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Compare Albania (2002) - Laos (2001)

Compare Albania (2002) z Laos (2001)

 Albania (2002)Laos (2001)
 AlbaniaLaos
Administrative divisions 12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores 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, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang
Age structure 0-14 years: 28.8% (male 528,678; female 493,531)


15-64 years: 64% (male 1,094,034; female 1,175,024)


65 years and over: 7.2% (male 111,524; female 142,050) (2002 est.)
0-14 years:
42.75% (male 1,212,577; female 1,196,795)

15-64 years:
53.94% (male 1,494,927; female 1,544,851)

65 years and over:
3.31% (male 85,632; female 101,185) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Airports 11 (2001) 51 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2002)
total:
8

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
5

914 to 1,523 m:
2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 8


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 4 (2002)
total:
43

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
17

under 914 m:
25 (2000 est.)
Area total: 28,748 sq km


land: 27,398 sq km


water: 1,350 sq km
total:
236,800 sq km

land:
230,800 sq km

water:
6,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly larger than Utah
Background In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged local elections in 2001 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies which should be addressed through reforms in the Albanian electoral code. In 1975 the communist Pathet Lao took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private enterprise, an easing of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.
Birth rate 18.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 37.84 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $697 million


expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $368 million (2002 est.)
revenues:
$211 million

expenditures:
$462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)
Capital Tirana Vientiane
Climate mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Coastline 362 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote promulgated 14 August 1991
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Albania


conventional short form: Albania


local long form: Republika e Shqiperise


local short form: Shqiperia


former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
conventional long form:
Lao People's Democratic Republic

conventional short form:
Laos

local long form:
Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

local short form:
none
Currency lek (ALL) kip (LAK)
Death rate 6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 13.02 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $784 million (2000) $2.46 billion (1998 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador James F. JEFFREY


embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana


mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Washington, DC 20521-9510


telephone: [355] (4) 247285


FAX: [355] (4) 232222
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Karen Brevard STEWART

embassy:
19 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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA


chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942


FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
chief of mission:
Ambassador VANG Rattanavong

chancery:
2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 332-6416

FAX:
[1] (202) 332-4923
Disputes - international the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders in the Kosovo region of Serbia and Montenegro and in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia while continuing to seek regional cooperation; many Albanians illegally transit neighboring states to emigrate to western Europe parts of the border with Thailand are indefinite
Economic aid - recipient ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.) $345 million (1999 est.)
Economy - overview Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and Italy. Agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small plots of land. Severe energy shortages are forcing small firms out of business, increasing unemployment, scaring off foreign investors, and spurring inflation. The government plans to boost energy imports to relieve the shortages. The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 7% during 1988-97. Reform efforts subsequently slowed, and GDP growth dropped an average of 3 percentage points. Because Laos depends heavily on its trade with Thailand, it was damaged by the regional financial crisis beginning in 1997. Government mismanagement deepened the crisis, and from June 1997 to June 1999 the Lao kip lost 87% of its value. Laos' foreign exchange problems peaked in September 1999 when the kip fell from 3,500 kip to the dollar to 9,000 kip to the dollar in a matter of weeks. Now that the currency has stabilized, however, the government seems content to let the current situation persist, despite limited government revenue and foreign exchange reserves. A landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure, Laos 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. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend on aid from the IMF and other international sources; Japan is currently the largest bilateral aid donor; aid from the former USSR/Eastern Europe has been cut sharply.
Electricity - consumption 5.378 billion kWh (2000) 173.6 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 100 million kWh (2000) 705 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 1.072 billion kWh (2000) 142 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 4.738 billion kWh (2000) 792 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 3%


hydro: 97%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel:
2.78%

hydro:
97.22%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m


highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m
lowest point:
Mekong River 70 m

highest point:
Phou Bia 2,817 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Gypsy, Serb, and Bulgarian) (1989 est.)


note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%
Exchange rates leke per US dollar - 140.16 (November 2001), 143.71 (2000) 137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997); note - leke is the plural of lek kips per US dollar - 7,578.00 (December 2000), 7,102.03 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998), 1,259.98 (1997), 921.02 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 July 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president


elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19
chief of state:
President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since NA March 2001)

head of government:
Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since NA March 2001); Deputy Prime Ministers THONGLOUN Sisolit (since NA March 2001), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998)

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; election last held 21 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term

election results:
KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA%
Exports $340 million f.o.b. (2002 est.) $323 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin
Exports - partners Italy 71%, Greece 12%, Germany 7%, Yugoslavia 3% (2001) Vietnam, Thailand, Germany, France, Belgium
Fiscal year calendar year 1 October - 30 September
Flag description red with a black two-headed eagle in the center three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band
GDP purchasing power parity - $14 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $9 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 49%


industry: 27%


services: 24% (2002 est.)
agriculture:
51%

industry:
22%

services:
27% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2002 est.) 4% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 41 00 N, 20 00 E 18 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography - note strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) landlocked
Heliports 1 (2002) -
Highways total: 18,000 km


paved: 5,400 km


unpaved: 12,600 km (1998 est.)
total:
14,000 km

paved:
3,360 km

unpaved:
10,640 km (1991)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
4.2%

highest 10%:
26.4% (1992)
Illicit drugs increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 1999 - 21,800 hectares, a 16% decrease over 1998; estimated potential production in 1999 - 140 metric tons, about the same as in 1998); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis
Imports $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) $540 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel
Imports - partners Italy 32%, Greece 26%, Turkey 6%, Germany 6%, Bulgaria 2% (2001) Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, China, Singapore, Hong Kong
Independence 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire) 19 July 1949 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 9% (2000 est.) 7.5% (1999 est.)
Industries food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism
Infant mortality rate 38.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 92.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2002 est.) 33% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 10 (2001) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 3,400 sq km (1998 est.) 1,250 sq km (1993 est.)

note:
rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term) 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)
Labor force 1.283 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) (2000 est.) 1 million - 1.5 million
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 50%, industry and services 50% agriculture 80% (1997 est.)
Land boundaries total: 720 km


border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km
total:
5,083 km

border countries:
Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Land use arable land: 21.09%


permanent crops: 4.45%


other: 74.46% (1998 est.)
arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
3%

forests and woodland:
54%

other:
40% (1993 est.)
Languages Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Legal system has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice
Legislative branch unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year terms)


elections: last held 24 June with subsequent rounds on 8 July, 22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and coalition allies 36.8%, NDP 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH 2.6%, PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies 46, NDP 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH 3, PAD 3, independents 2
unicameral National Assembly (99 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - by presidential decree, on 27 October 1997, the number of seats increased from 85 to 99)

elections:
last held 21 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 99
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.1 years


male: 69.27 years


female: 75.14 years (2002 est.)
total population:
53.48 years

male:
51.58 years

female:
55.44 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 9 and over can read and write


total population: 93% (1997 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
57%

male:
70%

female:
44% (1999 est.)
Location Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Map references Europe Southeast Asia
Maritime claims continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


territorial sea: 12 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,423 GRT/20,837 DWT


ships by type: cargo 7, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Honduras 1 (2002 est.)
total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards Lao People's Army (LPA; includes riverine element), Air Force, National Police Department
Military expenditures - dollar figure $56.5 million (FY02) $55 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.49% (FY02) 4.2% (FY96/97)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 888,086 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
1,319,537 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 727,406 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
710,627 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age (2002 est.) 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 35,792 (2002 est.) males:
64,437 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 28 November (1912) Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
Nationality noun: Albanian(s)


adjective: Albanian
noun:
Lao(s) or Laotian(s)

adjective:
Lao or Laotian
Natural hazards destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought floods, droughts, and blight
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Net migration rate -1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 196 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1996) petroleum products 136 km
Political parties and leaders Agrarian Party or PASH [Lufter XHUVELI]; Albanian National Front (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Shptim ROQI]; Albanian Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Albanian Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albania Workers Party) [Fatos NANO, chairman]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD [Nerltan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Group of Reformist Democrats [Leonard NDOKA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIA]; Liberal Union Party or PBL [Teodor LACO]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Genc POLLO]; OMONIA [Vagjelis DULES]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQUIRI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Unity for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO, chairman] Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders NA noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975
Population 3,544,841 (July 2002 est.) 5,635,967 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 30% (2001 est.) 46.1% (1993 est.)
Population growth rate 1.06% (2002 est.) 2.48% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore none
Radio broadcast stations AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001) AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios 1 million (2001) 730,000 (1997)
Railways total: 447 km


standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2001 est.)
0 km
Religions Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%


note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.85 male(s)/female

total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: Albania has the poorest telephone service in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100 inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has telephone service


domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for every village; in 1992, following the fall of the Communist government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used it to build fences


international: inadequate; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
general assessment:
service to general public is poor but improving, with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas

domestic:
radiotelephone communications

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 120,000 (2001) 25,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 250,000 (2001) 4,915 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001) 4 (1999)
Terrain mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Total fertility rate 2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.) 5.12 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 17% officially (2001 est.); may be as high as 30% (2001) 5.7% (1997 est.)
Waterways 43 km


note: includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)
4,587 km approximately

note:
primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m
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