NAVIGATION
|
HOME
• FLAG FINDER
• MAP FINDER
• SOURCES
• ADD YOURSELF TO THE ATLAS! COUNTRIES A-D • COUNTRIES E-K • COUNTRIES L-R • COUNTRIES S-Z |
NAVIGATION
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
Laos
GOVERNMENT
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
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:
|
19 July 1949 (from France) |
|
National holiday:
|
Republic Day, 2 December (1975) |
|
Constitution:
|
promulgated 14 August 1991 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice |
|
Suffrage:
|
18 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27 March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27 March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since NA May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA% |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election)
elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109 |
|
Judicial branch:
|
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) |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 |
|
International organization participation:
|
ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416 chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief 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 |
|
Flag description:
|
three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band |
ECONOMY
|
Economy - overview:
|
The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 7% in 1988-2001 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a 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 economy will continue to benefit from aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in food-processing and mining. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
5% (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $1,630 (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 53%
industry: 22% services: 25% (2000 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
40% (2001 est.) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 31% (1997) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
37 (1997) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
10% (2001 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
2.4 million (1999) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 80% (1997 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
5.7% (1997 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $211 million
expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.) |
|
Industries:
|
tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
7.5% (1999 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
1.02 billion kWh (2000) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 2%
hydro: 98% 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, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry |
|
Exports:
|
$325 million (2001 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, UK 4.1%, Belgium 4% (2000) |
|
Imports:
|
$540 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$2.53 billion (1999) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$345 million (1999 est.) |
|
Currency:
|
kip (LAK) |
|
Currency code:
|
LAK |
|
Exchange rates:
|
kips per US dollar - 9,467.00 (December 2001), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.03 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998), 1,259.98 (1997) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 October - 30 September |