Laos

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ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ
ປະຊາຊົນລາວ
Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
Lao People's Democratic Republic

Motto: ສັນຕິພາບ ເອກະລາດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ເອກະພາບ

ວັດທະນາຖາວອນ
"Peace, Independence, Democracy, Unity and
Prosperity"

Anthem: Pheng Xat Lao

Capital Vientiane
(and largest city) / /

Official languages Lao

Demonym Laotian, Lao

Socialist republic,
Government
Single-party communist state

 -  President Lt. Gen. Choummaly Sayasone

 -  Vice President Bounnhang Vorachith

 -  Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh

Independence From Thailand and France 

 -  Date 19 July 1949 

Area
 236,800 km2
 (83rd)
 -  Total
91,429 sq mi 

 -  Water (%) 2

Population

 -  2007 estimate 6,521,998 (106th)

 -  1995 census 4,574,848 

25/km2 (177th)
 -  Density
65/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2008 estimate

 -  Total $13.865 billion[1] (125th)

 -  Per capita $2,215.942[1] (130th)

GDP (nominal) 2008 estimate

 -  Total $5.187 billion[1] 

 -  Per capita $828.978[1] 

Gini (2002) 34.6 (medium) 

HDI (2008) ▲ 0.608 (medium) (130th)
Currency Kip (LAK)

Time zone (UTC+7)

Drives on the right

Internet TLD .la

Calling code 856

Laos (pronounced /ˈlɑː.oʊs/, /ˈlaʊs/, or /ˈleɪ.ɒs/), officially the Lao People's

Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in southeast Asia, bordered by Burma
(Myanmar) and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and
Thailand to the west. Laos traces its history to the Kingdom of Lan Xang or Land of a
Million Elephants, which existed from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century.

After a period as a French protectorate, it gained independence in 1949. A long civil war
ended officially when the communist Pathet Lao movement came to power in 1975, but
the protesting between factions continued for several years.
Contents
[hide]

 1 Etymology
 2 History
 3 Provinces and districts
 4 Geography
 5 Government and politics
 6 Economy
o 6.1 Drugs
o 6.2 Social Welfare
 7 Demographics
o 7.1 Religion
 8 Culture
 9 Media
 10 International rankings
 11 See also
 12 Notes and references
 13 External links

[edit] Etymology
In the Lao language, the country's name is "Meuang Lao". The Imperial French, who
made the country part of French Indochina in 1893, spelled it with a final silent "s", i.e.
"Laos" (The Lao language itself has no final 's' sound, so Lao people pronounce it as in
their native tongue). The usual adjectival form is "Lao", e.g. "the Lao economy", not the
"Laotian" economy - although "Laotian" is used to describe the people of Laos to avoid
confusion with the Lao ethnic group.

[edit] History
Main article: History of Laos

Laos traces its history to the kingdom of Lan Xang, founded in the fourteenth century by
Fa Ngum, himself descended from a long line of Lao kings, tracking back to Khoun
Boulom. Lan-Xang prospered until the eighteenth century, when the kingdom was
divided into three principalities, which eventually came under Siamese suzerainty. In the
19th century, Luang Prabang was incorporated into the 'Protectorate' of French
Indochina, and shortly thereafter, the Kingdom of Champasak and the territory of
Vientiane were also added to the protectorate. Under the French, Vientiane once again
became the capital of a unified Lao state. Following a brief Japanese occupation during
World War II, the country declared its independence in 1945, but the French under De
Gaulle re-asserted their control and only in 1950 was Laos granted semi-autonomy as an
"associated state" within the French Union. Moreover, the French remained in de facto
control until 1954, when Laos gained full independence as a constitutional monarchy.
Under a special exemption to the Geneva Convention, a French military training mission
continued to support the Royal Laos Army. In 1955, the U.S. Department of Defense
created a special Programs Evaluation Office to replace French support of the Royal Lao
Army against the communist Pathet Lao as part of the U.S. containment policy.

Laos was dragged into the Vietnam War, and the eastern parts of the country were
invaded and occupied by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA), which used Laotian
territory as a staging ground and supply route for its war against the South. In response,
the United States initiated a bombing campaign against the North Vietnamese, supported
regular and irregular anticommunist forces in Laos and supported a South Vietnamese
invasion of Laos. The result of these actions were a series of coups d'état and, ultimately,
the Laotian Civil War between the Royal Laotian government and the communist Pathet
Lao.

In the Civil War, the NVA, with its heavy artillery and tanks, was the real power behind
the Pathet Lao insurgency. In 1968, the North Vietnamese Army launched a multi-
division attack against the Royal Lao Army. The attack resulted in the army largely
demobilizing and leaving the conflict to irregular forces raised by the United States and
Thailand. The attack resulted in many people losing their lives. Massive aerial
bombardment was carried out by the United States (The Guardian reported, on
Wednesday 3rd December 2008, that Laos was hit by an average of one B-52 bomb-load
every eight minutes, 24 hours a day, between 1964 and 1973. US bombers dropped more
ordnance on Laos in this period than was dropped during the whole of the second world
war. Of the 260m "bombies" that rained down, particularly on Xieng Khouang province,
80m failed to explode, leaving a deadly legacy).[2]

Pha That Luang in Vientiane, the national symbol of Laos

In 1975, the communist Pathet Lao, backed by the Soviet Union and the North
Vietnamese Army, overthrew the royalist government, forcing King Savang Vatthana to
abdicate on 2 December 1975. He later died in captivity.

After taking control of the country, Pathet Lao's government renamed the country as the
"Lao People's Democratic Republic" and signed agreements giving Vietnam the right to
station military forces and to appoint advisers to assist in overseeing the country. Laos
was ordered in the late 1970s by Vietnam to end relations with the People's Republic of
China which cut the country off from trade with any country but Vietnam.[citation needed]
Control by Vietnam and socialization were slowly replaced by a relaxation of economic
restrictions in the 1980s and admission into ASEAN in 1997.

In 2005, the United States established Normal Trade Relations with Laos, ending a
protracted period of punitive import taxes.[3]

[edit] Provinces and districts

Provinces of Laos
Main articles: Provinces of Laos and Districts of Laos

Laos is divided into 16 provinces (qwang) and Vientiane Capital (Na Kone Luang
Vientiane):

1. Attapu
2. Bokeo
3. Bolikhamxai
4. Champasak
5. Houaphan
6. Khammouan
7. Loung Namtha
8. Louangphabang
9. Oudomxai
10. Phongsali
11. Salavan
12. Savannakhet
13. Vientiane Capital
14. Vientiane Province
15. Xaignabouli
16. Xaisomboun (special administrative zone, dissolved in 2006)
17. Xekong
18. Xiangkhoang

The country is further divided into districts (muang).

[edit] Geography
Main article: Geography of Laos

Map of Laos
Laos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia and the thickly forested landscape
consists mostly of rugged mountains, the highest of which is Phou Bia at 2,817 m (9,242
ft), with some plains and plateaus. The Mekong River forms a large part of the western
boundary with Thailand, whereas the mountains of the Annamite Chain form most of the
eastern border with Vietnam.

Landscape in Vang Vieng

The climate is tropical and monsoonal. There is a distinct rainy season from May to
November, followed by a dry season from December to April. Local tradition holds that
there are three seasons (rainy, cold and hot) as the latter two months of the
climatologically defined dry season are noticeably hotter than the earlier four months.
The capital and largest city of Laos is Vientiane, and other major cities include Luang
Prabang, Savannakhet and Pakxe.

In 1993, the government set aside 21% of the nation's land area as National Biodiversity
Conservation Areas (NBCA), which may be developed into a national park system.

Wikinews has related news: "Living fossil" found in Laos

Laos is the home to the Indochinese tiger, the giant gaur, and the Asian elephant. A
number of animal species have been discovered or re-discovered in Laos in recent years.
These include the striped or Annamite rabbit, the saola, and most recently the Laotian
rock rat or kha-nyou.

The country is one of four in the opium poppy growing region known as the "Golden
Triangle". According to the October 2007 UNODC fact book "Opium Poppy Cultivation
in South East Asia", the poppy cultivation area was 15 square kilometres (3,700 acres),
down from 18 square kilometres (4,400 acres) in 2005.

[edit] Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Laos
Laos is a single-party socialist republic. The only legal political party is the Lao People's
Revolutionary Party (LPRP). The head of state is President Choummaly Sayasone, who
also is secretary-general (leader) of the LPRP. The head of government is Prime Minister
Bouasone Bouphavanh. Government policies are determined by the party through the all-
powerful nine-member Politburo and the 49-member Central Committee. Important
government decisions are vetted by the Council of Ministers.

Laos' first, French-written and monarchical constitution was promulgated on May 11,
1947 and declared it to be an independent state within the French Union. The revised
constitution of 11 May 1957 omitted reference to the French Union, though close
educational, health and technical ties with the former colonial power persisted. The 1957
document was abrogated on 3 December 1975, when a communist People's Republic was
proclaimed. A new constitution was adopted in 1991 and enshrined a "leading role" for
the LPRP. The following year, elections were held for a new 85-seat National Assembly
with members elected by secret ballot to five-year terms. This National Assembly, which
essentially acts as a rubber stamp for the LPRP, approves all new laws, although the
executive branch retains authority to issue binding decrees. The most recent elections
took place in April 2006. The assembly was expanded to 99 members in 1997 and in
2006 elections had 115.

[edit] Economy
Main article: Economy of Laos
See also: Tourism in Laos

Wattay International Airport in Vientiane

A street market in Luang Prabang.

The Lao economy is heavily dependent on investment and trade with its neighbors,
Thailand, Vietnam, and, especially in the north, China. Pakxe has also experienced
growth based on cross-border trade with Thailand and Vietnam.

Much of the country, however, lacks adequate infrastructure. Laos has no railways,
except a short link to connect Vientiane with Thailand over the Thai-Lao Friendship
Bridge. The major roads connecting the major urban centres, in particular Route 13
South, have been significantly upgraded in recent years, but villages far from major roads
are accessible only through unpaved roads that may not be accessible year-round. There
is limited external and internal telecommunication, particularly of the wire line sort, but
mobile cellular phone use has become widespread in urban centres. In many rural areas
electricity is unavailable or offered only during scheduled periods. Songthaews (pick-up
trucks with benches) are used in the country for long-distance and local public transport.

Rivers are an important means of transport in Laos.

Buses connect the major cities

Subsistence agriculture still accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total
employment. Laos has the lowest percentage of arable land and permanent crop land in
the Greater Mekong Subregion.[4] Only 4.01% of Laos is arable land, and only 0.34% of
the country is planted with permanent crops.[5] Rice dominates agriculture, with about
80% of the arable land area used for growing rice.[6] Approximately 77% of Lao farm
households are self-sufficient in rice.[7] Through the development, release and widespread
adoption of improved rice varieties, and through economic reforms, Lao PDR achieved a
net balance of rice imports and exports for the first time in 1999.[8] Between 1990 and
2005, rice production increased from 1.5 million tons to 2.5 million tons, an average
annual growth rate of more than 5%.[9] This increase in production has been valued at $8
million to $19 million per year.[8] Lao PDR may have the greatest number of rice varieties
in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Since 1995 the Lao government has been working
with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to collect seed samples of each of
the thousands of rice varieties found in Laos.[10]

The economy receives aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new
foreign investment in food processing and mining, most notably of copper and gold.
Tourism is the fastest-growing industry in the country. However, economic development
in general is hampered by a serious case of brain drain. A 2005 World Bank study
reported that 37% of educated Laotians lived abroad, putting the country in fifth place for
worst brain drain.[citation needed]

Laos is rich in mineral resources but has negligible petroleum and natural gas reserves; it
imports petroleum and gas. However, many companies have shown interest in
prospecting for oil and gas in Laos, and as of 2008 Vietnam Petro and Salamander
Energy from the UK are the only two companies with major exploration operations in
Savannakhet and other southern provinces. Recent results indicate a 70% probability of
oil and gas. Among its mineral reserves are substantial deposits of coal, gold, bauxite, tin,
copper and other valuable metals. Metallurgy is an important industry, and the
government hopes to attract foreign investment in this field. The government has actively
encouraged foreign involvement in extracting and processing gold. The largest gold
projects in the country are the Sepon Mine by Australia's Oxiana Minerals and the Phu
Bia mine. A recent discovery of bauxite reserves was made in the south of Laos near the
Bolaven Plateau which could be among the largest in the world. A Chinese company has
contracted to build an aluminum smelting plant there for approximately $3 billion USD.
Moreover, the country's plentiful water resources and mountainous terrain enable it to
produce and export large quantities of hydroelectric energy. With hydro potential of
approximately 30,000 megawatts, only 600 megawatts have been developed so far.
Surrounded by energy hungry neighbors, the country is deemed to be the "Kuwait" of
Southeast Asia. This natural resource wealth essentially secures the country's economic
future and will provide a significant boost to government revenue, albeit some of it being
squandered away to corruption.

In real estate and construction, a Chinese company will break ground on a new integrated
property development dubbed "New City Project" worth around $1 billion USD that will
significantly alter the landscape of the country's sleepy capital, Vientiane.

Tourism is also a major growth industry, bringing in approximately $233 million in 2007.
To accommodate this growing demand, the government has contracted a Korean
company, Booyoung Limited to carry out the design and construction of a new
international airport which will begin in 2011.

[edit] Drugs

Further information: Agriculture in Laos#Opium

Laos has historically been involved with the production of drugs, notably opium. In 1959
Laos was producing approximately 150 tons. In 1971 production had increased to
approximately 300 tons. During the Vietnam War, much of the opium produced in Laos
was consumed by US soldiers.[11]

[edit] Social Welfare

In the town of Phonsavan is one of the largest orphanages in Laos. It is an S.O.S.

orphanage and there are over 120 orphans living in the facility.[12]

[edit] Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Laos

Patuxay, was built with USAID funds in Vientiane in the 1960s to celebrate the
independence struggle.

69% of the country's people are ethnic Lao, the principal lowland inhabitants and the
politically and culturally dominant group. The Lao belong to the Tai linguistic group who
began migrating southward from China in the first millennium AD. 8% belong to other
"lowland" groups, which together with the Lao people make up the Lao Loum.

In Luang Prabang, a young woman at the time of a Hmong Meeting Festival

Hill people and minority cultures of Laos such as the Hmong (Miao), Yao (Mien), Dao,
Shan, and several Tibeto-Burman speaking peoples have lived in isolated regions of Laos
for many years. Mountain/hill tribes of mixed ethno/cultural-linguistic heritage are found
in northern Laos which include the Lua (Lua) and Khmu people who are indigenous to
Laos. Today, the Lua people are considered endangered. Collectively, they are known as
Lao Soung or highland Laotians. In the central and southern mountains, Mon-Khmer
tribes, known as Lao Theung or mid-slope Laotians, predominate. Some Vietnamese,
Chinese and Thailand Thai minorities remain, particularly in the towns, but many left in
two waves; after independence in the late 1940s and again after 1975.

A primary school in a village in northern rural Laos

The term "Laotian" does not necessarily refer to the ethnic Lao language, ethnic Lao
people, language or customs, but is a political term that also includes the non-ethnic Lao
groups within Laos and identifies them as "Laotian" because of their political citizenship.

The predominant religion in Laos is Theravada Buddhism which, along with the common
Animism practiced among the mountain tribes, coexists peacefully with spirit worship.
There also are a small number of Christians, mostly restricted to the Vientiane area, and
Muslims, mostly restricted to the Myanmar border region. Christian missionary work is
regulated by the government.

The official and dominant language is Lao, a tonal language of the Tai linguistic group.
The written language is based on Khmer writing script. Midslope and highland Lao speak
an assortment of tribal languages. French, still common in government and commerce, is
still studied by many, while English, the language of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN), has increased in recent years.

[edit] Religion

Of the people of Laos 67% are Buddhist 1.5% are Christian, and 31.5% are other or
unspecified according to the 2005 census.[13]

[edit] Culture
Main article: Culture of Laos
See also: Art of Laos, Cuisine of Laos, Dance and theater of Laos, Festivals of
Laos, and Music of Laos
Buddha statues at Vat Aham in Luang Prabang

An example of Lao cuisine

Theravada Buddhism is a dominant influence in Lao culture. It is reflected throughout the

country from language to the temple and in art, literature, performing arts, etc. Many
elements of Lao culture predate Buddhism, however. For example, Laotian music is
dominated by its national instrument, the khaen, a type of bamboo pipe that has
prehistoric origins. The khaen traditionally accompanied the singer in lam, the dominant
style of folk music. Among the various lam styles, the lam saravane is probably the most
popular.

The country has two World Heritage Sites: Luang Prabang and Vat Phou. The
government is seeking the same status for the Plain of Jars.

Rice is the staple food and has cultural and religious significance. There are many
traditions and rituals associated with rice production in different environments, and
among many ethnic groups. For example, Khammu farmers in Luang Prabang plant the
rice variety Khao Kam in small quantities near the hut in memory of dead parents, or at
the edge of the rice field to indicate that parents are still alive.[14]

[edit] Media
All newspapers are published by the government, including two foreign language papers:
the English-language daily Vientiane Times and the French-language weekly Le
Rénovateur. Additionally, the Khao San Pathet Lao, the country's official news agency,
publishes English and French versions of its eponymous paper. Internet cafes are now
common in the major urban centres and are popular especially with the younger
generation. However, the government strictly censors content and controls access.
[edit] International rankings

Organisation Survey Ranking

Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street 137 out of

Index of Economic Freedom
Journal 157

Worldwide Press Freedom 164 out of

Reporters Without Borders
Index 173

151 out of
Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index
180

133 out of
United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index
179

[edit] See also

 List of Laos-related topics
 Communications in Laos
 Emblem of Laos
 Foreign relations of Laos
 French colonial empire
 Health in Laos
 Laotian Civil War
 List of indices of freedom
 Military of Laos
 North Vietnamese invasion of Laos
 Scouting in Laos
 Transport in Laos
 Vietnam War

Leaders of ethnic minorities in Laos

 Pa Chay Vue
 Ong Keo
 Ong Kommandam
[edit] Notes and references
1. ^ a b c d "Laos". International Monetary Fund.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?
pr.x=38&pr.y=18&sy=2004&ey=2008&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=5
44&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=. Retrieved
on 9 October 2008.
2. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/03/laos-cluster-bombs-uxo-deaths
3. ^ U.S.-Laos Business Opportunities Making Normal Trade Relations a Reality (Dec. 15-
2005) - U.S. Embassy Vientiane, Laos
4. ^ About Greater Mekong Subregion at Asian Development Bank
5. ^ Field Listing - Land use, CIA World Factbook
6. ^ Rice, the fabric of life in Laos
7. ^ Genuinely Lao, Rice Today, April-June 2006
8. ^ a b [i-tgr031506.php Thehttp://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-03/irr Green
Revolution comes to Laos]
9. ^ FIFTEEN YEARS OF SUPPORT FOR RICE RESEARCH IN LAO PDR
^ ASIA BRIEF: FILLING THE RICE BASKET IN LAO PDR PARTNERSHIP
RESULTS
^ Genuinely Lao, Prepared by IRRI’s International Programs Management Office
10. ^ A Race Against Time
11. ^ Alexander Cockburn; Jeffrey St. Clair (1998). Whiteout: The CIA, Drugs and the Press.
Verso. pp. 246. ISBN 1859841392. http://books.google.co.uk/books?
id=s5qIj_h_PtkC&dq=whiteout+cockburn&pg=PP1&ots=zcnx1c_zsd&sig=LnBzt4NDp
MJKvLQgScEPwTmtfa0&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA246
,M1.
12. ^ "Cloud Depot Nine FAQ". clouddepotnine.com.
http://www.clouddepotnine.com/hand_warmers_charity.htm. Retrieved on 5 January
2009.
13. ^ the World Factbook
14. ^ An Evaluation of Synthesis of Rice

[edit] External links

Find more about Laos on Wikipedia's sister projects:
Definitions from Wiktionary

Textbooks from Wikibooks

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Source texts from Wikisource
Images and media from Commons
News stories from Wikinews

Learning resources from Wikiversity

 The Official Virtual tour of The LAO P.D.R

 The National Portal of Laos
  Lao National Tourism Administration
 Lao Voices
 Lao Media
Chief
 Map of State and Cabinet Members
of Laos
Lao People's Democratic
General information
Republic

 Laosname:
National entry at The World Factbook
 Laos fromPaxathipatai
Sathalanalat UCB Libraries GovPubs
 Laos at the Open Directory Project
Paxaxon Lao
 Wikimedia Atlas of Laos
 Laos travel guide from Wikitravel
President: Choummaly
Sayasone (2006)

Laos
Prime Minister: Bouasone
Bouphavanh (2006)

Current government
officials

Land area: 89,112 sq mi

(230,800 sq km); total area:
91,428 sq mi (236,800 sq
km)

Population (2008 est.):

6,677,534 (growth rate:
2.3%); birth rate: 34.4/1000;
infant mortality rate:
79.6/1000; life expectancy:
56.2; density per sq km: 28

Capital and largest city

(2003 est.): Vientiane,
194,200

Monetary unit: New Kip

Languages: Lao (official),

French, English, various
ethnic languages

Ethnicity/race: Lao Loum

(lowland) 68%, Lao Theung
(upland) 22%, Lao Soung
Geography

A landlocked nation in Southeast Asia occupying the northwest portion of the

Indochinese peninsula, Laos is surrounded by China, Vietnam, Cambodia,
Thailand, and Burma. It is twice the size of Pennsylvania. Laos is a
mountainous country, especially in the north, where peaks rise above 9,000 ft
(2,800 m). Dense forests cover the northern and eastern areas. The Mekong
River, which forms the boundary with Burma and Thailand, flows through the
country for 932 mi (1,500 km) of its course.

Government

Communist state.

History

The Lao people migrated into Laos from southern China from the 8th century
onward. In the 14th century, the first Laotian state was founded, the Lan Xang
kingdom, which ruled Laos until it split into three separate kingdoms in 1713.
During the 18th century the three kingdoms came under Siamese (Thai) rule
and, in 1893, became a French protectorate. Its territory was incorporated
into the union of Indochina. A strong nationalist movement developed during
World War II, but France reestablished control in 1946 and made the king of
Luang Prabang constitutional monarch of all Laos. France granted
semiautonomy in 1949 and then, spurred by the Viet Minh rebellion in Vietnam,
full independence within the French Union in 1950.

In 1951, Prince Souphanouvong organized the Pathet Lao, a Communist

independence movement, in North Vietnam. Viet Minh and Pathet Lao forces
invaded central Laos, and civil war resulted. By the Geneva agreements of
1954 and an armistice of 1955, two northern provinces were given to the
Pathet Lao: the rest went to the royal regime. Full sovereignty was given to
the kingdom by the Paris agreements of Dec. 29, 1954. In 1957, Prince
Souvanna Phouma, the royal prime minister, and Pathet Lao leader Prince
Souphanouvong, the prime minister's half-brother, agreed to reestablishment
of a unified government, with Pathet Lao participation and integration of
Pathet Lao forces into the royal army. The agreement broke down in 1959, and
armed conflict began anew.

In 1960, the struggle became three-way as Gen. Phoumi Nosavan, controlling

the bulk of the royal army, set up in the south a pro-Western revolutionary
government headed by Prince Boun Oum. General Phoumi took Vientiane in
December, driving Souvanna Phouma into exile in Cambodia. The Soviet bloc
supported Souvanna Phouma. In 1961, a cease-fire was arranged and the three
princes agreed to a coalition government headed by Souvanna Phouma.

But North Vietnam, the U.S. (in the form of CIA personnel), and China remained
active in Laos after the settlement. North Vietnam used a supply line (Ho Chi
Minh Trail) running down the mountain valleys of eastern Laos into Cambodia
and South Vietnam, particularly after the U.S.–South Vietnamese incursion
into Cambodia in 1970 stopped supplies via Cambodian seaports.

An agreement reached in 1973 revived the coalition government. The

Communist Pathet Lao seized complete power in 1975, installing
Souphanouvong as president and Kaysone Phomvihane as prime minister.
Since then other parties and political groups have been moribund and most of
their leaders have fled the country. The monarchy was abolished on Dec. 2,
1975, when the Pathet Lao ousted a coalition government and King Sisavang
Vatthana abdicated.

The Supreme People's Assembly in Aug. 1991 adopted a new constitution that
dropped all references to socialism but retained the one-party state. In
addition to implementing market-oriented policies, the country has passed
laws governing property, inheritance, and contracts.

During the 1990s, the country began making more diplomatic overtures toward
its neighbors. In 1995, the U.S. announced a lifting of its ban on aid to the
nation. By most international estimates, Laos is one of the 10 poorest
countries in the world. The subsistence farmers who make up more than 80%
 of the population have been plagued with bad agricultural conditions—
alternately floods and drought—since 1993.

Since March 2000, Vientiane has been rocked by a series of unexplained

blasts. The activity has been widely attributed to a group of Hmong tribesmen
based in the north. The anti-Communist rebel group has been protesting the
government's reluctance to embrace democratic reforms. Others attribute the
bombs to rival factions in the government or military.

In Feb. 2002 parliamentary elections, 165 out of 166 candidates were

members of the governing Lao People's Revolutionary Party. In 2006,
Choummaly Sayasone became party secretary-general and president of Laos.
First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh became prime minister.

See also Encyclopedia: Laos.

U.S. State Dept. Country Notes: Laos

Information Please® Database, © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

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LAO  PDR
Background  Information :
Head of State : President Choummaly Sayasone 
Head of
Government
: Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh
Capital : Vientiane
Land area : 236,800 sq. km
Population : 5,938.8 thousand
Language : Lao
Currency : Kip

 Introduction
  Laos  Geography
 People
 Government
 Economy
 Communications
Home  Reference Maps  Appendixes  Print-Friendly  Transportation
Page  Military
 Transnational
Issues

This page was last updated on 10 February 2009

 Legend: Definition Field Listing Rank Order

   Introduction    Laos Top of Page

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 return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign
investment laws began in 1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in
1997.
   Geography    Laos Top of Page

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
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: Phou 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:
1,750 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water
resources:
333.6 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultur
al): 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    Laos Top of Page

Population:
6,677,534 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 1,374,966/female 1,362,945)
15-64 years: 55.9% (male 1,846,375/female 1,885,029)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 91,028/female 117,191) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.2 years
male: 18.9 years
female: 19.5 years (2008 est.)
Population
growth rate: 2.344% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
34.46 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.02 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration
rate: NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality
rate: total: 79.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 88.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 69.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
 Life expectancy
at birth: total population: 56.29 years
male: 54.19 years
female: 58.47 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.5 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people
living with 1,700 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS -
deaths: fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
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, Japanese encephalitis, 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)
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, and various ethnic languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.7%
male: 77%
female: 60.9% (2001 est.)
School life
expectancy total: 9 years
(primary to male: 10 years
tertiary
education):
female: 8 years (2006)
Education
expenditures: 3% of GDP (2006)
   Government    Laos Top of Page

Country name:
conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
conventional short form: Laos
local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
local short form: none
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,
Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet,
Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since
8 June 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since
May 2002), 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
elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly
for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held in
2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by National
 Assembly for five-year term
election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-
GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National
Assembly vote - 100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime
minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 97%
Legislative
branch: unicameral National Assembly (115 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 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP
113, independents 2
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 [CHOUMMALI
Saignason]; other parties proscribed
Political pressure
groups and NA
leaders:
International
organization ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
participation: 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 chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone
the US: chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
Diplomatic
representation chief of mission: Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO
from the US: 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
   Economy    Laos Top of Page
 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
beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a
country with an underdeveloped infrastructure particularly in rural
areas. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited
external and internal telecommunications, though the government is
sponsoring major improvements in the road system with support from
Japan and China. Electricity is available in urban areas and in most
rural districts. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for
about 40% of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The
economy will continue to benefit from aid from international donors
and from foreign investment in hydropower and mining. Construction
will be another strong economic driver, especially as hydroelectric
dam and road projects gain steam. Several policy changes since 2004
may help spur growth. Laos, which gained Normal Trade Relations
status with the US in 2004, is taking steps to join the World Trade
Organization. Related trade policy reforms will improve the business
environment. On the fiscal side a value-added tax (VAT) regime,
begun in late 2008, should help streamline the government's inefficient
tax system. Meanwhile, economic prospects will improve gradually as
the administration continues to simplify investment procedures and as
a more competitive banking sector extends credit to small farmers and
small entrepreneurs. The government appears committed to raising the
country's profile among investors. An investment boom is occurring in
mining and construction. Foreign donors have praised the Lao
government for its efforts to improve the investment regime. The
World Bank has declared that Laos' goal of graduating from the UN
Development Program's list of least-developed countries by 2020
could be achievable.
GDP (purchasing
power parity): $14.22 billion (2008 est.)
GDP (official
exchange rate): $5.187 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth
rate: 6.5% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita
(PPP): $2,100 (2008 est.)
GDP -
composition by agriculture: 39.2%
sector: industry: 34.3%
services: 26.6% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
 2.1 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by
occupation: agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
Unemployment
rate: 2.4% (2005 est.)
Household
income or lowest 10%: 3.4%
consumption by highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)
percentage
share:
Distribution of
family income - 34.6 (2002)
Gini index:
Budget:
revenues: $809.6 million
expenditures: $954 million (2008 est.)
Inflation rate
(consumer 8.5% (2008 est.)
prices):
Central bank
discount rate: 12.67% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank
prime lending 28.5% (31 December 2007)
rate:
Stock of money:
$327.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi
money: $717.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of
domestic credit: $285.8 million (31 December 2007)
Industries:
copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power,
agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement
Electricity -
production: 1.639 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity -
consumption: 1.344 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity -
exports: 547 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity -
imports: 367 million kWh (2006 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil -
consumption: 2,996 bbl/day (2006 est.)
 Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
3,036 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved
reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas -
production: 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas -
consumption: 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas -
exports: 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas -
imports: 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas -
proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account
balance: -$37 million (2008 est.)
Exports:
$1.033 billion (2008 est.)
Exports -
commodities: wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold
Exports -
partners: Thailand 32.7%, Vietnam 14.3%, China 5.9%, South Korea 4.8%
(2007)
Imports:
$1.278 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Imports -
commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods
Imports -
partners: Thailand 68.5%, China 9.3%, Vietnam 5.5% (2007)
Reserves of
foreign exchange $765 million (31 December 2008 est.)
and gold:
Debt - external:
$3.179 billion (2006)
Exchange rates:
kips (LAK) per US dollar - 8,760.69 (2008 est.), 9,658 (2007), 10,235
(2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004)
Communicatio
      Laos Top of Page
ns
Telephones -
main lines in use: 94,800 (2007)
Telephones -
mobile cellular: 1.478 million (2007)
 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
rapidly; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership about
25 per 100 persons
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2007)
Radio broadcast
stations: AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006)
Television
broadcast 7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006)
stations:
Internet country
code: .la
Internet hosts:
1,015 (2008)
Internet users:
100,000 (2007)
   Transportation    Laos Top of Page

Airports:
42 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with
unpaved total: 33
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 23 (2007)
Pipelines:
refined products 540 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 29,811 km
paved: 4,010 km
unpaved: 25,801 km (2006)
Waterways:
4,600 km
note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are
intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
 by type: cargo 1 (2008)
   Military    Laos Top of Page

Military
branches: Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA;
includes Riverine Force), Air Force (2008)
Military service
age and 15 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum 18-month
obligation: conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower
available for males age 16-49: 1,549,774
military service: females age 16-49: 1,570,702 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for
military service: males age 16-49: 993,162
females age 16-49: 1,052,053 (2008 est.)
Manpower
reaching male: 73,973
militarily female: 72,758 (2008 est.)
significant age
annually:
Military
expenditures: 0.5% of GDP (2006)
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
      Laos Top of Page
Issues
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
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)
This page was last updated on 10 February 2009