008 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis that began in 1997. Laos' growth exceeded 7% per year during 2008-12. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with an underdeveloped infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. It has a basic, but improving, road system, and limited external and internal land-line telecommunications. Electricity is available 75% of the country. Laos' economy is heavily dependent on capital-intensive natiural resouce exports. The labor force, however, still relies on agriculture, dominated by rice cultivation in lowland areas, which accounts for about 30% of GDP and 75% of total employment. Economic growth has reduced official poverty rates from 46% in 1992 to 26% in 2010. The economy also has benefited from high-profile foreign direct investment in hydropower, copper and gold mining, logging, and construction though some projects in these industries have drawn criticism for their environmental impacts. Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US in 2004. On the fiscal side, Laos initiated a VAT tax system in 2010. Simplified investment procedures and expanded bank credits for small farmers and small entrepreneurs will improve Laos' economic prospects. The government appears committed to raising the country's profile among investors, opening the country's first stock exchange in 2011 and participating in regional economic cooperation initiatives. Laos was admitted to the WTO in 2012. The World Bank has declared that Laos' goal of graduating from the UN Development Program's list of least-developed countries by 2020 is achievable. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $19.16 billion (2012 est.) $17.69 billion (2011 est.) $16.37 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $9.269 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 8.3% (2012 est.) 8% (2011 est.) 8.1% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $3,000 (2012 est.) $2,800 (2011 est.) $2,600 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 26% industry: 34% services: 40% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 3.69 million (2010 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 75.1% industry and services: NA (2010 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 2.5% (2009 est.) 2.4% (2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 26% (2010 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 30.3% (2008) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 36.7 (2008) 34.6 (2002) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.9% (2012 est.) 7.6% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 28.6% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $2.066 billion expenditures: $2.258 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 48% of GDP (2012 est.) 49.1% of GDP (2011 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; cassava (manioc), water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry |
| Industries: | mining (copper, tin, gold, and gypsum); timber, electric power, agricultural processing, rubber, construction, garments, cement, tourism |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 17.7% (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 1.553 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 2.23 billion kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 341 million kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 999 million kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $30.5 million (2012 est.) $90.2 million (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $2.28 billion (2012 est.) $2.131 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold, cassava |
| Exports - partners: | Thailand 33%, China 23.4%, Vietnam 13.4% (2011) |
| Imports: | $2.645 billion (2012 est.) $2.336 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods |
| Imports - partners: | Thailand 65.2%, China 11.1%, Vietnam 6.5% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $821.7 million (31 December 2012 est.) $773.5 million (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $5.599 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $5.955 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Exchange rates: | kips (LAK) per US dollar - 8,017.7 (2012 est.) 8,035.1 (2011 est.) 8,258.8 (2010 est.) 8,516.04 (2009) 8,760.69 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 October - 30 September |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 107,600 (2011) country comparison to the world: 143 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 5.481 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: service to general public is improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas domestic: 4 service providers with mobile cellular usage growing very rapidly international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and a second to be developed by China (2012) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .la |
| Internet hosts: | 1,532 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 300,000 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 42 (2012) country comparison to the world: 103 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 22 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | refined products 540 km (2010) |
| Roadways: | total: 39,568 km paved: 530 km unpaved: 39,038 km (2007) |
| Waterways: | 4,600 km (primarily on the Mekong River and its tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m) (2012) |
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| Military | |
| Serving one of the world's least developed countries, the Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF) is small, poorly funded, and ineffectively resourced; its mission focus is border and internal security, primarily in countering ethnic Hmong insurgent groups; together with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the government, the Lao People's Army (LPA) is the third pillar of state machinery, and as such is expected to suppress political and civil unrest and similar national emergencies, but the LPA also has upgraded skills to respond to avian influenza outbreaks; there is no perceived external threat to the state and the LPA maintains strong ties with the neighboring Vietnamese military (2008) | |
| Military branches: | Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force (2011) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum 18-month service obligation (2010) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,574,362 females age 16-49: 1,607,856 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,111,629 females age 16-49: 1,190,035 (2010 est.) |
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