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Compare Laos (2002) - Cameroon (2007)

Compare Laos (2002) z Cameroon (2007)

 Laos (2002)Cameroon (2007)
 LaosCameroon
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 10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest
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: 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.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber
Airports 51 (2001) 45 (2007)
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: 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)
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: 34


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 8 (2007)
Area total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total: 475,440 sq km


land: 469,440 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Utah slightly larger than California
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 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 an ethnic oligarchy headed by President Paul BIYA.
Birth rate 37.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 35.07 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $211 million


expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)
revenues: $3.611 billion


expenditures: $2.609 billion (2006 est.)
Capital Vientiane name: Yaounde


geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 402 km
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 20 May 1972 approved by referendum, adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996
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: 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
Currency kip (LAK) -
Death rate 12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 12.66 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $2.53 billion (1999) $3.688 billion (2006 est.)
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 R. Niels MARQUARDT


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
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 Jerome MENDOUGA


chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790


FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
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 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
Economic aid - recipient $345 million (1999 est.) 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)
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. 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.
Electricity - consumption 690.6 million kWh (2000) 3.435 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 400 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 142 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 1.02 billion kWh (2000) 4.09 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 2%


hydro: 98%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Mekong River 70 m


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


highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
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, 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
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% Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%
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) Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)
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 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%
Exports $325 million (2001 est.) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, UK 4.1%, Belgium 4% (2000) Spain 21.3%, Italy 15.4%, France 11.6%, South Korea 7.3%, Netherlands 7.2%, US 5.7%, Belgium 4.2% (2006)
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 three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 53%


industry: 22%


services: 25% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 44.3%


industry: 15.7%


services: 40% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,630 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2001 est.) 3.9% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 6 00 N, 12 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 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
Highways total: 14,000 km


paved: 3,360 km


unpaved: 10,640 km (1991)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 31% (1997)
lowest 10%: 2.3%


highest 10%: 35.4% (2001)
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 -
Imports $540 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food
Imports - partners Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000) France 23.6%, Nigeria 13.2%, China 7.3%, Belgium 6.1%, US 4.6% (2006)
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
Industrial production growth rate 7.5% (1999 est.) 4.2% (1999 est.)
Industries tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair
Infant mortality rate 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (2001 est.) 5.1% (2006 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) 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, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 1,640 sq km


note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)
260 sq km (2003)
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 (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly)
Labor force 2.4 million (1999) 6.542 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% (1997 est.) agriculture: 70%


industry: 13%


services: 17% (2001 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
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
Land use arable land: 3.47%


permanent crops: 0.23%


other: 96.3% (1998 est.)
arable land: 12.54%


permanent crops: 2.52%


other: 84.94% (2005)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
Legal system based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.88 years


male: 51.95 years


female: 55.87 years (2002 est.)
total population: 52.86 years


male: 52.15 years


female: 53.59 years (2007 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: 67.9%


male: 77%


female: 59.8% (2001 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Map references Southeast Asia Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 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: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 38,613 GRT/68,820 DWT


by type: petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2007)
Military branches Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force, National Police Department Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $55 million (FY98) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.2% (FY96/97) 1.3% (2006)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,365,027 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 734,945 (2002 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) Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)
Nationality noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
noun: Cameroonian(s)


adjective: Cameroonian
Natural hazards floods, droughts volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 136 km gas 70 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,107 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed 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]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA]; 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]; Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]
Population 5,777,180 (July 2002 est.) 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.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2001 est.) 48% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 2.47% (2002 est.) 2.241% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors none -
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios 730,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km (2001) total: 987 km


narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Religions Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
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: 1.03 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.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 20 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: 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)
Telephones - main lines in use 25,000 (1997) 100,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,915 (1997) 2.253 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1999) 1 (2001)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north
Total fertility rate 5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.) 4.49 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.7% (1997 est.) 30% (2001 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
navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2005)
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