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Compare Laos (2001) - Guernsey (2002)

Compare Laos (2001) z Guernsey (2002)

 Laos (2001)Guernsey (2002)
 LaosGuernsey
Administrative divisions 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 none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including St. Peter Port, St. Sampson, Vale, Castel, St. Saviour, St. Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, St. Martin, St. Andrew
Age structure 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.)
0-14 years: 16% (male 5,250; female 5,101)


15-64 years: 66.7% (male 21,356; female 21,728)


65 years and over: 17.3% (male 4,622; female 6,530) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Airports 51 (2000 est.) 2 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total:
8

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
5

914 to 1,523 m:
2 (2000 est.)
total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
43

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
17

under 914 m:
25 (2000 est.)
-
Area total:
236,800 sq km

land:
230,800 sq km

water:
6,000 sq km
total: 78 sq km


land: 78 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
Area - comparative slightly larger than Utah slightly larger than Washington, DC
Background 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. The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.
Birth rate 37.84 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 9.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$211 million

expenditures:
$462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)
revenues: $381.3 million


expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Vientiane St. Peter Port
Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 50 km
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Country name conventional long form:
Lao People's Democratic Republic

conventional short form:
Laos

local long form:
Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

local short form:
none
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey


conventional short form: Guernsey
Currency kip (LAK) British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound
Death rate 13.02 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $2.46 billion (1998 est.) $NA
Dependency status - British crown dependency
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador VANG Rattanavong

chancery:
2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 332-6416

FAX:
[1] (202) 332-4923
none (British crown dependency)
Disputes - international parts of the border with Thailand are indefinite none
Economic aid - recipient $345 million (1999 est.) $NA
Economy - overview 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. Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which Guernsey operates.
Electricity - consumption 173.6 million kWh (1999) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 705 million kWh (1999) NA kWh
Electricity - imports 142 million kWh (1999) NA kWh
Electricity - production 792 million kWh (1999) NA kWh
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
2.78%

hydro:
97.22%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: NA%


hydro: NA%


nuclear: NA%


other: NA%
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Mekong River 70 m

highest point:
Phou Bia 2,817 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water NA
Environment - international 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 Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1% UK and Norman-French descent
Exchange rates kips per US dollar - 7,578.00 (December 2000), 7,102.03 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998), 1,259.98 (1997), 921.02 (1996) Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6944 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound
Executive branch 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%
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff De Vic G. CAREY (since NA)


cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch
Exports $323 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $NA
Exports - commodities wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
Exports - partners Vietnam, Thailand, Germany, France, Belgium UK (regarded as internal trade)
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September calendar year
Flag description three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross
GDP purchasing power parity - $9 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
51%

industry:
22%

services:
27% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 10%


services: 87% (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2000 est.) 5.7% (1999 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 49 28 N, 2 35 W
Geography - note landlocked large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
Highways total:
14,000 km

paved:
3,360 km

unpaved:
10,640 km (1991)
total: NA km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
4.2%

highest 10%:
26.4% (1992)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs 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 $540 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $NA
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, China, Singapore, Hong Kong UK (regarded as internal trade)
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) none (British crown dependency)
Industrial production growth rate 7.5% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism tourism, banking
Infant mortality rate 92.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 33% (2000 est.) 3.99% (2000 est.)
International organization participation 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) none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) NA
Irrigated land 1,250 sq km (1993 est.)

note:
rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)
NA sq km
Judicial branch 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) Royal Court
Labor force 1 million - 1.5 million 31,322 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% (1997 est.) -
Land boundaries total:
5,083 km

border countries:
Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
3%

forests and woodland:
54%

other:
40% (1993 est.)
arable land: NA%


permanent crops: NA%


other: NA% (1998 est.)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Legal system based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Legislative branch 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
unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the bailiff, 10 Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 people's deputies elected by popular vote, 2 representatives from Alderney, Her Majesty's Procureur (Attorney General), Her Majesty's Comptroller (Solicitor General) and Her Majesty's Greffier (Court Recorder and Registrar General); note - Alderney and Sark have their own parliaments


elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents
Life expectancy at birth total population:
53.48 years

male:
51.58 years

female:
55.44 years (2001 est.)
total population: 79.9 years


male: 76.91 years


female: 83.01 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
57%

male:
70%

female:
44% (1999 est.)
definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
Map references Southeast Asia Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 1 (2000 est.)
none (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches Lao People's Army (LPA; includes riverine element), Air Force, National Police Department -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $55 million (FY98) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.2% (FY96/97) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
1,319,537 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
710,627 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
64,437 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Republic Day, 2 December (1975) Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Nationality noun:
Lao(s) or Laotian(s)

adjective:
Lao or Laotian
noun: Channel Islander(s)


adjective: Channel Islander
Natural hazards floods, droughts, and blight NA
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones cropland
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 3.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 136 km -
Political parties and leaders Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 none
Population 5,635,967 (July 2001 est.) 64,587 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 46.1% (1993 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.48% (2001 est.) 0.37% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors none St. Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 730,000 (1997) NA
Railways 0 km 5 km
Religions Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist
Sex ratio 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.)
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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)
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: 1 submarine cable
Telephones - main lines in use 25,000 (1997) 44,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,915 (1997) 12,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1999) 1 (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus mostly level with low hills in southwest
Total fertility rate 5.12 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.36 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.7% (1997 est.) 0.5% (1999 est.)
Waterways 4,587 km approximately

note:
primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m
none
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