Whole Planet Foundation

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.
 
 
 

Geography ::Laos
Location: 
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
 
Geographic coordinates: 
18 00 N, 105 00 E
 
Map references: 
Southeast Asia 
 
Area: 
total: 236,800 sq km
country comparison to the world: 84
land: 230,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
 
Area - comparative: 
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 (2008)
 
Total renewable water resources: 
333.6 cu km (2003)
 
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 
total: 3 cu km/yr (4%/6%/90%)
per capita: 507 cu m/yr (2000)
 
Natural hazards: 
floods, droughts
 
Environment - current issues: 
unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water
 
Environment - international 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
 
Geography - note: 
landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand
 
 
 

People and Society ::Laos
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)
 
Languages: 
Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages
 
Religions: 
Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)
 
Population: 
6,586,266 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103 
 
Age structure: 
0-14 years: 36.7% (male 1,197,579/female 1,181,523)
15-64 years: 59.6% (male 1,908,176/female 1,950,544)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 107,876/female 131,513) (2011 est.)
 
Median age: 
total: 21 years
male: 20.7 years
female: 21.3 years (2011 est.)
 
Population growth rate: 
1.655% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71 
 
Birth rate: 
25.68 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55 
 
Death rate: 
7.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102 
 
Net migration rate: 
-1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153 
 
Urbanization: 
urban population: 33% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
 
Major cities - population: 
VIENTIANE (capital) 799,000 (2009)
 
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 (2012 est.)
 
Maternal mortality rate: 
580 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 20 
 
Infant mortality rate: 
total: 57.77 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 35
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
country comparison to the world: 179
male: 60.85 years
female: 64.76 years (2012 est.)
 
Total fertility rate: 
3.06 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57 
 
Health expenditures: 
6.5% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 92 
 
Physicians density: 
0.272 physicians/1,000 population (2005)
country comparison to the world: 144 
 
Hospital bed density: 
1.2 beds/1,000 population (2005)
country comparison to the world: 137 
 
Drinking water source: 
improved:
urban: 72% of population
rural: 51% of population
total: 57% of population
unimproved:
urban: 28% of population
rural: 49% of population
total: 43% of population (2008)
 
Sanitation facility access: 
improved:
urban: 86% of population
rural: 38% of population
total: 53% of population
unimproved:
urban: 14% of population
rural: 62% of population
total: 47% of population (2008)
 
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 
0.2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107 
 
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 
8,500 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106 
 
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 
fewer than 200 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111 
 
Major infectious diseases: 
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008) (2009)
 
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 
1.2% (2000)
country comparison to the world: 69 
 
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 
31.6% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 16 
 
Education expenditures: 
2.3% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 150 
 
Literacy: 
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 73%
male: 83%
female: 63% (2005 Census)
 
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 9 years (2008)
 
 
 

Government ::Laos
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
 
International law organization participation: 
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
 
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), 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 (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, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
 
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
 
Flag description: 
three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band; the red bands recall the blood shed for liberation; the blue band represents the Mekong River and prosperity; the white disk symbolizes the full moon against the Mekong River, but also signifies the unity of the people under the Pathet Lao, as well as the country's bright future
 
National symbol(s): 
elephant
 
National anthem: 
name: "Pheng Xat Lao" (Hymn of the Lao People)

lyrics/music: SISANA Sisane/THONGDY Sounthonevichit
note: music adopted 1945, lyrics adopted 1975; the anthem's lyrics were changed following the 1975 Communist revolution that overthrew the monarchy
 
 
 

Economy ::Laos
Economy - overview: 
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. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with an underdeveloped infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. It has a rudimentary, but improving, road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in urban areas and in many rural districts. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice cultivation in lowland areas, 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 has benefited from high foreign investment in hydropower, mining, and construction. Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US in 2004, and is taking steps required to join the World Trade Organization, such as reforming import licensing. Related trade policy reforms will improve the business environment. 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 Lao's economic prospects. The government appears committed to raising the country's profile among investors, opening the country's first stock exchange in 2011. The World Bank has declared that Laos's goal of graduating from the UN Development Program's list of least-developed countries by 2020 is achievable. Lao's growth has exceeded 7% in each of the last four years. According Laotian officials, the 7th Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2011-15 will outline efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals.
 
GDP (purchasing power parity): 
$17.44 billion (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
$16.12 billion (2010 est.)
$14.89 billion (2009 est.)
note: data are in 2011 US dollars
 
GDP (official exchange rate): 
$7.9 billion (2011 est.)
 
GDP - real growth rate: 
8.3% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
7.9% (2010 est.)
7.6% (2009 est.)
 
GDP - per capita (PPP): 
$2,700 (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
$2,500 (2010 est.)
$2,400 (2009 est.)
note: data are in 2011 US dollars
 
GDP - composition by sector: 
agriculture: 27.8%
industry: 34.8%
services: 37.4% (2011 est.)
 
Labor force: 
3.69 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93 
 
Labor force - by occupation: 
agriculture: 75.1%
industry and services: NA (2010 est.)
 
Unemployment rate: 
2.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
2.4% (2005 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)
country comparison to the world: 84
34.6 (2002)
 
Budget: 
revenues: $1.365 billion
expenditures: $1.594 billion (2011 est.)
 
Taxes and other revenues: 
17.3% of GDP (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177 
 
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): 
-2.9% of GDP (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102 
 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 
7.8% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
5.7% (2010 est.)
 
Central bank discount rate: 
4.3% (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 92
4% (31 December 2009)
 
Commercial bank prime lending rate: 
22% (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
22.613% (31 December 2010 est.)
 
Stock of narrow money: 
$992 million (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
$787.9 million (31 December 2010 est.)
 
Stock of broad money: 
$3.227 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
$2.643 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
 
Stock of domestic credit: 
$2.53 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
$1.95 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
 
Agriculture - products: 
sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
 
Industries: 
copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, cement, tourism
 
Industrial production growth rate: 
17.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2 
 
Electricity - production: 
1.553 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140 
 
Electricity - consumption: 
2.23 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134 
 
Electricity - exports: 
341 million kWh (2010 est.)
 
Electricity - imports: 
999 million kWh (2010 est.)
 
Oil - production: 
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186 
 
Oil - consumption: 
3,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182 
 
Oil - exports: 
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183 
 
Oil - imports: 
1,918 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179 
 
Oil - proved reserves: 
0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150 
 
Natural gas - production: 
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203 
 
Natural gas - consumption: 
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196 
 
Natural gas - exports: 
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129 
 
Natural gas - imports: 
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85 
 
Natural gas - proved reserves: 
0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154 
 
Current account balance: 
-$76.7 million (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
-$228.3 million (2010 est.)
 
Exports: 
$1.842 billion (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
$1.474 billion (2010 est.)
 
Exports - commodities: 
wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold
 
Exports - partners: 
Thailand 31.1%, China 23%, Vietnam 12.9% (2010)
 
Imports: 
$2.37 billion (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
$2.06 billion (2010 est.)
 
Imports - commodities: 
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods
 
Imports - partners: 
Thailand 65.6%, China 14.6%, Vietnam 6.6% (2010)
 
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: 
$756.8 million (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
$713.4 million (31 December 2010 est.)
 
Debt - external: 
$5.094 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
$4.635 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
 
Exchange rates: 
kips (LAK) per US dollar -
8,043.7 (2011 est.)
8,258.77 (2010 est.)
8,516.04 (2009)
8,760.69 (2008)
9,658 (2007)
 
 
 

Communications ::Laos
Telephones - main lines in use: 
103,100 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 146 
 
Telephones - mobile cellular: 
4.003 million (2010)
country comparison to the world: 109 
 
Telephone system: 
general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
domestic: multiple service providers; 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 (2008)
 
Broadcast media: 
3 television stations operating out of Vientiane - 2 government-operated and the other jointly-owned by the government and a Thai company; 22 provincial stations operating with nearly all programming relayed via satellite from the government-operated stations in Vientiane; relays from Hanoi provide access to a Vietnamese television station; broadcasts available from stations in Thailand and Vietnam in border areas; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems provide access to a wide range of foreign stations; state-controlled radio with state-operated Lao National Radio (LNR) broadcasting on 5 frequencies - 1 AM, 2 SW, and 2 FM; LNR's AM and FM programs are relayed via satellite constituting a large part of the programming schedules of the provincial radio stations; Thai radio broadcasts available in border areas and transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are also accessible (2011)
 
Internet country code: 
.la
 
Internet hosts: 
1,526 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 166 
 
Internet users: 
300,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 130 
 
 
 

Transportation ::Laos
Airports: 
41 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 104 
 
Airports - with paved runways: 
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2010)
 
Airports - with unpaved runways: 
total: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 21 (2010)
 
Pipelines: 
refined products 540 km (2010)
 
Roadways: 
total: 39,568 km
country comparison to the world: 91
paved: 530 km
unpaved: 39,038 km (2009)
 
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) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 24 
 
Merchant marine: 
total: 1
country comparison to the world: 157
by type: cargo 1 (2008)
 
 
 

Military ::Laos
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.)
 
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: 
male: 71,400
female: 73,038 (2010 est.)
 
Military expenditures: 
0.5% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 162 
 
Military - note: 
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)
 
 
 

Transnational Issues ::Laos
Disputes - international: 
Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels; Cambodia is concerned about Laos' extensive upstream dam construction
 
Illicit drugs: 
estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2008 was 1,900 hectares, about a 73% increase from 2007; estimated potential opium production in 2008 more than tripled to 17 metric tons; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem (2007)