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Compare Cameroon (2008) - Laos (2004)

Compare Cameroon (2008) z Laos (2004)

 Cameroon (2008)Laos (2004)
 CameroonLaos
Administrative divisions 10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest 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*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang
Age structure 0-14 years: 41.3% (male 3,763,332/female 3,695,053)


15-64 years: 55.5% (male 5,029,658/female 4,994,786)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 266,616/female 310,937) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,277,152; female 1,265,761)


15-64 years: 54.9% (male 1,642,895; female 1,688,175)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,995; female 106,139) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Airports 45 (2007) 46 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 11


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 9


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 34


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 8 (2007)
total: 35


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 13


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total: 475,440 sq km


land: 469,440 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than California slightly larger than Utah
Background The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite a slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA. Laos was under the control 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. Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.
Birth rate 35.07 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 36.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $4.14 billion


expenditures: $3.3 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $298.5 million


expenditures: $429.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital name: Yaounde


geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Vientiane
Climate varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Coastline 402 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 20 May 1972 approved by referendum, adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996 promulgated 14 August 1991
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon


conventional short form: Cameroon


local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon


local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon


former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon
conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic


conventional short form: Laos


local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao


local short form: none
Currency - kip (LAK)
Death rate 12.66 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 12.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $2.449 billion (31 December 2007 est.) $2.49 billion (2001)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Janet E. GARVEY


embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde


mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520


telephone: [237] 2220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2220 16 03


FAX: [237] 2220 16 00 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 2220 17 52


branch office(s): Douala
chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH


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 Jerome MENDOUGA


chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790


FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay


chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416


FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
Disputes - international Joint Border Commission with Nigeria reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; implementation of the ICJ ruling on the Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea is pending due to imprecisely defined coordinates and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is largely complete, but with Thailand several areas including Mekong River islets remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and Vietnam over squatters; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels
Economic aid - recipient $413.8 million in January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now totals $1.26 billion (2005) $243 million (2001 est.)
Economy - overview Because of its modest oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. International oil and cocoa prices have a significant impact on the economy. 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% in 1988-2001 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 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 economy will continue to benefit from aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in food processing and mining.
Electricity - consumption 3.435 billion kWh (2005) 824.7 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 400 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 4.09 billion kWh (2005) 1.317 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)
lowest point: Mekong River 70 m


highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
Environment - current issues waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing 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, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


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 Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1% Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) kips per US dollar - 10,443 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)


head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 December 2004)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7%
chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (since 26 February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27 March 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27 March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone BOUPHAVANH (since 3 October 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister 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 24 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007); 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 107,400 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin
Exports - partners Spain 21.4%, Italy 15.4%, France 11.6%, South Korea 7.3%, Netherlands 7.2%, US 5.7%, Belgium 4.2% (2006) Thailand 20.7%, Vietnam 15.9%, France 7.3%, Germany 5.3%, Belgium 4% (2003)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June 1 October - 30 September
Flag description three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band


note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
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 - $10.32 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 44.3%


industry: 15.9%


services: 39.8% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 49.4%


industry: 24.5%


services: 26.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.2% (2007 est.) 5.5% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 N, 12 00 E 18 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography - note sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand
Highways - total: 21,716 km


paved: 9,664 km


unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.3%


highest 10%: 35.4% (2001)
lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)
Illicit drugs - world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 2003 - 18,900 hectares, a 19% decrease over 2002; estimated potential production in 2003 - 200 metric tons, a 11% increase from 2002); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem
Imports 63,710 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods
Imports - partners France 23.6%, Nigeria 13.2%, China 7.2%, Belgium 6.1%, US 4.5% (2006) Thailand 59.4%, China 12.8%, Vietnam 10.2% (2003)
Independence 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) 19 July 1949 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% (2007 est.) 9.7% (2001 est.)
Industries petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 65.84 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 70.73 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 60.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 87.06 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 97.05 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 76.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2007 est.) 15.3% (2003 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land 260 sq km (2003) 1,640 sq km


note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly) 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 6.68 million (2007 est.) 2.6 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 70%


industry: 13%


services: 17% (2001 est.)
agriculture 80% (1997 est.)
Land boundaries total: 4,591 km


border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 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: 12.54%


permanent crops: 2.52%


other: 84.94% (2005)
arable land: 3.8%


permanent crops: 0.35%


other: 95.85% (2001)
Languages 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official) Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Legal system based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature


elections: last held 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RDCP 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17; note - vacant seats will be determined in a yet to be scheduled by-election after the Supreme Court nullified results in five districts


note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established
unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election)


elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109
Life expectancy at birth total population: 52.86 years


male: 52.15 years


female: 53.59 years (2007 est.)
total population: 54.69 years


male: 52.71 years


female: 56.75 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 67.9%


male: 77%


female: 59.8% (2001 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 66.4%


male: 77.4%


female: 55.5% (2002)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Map references Africa Southeast Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 38,613 GRT/68,820 DWT


by type: petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2007)
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT


by type: cargo 1 (2004 est.)
Military branches Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2008) Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $10.9 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.3% (2006) 0.5% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,456,500 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 783,800 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 68,563 (2004 est.)
National holiday Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972) Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
Nationality noun: Cameroonian(s)


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


adjective: Lao or Laotian
Natural hazards volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes floods, droughts
Natural resources petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines gas 27 km; liquid petroleum gas 5 km; oil 1,110 km (2007) refined products 540 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or RDPC [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Progressive Movement or MP; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK] Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]; Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president] noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975
Population 18,060,382


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.)
6,068,117 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 48% (2000 est.) 40% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 2.241% (2007 est.) 2.44% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - none
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2001) AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)
Railways total: 987 km


narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
-
Religions indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.018 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.007 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.857 male(s)/female


total population: 1.007 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 20 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and connections with many parts of the country are unreliable; mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, has been increasing steadily and currently stands at 14 per 100 persons


domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter


international: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
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: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 100,300 (2005) 61,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2.253 million (2005) 55,200 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 4 (1999)
Terrain diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Total fertility rate 4.49 children born/woman (2007 est.) 4.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 30% (2001 est.) 5.7% (1997 est.)
Waterways navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2005) 4,600 km


note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2003)
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