Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Botswana (2008) - Laos (2008) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Botswana (2008) - Laos (2008)

Compare Botswana (2008) z Laos (2008)

 Botswana (2008)Laos (2008)
 BotswanaLaos
Administrative divisions 9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern 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
Age structure 0-14 years: 35.8% (male 330,377/female 319,376)


15-64 years: 60.3% (male 549,879/female 545,148)


65 years and over: 3.9% (male 28,725/female 42,003) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 41.2% (male 1,349,352/female 1,338,252)


15-64 years: 55.7% (male 1,795,029/female 1,835,168)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 90,188/female 114,009) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Airports 85 (2007) 42 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 11


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
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 runways total: 74


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 54


under 914 m: 17 (2007)
total: 33


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 23 (2007)
Area total: 600,370 sq km


land: 585,370 sq km


water: 15,000 sq km
total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas slightly larger than Utah
Background Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease. Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For three hundred 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.
Birth rate 23.17 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 34.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $4.886 billion


expenditures: $3.756 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $470.4 million


expenditures: $643.5 million (2007 est.)
Capital name: Gaborone


geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Vientiane


geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E


time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate semiarid; warm winters and hot summers tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 promulgated 14 August 1991
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Botswana


conventional short form: Botswana


local long form: Republic of Botswana


local short form: Botswana


former: Bechuanaland
conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic


conventional short form: Laos


local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao


local short form: none
Death rate 13.63 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 11.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $513 million (31 December 2007 est.) $3.179 billion (2006)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Katherine H. CANAVAN


embassy: address NA, Gaborone


mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone


telephone: [267] 395-3982


FAX: [267] 395-6947
chief of mission: Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO


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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA


chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990


FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164
chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone


chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416


FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
Disputes - international the alignment of the boundary with Namibia in the Kwando/Linyanti/Chobe River, including the Situngu marshlands, was resolved amicably in 2003; concerns from international experts and local populations over the ecology of the Okavango Delta in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls) along the Angola-Namibia border; Botswana has built electric fences to stem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has long supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing the short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary 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
Economic aid - recipient $70.89 million (2005) $379 million (2006 est.)
Economy - overview Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966, though growth slowed to 4.7% annually in 2006-07. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of more than $11,000 in 2006. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially was 23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects. 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 in 1988-2007 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 a 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. In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based producers to benefit from lower tariffs on exports. Laos is taking steps to join the World Trade Organization in the next few years; the resulting trade policy reforms will improve the business environment. On the fiscal side, a value-added tax (VAT) regime, slated to begin in 2008, should help streamline the government's inefficient tax system.
Electricity - consumption 2.602 billion kWh (2005) 1.193 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 728 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 1.754 billion kWh (2005) 326 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 912 million kWh (2005) 1.715 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m


highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
lowest point: Mekong River 70 m


highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
Environment - current issues overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources 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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%
Exchange rates pulas per US dollar - 6.2035 (2007), 5.8447 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004), 4.9499 (2003) kips per US dollar - 9,658 (2007), 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004), 10,569 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998); Vice President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998); Vice President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998);


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president


elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009); vice president appointed by the president


election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52%
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%
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold
Exports - partners European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2006) Thailand 42.1%, Vietnam 9.5%, China 4% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 October - 30 September
Flag description light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe 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 - composition by sector agriculture: 1.6%


industry: 51.5% (including 36% mining)


services: 46.9% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 41.2%


industry: 32.5%


services: 26.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.7% (2007 est.) 7% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 22 00 S, 24 00 E 18 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 3.4%


highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)
Illicit drugs - estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2005 was 5,600 hectares, about a 45% decrease from 2004; estimated potential opium production in 2005 was 28 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem
Imports 13,490 bbl/day (2004) 2,898 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods
Imports - partners Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4% (2006) Thailand 68.8%, China 11.3%, Vietnam 5.6% (2006)
Independence 30 September 1966 (from UK) 19 July 1949 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 4.5% (2007 est.) 12% (2007 est.)
Industries diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement
Infant mortality rate total: 43.97 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 45.02 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 42.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 81.44 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 90.91 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 71.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7.2% (2007 est.) 5% (2007 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACCT, ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 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)
Irrigated land 10 sq km (2003) 1,750 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district) 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 288,400 formal sector employees (2004) 2.1 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 80%


industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
Land boundaries total: 4,013 km


border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 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: 0.65%


permanent crops: 0.01%


other: 99.34% (2005)
arable land: 4.01%


permanent crops: 0.34%


other: 95.65% (2005)
Languages Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census) Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Legal system based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body with 8 permanent members consisting of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non-permanent members serving 5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3 members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (63 seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 are appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and Attorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve five-year terms)


elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 51.7%, BNF 26.1%, BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1
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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 50.58 years


male: 51.55 years


female: 49.58 years (2007 est.)
total population: 55.89 years


male: 53.82 years


female: 58.04 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 81.2%


male: 80.4%


female: 81.8% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 68.7%


male: 77%


female: 60.9% (2001 est.)
Location Southern Africa, north of South Africa Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Map references Africa Southeast Asia
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Merchant marine - total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT


by type: cargo 1 (2007)
Military - note - Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on the Lao-Burma border (2005)
Military branches Botswana Defense Force (includes an air wing) (2006) Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force (2008)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.3% (2006) 0.5% (2006)
National holiday Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966) Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
Nationality noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)


adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
Natural hazards periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility floods, droughts
Natural resources diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Net migration rate 5.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2007 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - refined products 540 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP; MELS Movement of Botswana or MELS; New Democratic Front or NDF


note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats - includes the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]
Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders NA political parties and groups other than LPRP are proscribed
Population 1,815,508


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)
6,521,998 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 30.3% (2003) 30.7% (2005 est.)
Population growth rate 1.503% (2007 est.) 2.37% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001) AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006)
Railways total: 888 km


narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
-
Religions Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census) Buddhist 65%, animist 32.9%, Christian 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.8% (1995 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.034 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.009 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.684 male(s)/female


total population: 1.003 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.008 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.978 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.791 male(s)/female


total population: 0.984 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile-cellular service and participation in regional development; system is fully digital with fiber-optic cables linking the major population centers in the east; fixed-line connections declined in recent years and now stand at 8 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density currently is about 60 per 100 persons


domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile-cellular service is growing fast


international: country code - 267; international calls are made via satellite, using international direct dialing; 2 international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2007)
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; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership about 10 per 100 persons


international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 136,900 (2006) 90,067 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 979,800 (2006) 638,200 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 2 (1 state-owned, 1 private) 7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006)
Terrain predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Total fertility rate 2.73 children born/woman (2007 est.) 4.59 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 23.8% (2004) 2.4% (2005 est.)
Waterways - 4,600 km


note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2007)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.