NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
Laos
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private enterprise, an easing of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam |
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Geographic coordinates:
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18 00 N, 105 00 E |
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Map references:
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Southeast Asia |
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Area:
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total: 236,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km land: 230,800 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Utah |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 5,083 km
border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) |
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Terrain:
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mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m |
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Natural resources:
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timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones |
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Land use:
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arable land: 3.47%
permanent crops: 0.23% other: 96.3% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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1,640 sq km
note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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floods, droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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5,777,180 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 42.5% (male 1,233,659; female 1,219,872)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 1,543,246; female 1,591,419) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 86,375; female 102,609) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.47% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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37.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 53.88 years
female: 55.87 years (2002 est.) male: 51.95 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.05% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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1,400 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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130 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1% |
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Religions:
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Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) |
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Languages:
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Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57% male: 70% female: 44% (1999 est.) |