 |
ACD Country Profile |
 |
 |
Lao PDR |
General Profile
Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Area: total: 236,800 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to Nov.); dry season (Dec.to Apr.)
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
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, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane), Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun, Xekong, Xiangkhoang
Population: 6,217,141 (2005 est.)
Ethnic groups: Lao Loum 68%, Lao Theung 22%, Lao Soung, including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%
Nationality: noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian
Languages: Lao (official), and other languages
Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%
Literacy: 66.4%
|
Political Profile
Government type: Communist state
Executive branch:
• chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (since February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since March 2001)
• head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27 March 2001)
• 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
National Holiday: Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
ACD Membership: ACD Member since 2002
Prime Mover (PM) on Working Group: None
Co-Prime Mover on Working Group: None
Laos government official web site : www.laopdr.com
|
Economical Profile
Currency (code): kip (LAK)
GDP: $11.92 billion (2005 est.)
GDP per capita: $1,900 (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities: garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin
Exports - partners: Thailand, Vietnam, France , Germany , UK
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods
Imports - partners: Thailand , China , Vietnam , Singapore
Agriculture - products: sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, cattle, poultry
Industries: copper, tin, and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultry processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement
Source: The World Fact Book 2005 (www.cia.gov) |
|
 |