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laos |
2 definitions found From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: Laos n : a mountainous republic in southeastern Asia [syn: {Laos}] From The CIA World Factbook (1995) [world95]: Laos Laos:Geography Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total area: 236,800 sq km land area: 230,800 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Utah Land boundaries: total 5,083 km 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 Natural resources: timber, hydropower gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 58% other: 35% Irrigated land: 1,554 sq km (1992 est.) Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water natural hazards: floods, droughts, and blight international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea Note: landlocked Laos:People Population: 4,837,237 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (female 1,084,615; male 1,111,928) 15-64 years: 51% (female 1,280,142; male 1,199,149) 65 years and over: 4% (female 86,390; male 75,013) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 2.84% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 42.64 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 14.28 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 99.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.2 years male: 50.66 years female: 53.81 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.98 children born/woman (1995 est.) 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, and various ethnic languages Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992) total population: 50% male: 65% female: 35% Labor force: 1 million-1.5 million by occupation: agriculture 80% (1992 est.) Laos:Government Names: conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: none Digraph: LA Type: Communist state Capital: Vientiane Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural); Attapu Bokeo, Bolikhamxai Champasak Houaphan Khammouan Louangnamtha Louangphabang Oudomxai Phongsali Salavan Savannakhet Viangchan*, Viangchan Xaignabouli Xekong, Xiangkhoang Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France) National holiday: National Day 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic) Constitution: promulgated 14 August 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 25 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Gen. KHAMTAI SIPHANDON (since 15 August 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president, approved by the Assembly Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly: elections last held on 20 December 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA seats - (85 total) number of seats by party NA Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), KHAMTAI Siphandon party president; other parties proscribed Other political or pressure groups: non-Communist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 Member of: ACCT, AsDB ASEAN (observer), CP ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, PCA, UN UNCTAD UNESCO, UNIDO UPU, WFTU WHO WMO, WTO 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 Vientiane mailing address: B. P. 114, Vientiane; American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585 FAX: [856] (21) 212584 Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band Economy Overview: The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official Communist states - has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise since 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, have been striking - growth has averaged 7.5% annually since 1988. Even so Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. In non-drought years, Laos is self-sufficient overall in food, but each year flood, pests, and localized drought cause shortages in various parts of the country. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend on aid from the IMF and other international sources; aid from the former USSR and Eastern Europe has been cut sharply. As in many developing countries, deforestation and soil erosion will hamper efforts to maintain the high rate of GDP growth. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $4 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 8.4% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $850 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (1994 est.) Unemployment rate: 21% (1992 est.) Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA Exports: $277 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: electricity, wood products, coffee, tin, garments partners: Thailand 57%, Germany 10%, France 10%, Japan 5% (1991) Imports: $528 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures partners: Thailand 55%, Japan 16%, China 8%, Italy 4% (1991) External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate 7.5% (1992 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP (1992 est.) Electricity: capacity: 260,000 kW production: 870 million kWh consumption per capita: 44 kWh (1993) Industries: tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction Agriculture: principal crops - rice (80% of cultivated land), sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, cotton; livestock - buffaloes, hogs, cattle, poultry Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, opium poppy for the international drug trade fourth largest opium producer (85 metric tons in 1994); heroin producer; increasingly used as transshipment point for heroin produced in Burma Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $276 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $605 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $995 million; international assistance in loans and grant aid (1993/94) $217.7 million Currency: 1 new kip NK = 100 at Exchange rates: new kips NK per US$1 - 717 (1994 est.), 720 (July 1993). 710 (May 1992), 710 (December 1991), 700 (September 1990), 576 (1989) Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September Laos:Transportation Railroads: 0 km Highways: total: 14,130 km paved: 2,260 km unpaved: 11,870 km (1992 est.) Inland waterways: about 4,587 km primarily 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: total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT Airports: total: 52 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 25 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 17 Laos:Communications Telephone system: 7,390 telephones (1986); service to general public very poor; radio communications network provides generally erratic service to government users local: 16 telephone lines per 1,000 people intercity: radio communications international: 1 earth station Radio: broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 2 televisions: NA Laos:Defense Forces Branches: Lao People's Army (LPA; includes riverine naval and militia elements), Air Force, National Police Department Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,051,105; males fit for military service 567,017; males reach military age (18) annually 51,437 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $105 million, 8.1% of GDP (FY92/93)
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