Compare Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2003) - Laos (2008)

Compare Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2003) z Laos (2008)

	Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2003)	Laos (2008)

Administrative divisions	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)	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: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%	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	fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products	sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Airports	5 (2002)	42 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)	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: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002)	total: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 23 (2007)
Area	total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands	total: 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Connecticut	slightly larger than Utah
Background	Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.	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	NA births/1,000 population	34.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $66.2 million expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.)	revenues: $470.4 million expenditures: $643.5 million (2007 est.)
Capital	Stanley	name: Vientiane geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate	tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Coastline	1,288 km	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998	promulgated 14 August 1991
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)	conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: none
Currency	Falkland pound (FKP)	-
Death rate	NA deaths/1,000 population	11.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$NA	$3.179 billion (2006)
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)	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	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)	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	claimed by Argentina whose forces briefly occupied it in 1982, but now declares it will no longer seek settlement by force	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	none	$379 million (2006 est.)
Economy - overview	The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.	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	15.19 million kWh (2001)	1.193 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	728 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	326 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	16.33 million kWh (2001)	1.715 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m	lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
Environment - current issues	overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster	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, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	British	Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%
Exchange rates	Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.67 (2002), 0.69 (2001), 0.66 (2000), 0.62 (1999), 0.6 (1998); note - the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound	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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch	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	NA (2001)	0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	wool, hides, meat	wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold
Exports - partners	Spain 76.2%, UK 9.2%, US 7.1% (2002)	Thailand 42.1%, Vietnam 9.5%, China 4% (2006)
Fiscal year	1 April - 31 March	1 October - 30 September
Flag description	blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT	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 - $75 million (2002 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	agriculture: 41.2% industry: 32.5% services: 26.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	NA%	7% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates	51 45 S, 59 00 W	18 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography - note	deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season	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: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002)	-
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	NA (2001)	2,898 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing	machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods
Imports - partners	UK 57.9%, Spain 19.8%, Italy 16.7% (2002)	Thailand 68.8%, China 11.3%, Vietnam 5.6% (2006)
Independence	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)	19 July 1949 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	12% (2007 est.)
Industries	fish and wool processing; tourism	copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement
Infant mortality rate	total: NA% male: NA% female: NA%	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)	3.6% (1998)	5% (2007 est.)
International organization participation	ICFTU	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)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	2 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	1,750 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction	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	1,100 (est.)	2.1 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)	agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
Land boundaries	0 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% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (1998 est.)	arable land: 4.01% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 95.65% (2005)
Languages	English	Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Legal system	English common law	based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8; note - 71% voter turnout	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: NA years male: NA years female: NA years	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: 68.7% male: 77% female: 60.9% (2001 est.)
Location	Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina	Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Map references	South America	Southeast Asia
Maritime claims	continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	none (landlocked)
Merchant marine	none (2002 est.)	total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2007)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK	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	British Forces Falkland Islands no regular indigenous military forces; (includes Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy), Police Force	Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force (2008)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$NA	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	NA%	0.5% (2006)
National holiday	Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)	Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
Nationality	noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island	noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian
Natural hazards	strong winds persist throughout the year	floods, droughts
Natural resources	fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss	timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Net migration rate	NA migrant(s)/1,000 population	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines	-	refined products 540 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders	none; all independents	Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders	none	political parties and groups other than LPRP are proscribed
Population	2,967 (July 2003 est.)	6,521,998 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	30.7% (2005 est.)
Population growth rate	2.44% (2003 est.)	2.37% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	Stanley note: the primary port is located in Stanley Harbour and known locally as FIPASS (Falkland Interim Port and Storage System); the facility consists of seven permanently moored barges providing 300 meters of berthing space; it was installed by the military after 1982 and handed over to the Falkland Islands Government in 1988	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006)
Railways	0 km	-
Religions	primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist	Buddhist 65%, animist 32.9%, Christian 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.8% (1995 census)
Sex ratio	-	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: NA domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries	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	NA	90,067 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular	NA	638,200 (2006)
Television broadcast stations	2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)	7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006)
Terrain	rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains	mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Total fertility rate	NA children born/woman	4.59 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	full employment; labor shortage	2.4% (2005 est.)
Waterways	none	4,600 km note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2007)

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