Telephones
6,600 (1991)

Telephone System
Service to general public is poor; radio/telephone communications network provides generally erratic service to government users
Domestic: radio/telephone communications
International: 1 Intersputnik satellite earth station in the Indian Ocean Region

Radio Broadcast Stations
AM: 10
FM & short-wave: 0

Radios
560,000 (1992)

Television Broadcast Stations
2

Televisions
32,000 (1993)

Source: © World Fact Book

Defense

Branches
Lao People's Army (includes riverine naval and militia elements), Air Force, National Police Department

Available Manpower
Males age 15-49: 1,087,264
Males fit for military service: 586,664
Males reach military age (18) annually: 53,250 (1996)

Defense Expenditures
$105 million, 8.1% of GDP (1992/93)

Source: © World Fact Book

Geography

Location
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand

Geographic Coordinates
18 00 N, 105 00 E

Area
Total area: 236,800 sq km
Land area: 230,800 sq km

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)

International Disputes
Boundary dispute with Thailand

Climate
Tropical monsoon
Rainy season: May to November
Dry season: December to April

Terrain
Mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
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%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows & pastures: 3%
Forest & woodland: 58%
Other: 35%

Irrigated Land
1,554 sq km (1992)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population has no access to portable water
Natural hazards: floods, droughts, and blight
International agreements: part of the Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified the Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Source: © World Fact Book

Government

Name Of Country
Conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
Conventional short form: Laos
Local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

Type Of Government
Communist state

Capital
Vientiane

Administrative Divisions
16 provinces (khoueng) and 1 municipality (kampheng nakhon); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence
July 19, 1949 (from France)

National Holiday
National Day, December 2 (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic)

Constitution
Promulgated August 14, 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 Nouhak Phoumsavan (since November 25, 1992) was elected for a five-year term by the National Assembly
Head of government: Prime Minister Gen. Khamtai Siphandon (since August 15, 1991) was appointed for a five-year term by the president with the approval of the National Assembly; Deputy Prime Minister Khampoui Keoboualapha
Cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly

Legislative Branch
Unicameral
National Assembly: members elected for five-year terms; elections last held December 20, 1992; seats = LPRP 85 (85 total)

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 & Leaders
Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), Khamtai Siphandon, party president; other parties proscribed

Other Political Groups
Noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975

International Organization Participation
ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTOO, WTRO (observer)

Diplomatic Representation In US
Chief of mission: Ambassador Hiem Phommachanh
Chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416, 6417
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

US Diplomatic Representation
Chief of mission: Ambassador Victor L. Tomseth
Embassy: 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

Source: © World Fact Book

People

Population
4,975,772 (July 1996)

Age Structure
0-14 years: 45% (male 1,142,825; female 1,114,628)
15-64 years: 51% (male 1,237,660; female 1,316,591)
65 years & over: 4% (male 75,748; female 88,320) (July 1996)

Population Growth Rate
2.81% (1996)

Birth Rate
41.94 births/1,000 population (1996)

Death Rate
13.83 deaths/1,000 population (1996)

Net Migration Rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996)

Sex Ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years & over: 0.86 male(s)/female
All ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996)

Infant Mortality Rate
96.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996)

Life Expectancy At Birth
Total population: 52.69 years
Male: 51.14 years
Female: 54.31 years (1996)

Total Fertility Rate
5.87 children born/woman (1996)

Nationality
Noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
Adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic Divisions
Lao Loum (lowland): 68%
Lao Theung (upland): 22%
Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien): 9%
Ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese: 1%

Religions
Buddhist: 60%
Animist and other: 40%

Languages
Lao (official), French, English, & various ethnic languages

Literacy (age 15 & over can read and write) (1995)
Total population: 56.6%
Male: 69.4%
Female: 44.4%

Transportation

Railways
0 km

Highways
Total: 14,130 km
Paved: 2,261 km
Unpaved: 11,869 km (1992)

Waterways
4,587 km, mainly Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m

Pipelines
Petroleum products 136 km

Ports
None

Merchant Marine
1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT (1995)

Airports
Total: 39
Paved runways over 3 047 m: 1
Paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 5
Paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3
Paved runways under 914 m: 16
Unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
Unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 13 (1995)

Source: © World Fact Book

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