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Compare Laos (2002) - Bangladesh (2003)

Compare Laos (2002) z Bangladesh (2003)

 Laos (2002)Bangladesh (2003)
 LaosBangladesh
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 5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi; note - there may be one additional division named Sylhet
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.5% (male 1,233,659; female 1,219,872)


15-64 years: 54.2% (male 1,543,246; female 1,591,419)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 86,375; female 102,609) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 34.1% (male 24,255,300; female 23,007,632)


15-64 years: 62.5% (male 44,261,739; female 42,281,331)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,506,606; female 2,135,602) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Airports 51 (2001) 18 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
total: 15


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 42


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 15


under 914 m: 26 (2002)
total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total: 144,000 sq km


land: 133,910 sq km


water: 10,090 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Utah slightly smaller than Iowa
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. Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.
Birth rate 37.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 29.9 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $211 million


expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)
revenues: $4.9 billion


expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)
Capital Vientiane Dhaka
Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 580 km
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times
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: People's Republic of Bangladesh


conventional short form: Bangladesh


former: East Pakistan
Currency kip (LAK) taka (BDT)
Death rate 12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $2.53 billion (1999) $16.5 billion (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas A. HARTWICK


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
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS


embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212


mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000


telephone: [880] (2) 8824700 through 8824722


FAX: [880] (2) 8823744
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay


chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416


FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD


chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183


FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Disputes - international demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is nearing completion, but with Thailand, several areas including Mekong River islets, remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and Vietnam over squatters discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, demarcate and fence the porous land boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade and violence; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty Island in the Bay of Bengal prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources
Economic aid - recipient $345 million (1999 est.) $1.575 billion (2000 est.)
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% 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. Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key areas.
Electricity - consumption 690.6 million kWh (2000) 14.25 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 400 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 142 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 1.02 billion kWh (2000) 15.33 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 2%


hydro: 98%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel: 93.7%


hydro: 6.3%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Mekong River 70 m


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


highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


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% Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)
Exchange rates kips per US dollar - 9,467.00 (December 2001), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.03 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998), 1,259.98 (1997) taka per US dollar - 57.89 (2002), 55.81 (2001), 52.14 (2000), 49.09 (1999), 46.91 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (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 Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since NA 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 NA 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%
chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections


head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president


elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president


election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA%
Exports $325 million (2001 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001)
Exports - partners Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, UK 4.1%, Belgium 4% (2000) US 27.6%, Germany 10.4%, UK 9.8%, France 5.7%, Italy 4% (2002)
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September 1 July - 30 June
Flag description three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam
GDP purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $238.2 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 53%


industry: 22%


services: 25% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 35%


industry: 19%


services: 46% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,630 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2001 est.) 4.8% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 24 00 N, 90 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal
Highways total: 14,000 km


paved: 3,360 km


unpaved: 10,640 km (1991)
total: 207,486 km


paved: 19,773 km


unpaved: 187,713 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 31% (1997)
lowest 10%: 3.9%


highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)
Illicit drugs world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation in 2002 - 23,200 hectares, a 5% increase over 2001; estimated potential production in 2002 - 180 metric tons, a 10% decrease from 2001); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
Imports $540 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)
Imports - partners Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000) India 14.6%, China 11.6%, Singapore 11.5%, Japan 7.6%, Hong Kong 5.4%, South Korea 4.3% (2002)
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Industrial production growth rate 7.5% (1999 est.) 1.8% (2002 est.)
Industries tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
Infant mortality rate 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 66.08 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 67.21 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 64.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (2001 est.) 3.1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 10 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,640 sq km


note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)
38,440 sq km (1998 est.)
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) Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 2.4 million (1999) 64.1 million


note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99 (1998)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% (1997 est.) agriculture 63%, services 26%, industry 11% (FY 95/96)
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
total: 4,246 km


border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Land use arable land: 3.47%


permanent crops: 0.23%


other: 96.3% (1998 est.)
arable land: 60.7%


permanent crops: 2.61%


other: 36.69% (1998 est.)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Legal system based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice based on English common law
Legislative branch 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 NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109
unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve five-year terms


elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 46%, AL 42%; seats by party - BNP 191, AL 62, JI 18, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; note - the election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, and Jatiya Party (Naziur)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.88 years


male: 51.95 years


female: 55.87 years (2002 est.)
total population: 61.33 years


male: 61.46 years


female: 61.2 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 57%


male: 70%


female: 44% (1999 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 43.1%


male: 53.9%


female: 31.8% (2003 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Map references Southeast Asia Asia
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone: 18 NM


continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT


ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 314,437 GRT/436,465 DWT


ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 23, container 11, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force, National Police Department Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, Armed Police Battalions, National Cadet Corps)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $55 million (FY98) $559 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.2% (FY96/97) 1.8% (FY96)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,365,027 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 38,436,912 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 734,945 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 22,807,339 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 64,437 (2002 est.) -
National holiday Republic Day, 2 December (1975) Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Nationality noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
noun: Bangladeshi(s)


adjective: Bangladeshi
Natural hazards floods, droughts droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 136 km gas 2,016 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]
Political pressure groups and leaders noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 NA
Population 5,777,180 (July 2002 est.) 138,448,210 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2001 est.) 35.6% (FY 95/96 est.)
Population growth rate 2.47% (2002 est.) 2.06% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors none Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios 730,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km (2001) total: 2,706 km


broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge


narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Religions Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
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: 0.84 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 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: totally inadequate for a modern country


domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 25,000 (1997) 500,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,915 (1997) 283,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1999) 15 (1999)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Total fertility rate 5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.) 3.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.7% (1997 est.) 40% (includes underemployment) (2002 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
up to 8,046 km depending on season


note: includes 3,058 km main cargo routes
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