Compare Laos (2002) - Fiji (2004)

Compare Laos (2002) z Fiji (2004)

	Laos (2002)	Fiji (2004)

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	4 divisions and 1 dependency; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma, Western
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: 31.7% (male 142,412; female 136,754) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 283,690; female 283,027) 65 years and over: 4% (male 16,047; female 18,944) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry	sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish
Airports	51 (2001)	28 (2003 est.)
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: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km	total: 18,270 sq km land: 18,270 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Utah	slightly smaller than New Jersey
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.	Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990 constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.
Birth rate	37.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	22.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $211 million expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)	revenues: $427.9 million expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)
Capital	Vientiane	Suva (Viti Levu)
Climate	tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)	tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	1,129 km
Constitution	promulgated 14 August 1991	promulgated on 25 July 1990 and amended on 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty government mandatory; entered into force 28 July 1998; note - the May 1999 election was the first test of the amended constitution and introduced open voting - not racially prescribed - for the first time at the national level
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 the Fiji Islands conventional short form: Fiji
Currency	kip (LAK)	Fijian dollar (FJD)
Death rate	12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$2.53 billion (1999)	$188.1 million (2001 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 David L. LYON embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva telephone: [679] 331-4466 FAX: [679] 330-0081
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: Mr. Paula NAVUNISARAVI (Charge D'Affaires ad Interim) chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996
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	none
Economic aid - recipient	$345 million (1999 est.)	$40.3 million (1995)
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.	Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity. Long-term problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's ability to manage its budget. Yet short-run economic prospects are good, provided tensions do not again erupt between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians.
Electricity - consumption	690.6 million kWh (2000)	483.7 million 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)	520.1 million kWh (2001)
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: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m
Environment - current issues	unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water	deforestation; soil erosion
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, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 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%	Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)
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)	Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.8958 (2003), 2.1869 (2002), 2.2766 (2001), 2.1286 (2000), 1.9696 (1999)
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 Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18 July 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - there is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs, which consists of the highest ranking members of the traditional chief system elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%
Exports	$325 million (2001 est.)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin	sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil
Exports - partners	Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, UK 4.1%, Belgium 4% (2000)	US 23.7%, Australia 18.4%, UK 13.6%, Samoa 6%, Japan 4.8% (2003)
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	light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
GDP	purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.)	purchasing power parity - $5.012 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 53% industry: 22% services: 25% (2000 est.)	agriculture: 16.6% industry: 22.4% services: 61% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,630 (2001 est.)	purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5% (2001 est.)	4.8% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	18 00 N, 105 00 E	18 00 S, 175 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	includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
Highways	total: 14,000 km paved: 3,360 km unpaved: 10,640 km (1991)	total: 3,440 km paved: 1,692 km unpaved: 1,748 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 31% (1997)	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
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 (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel	manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals
Imports - partners	Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000)	Australia 35.1%, Singapore 19.2%, New Zealand 17.2%, Japan 4.9% (2003)
Independence	19 July 1949 (from France)	10 October 1970 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	7.5% (1999 est.)	NA
Industries	tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism	tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries
Infant mortality rate	90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	total: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	10% (2001 est.)	1.6% (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)	ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, 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.)	30 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 (judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts
Labor force	2.4 million (1999)	137,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 80% (1997 est.)	agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (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	0 km
Land use	arable land: 3.47% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 96.3% (1998 est.)	arable land: 10.95% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84.4% (2001)
Languages	Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages	English (official), Fijian, Hindustani
Legal system	based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice	based on British system
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	bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24 appointed by the President on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, nine appointed by the president, and one appointed by the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for other ethnic groups, one reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1 September, 19 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2006) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - FLP 26.5%, SDL 27.5%, NFP 1.2%, MV 4.2%, NLUP 1.3%, UGP .3%, independents 1.4%; seats by party - FLP 27, SDL 32, MV 6, NFP 1, NLUP 2, UGP 1, independents 2
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 53.88 years male: 51.95 years female: 55.87 years (2002 est.)	total population: 69.2 years male: 66.74 years female: 71.79 years (2004 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: 93.7% male: 95.5% female: 91.9% (2003 est.)
Location	Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam	Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references	Southeast Asia	Oceania
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added
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: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,372 GRT/7,453 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1 foreign-owned: Australia 1, Singapore 1 (2004 est.)
Military branches	Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force, National Police Department	Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Division
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$55 million (FY98)	$34 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	4.2% (FY96/97)	2.2% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,365,027 (2002 est.)	males age 15-49: 239,221 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 734,945 (2002 est.)	males age 15-49: 131,349 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - military age	18 years of age (2002 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 64,437 (2002 est.)	males: 9,302 (2004 est.)
National holiday	Republic Day, 2 December (1975)	Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)
Nationality	noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian	noun: Fijian(s) adjective: Fijian
Natural hazards	floods, droughts	cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
Natural resources	timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones	timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	petroleum products 136 km	-
Political parties and leaders	Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed	Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE]; Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED], Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Felipe BOLE], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and Freedom Party or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA]; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE]; Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT [leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]
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.)	880,874 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	40% (2001 est.)	25.5% (1990-91)
Population growth rate	2.47% (2002 est.)	1.41% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	none	Lambasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Malau, Savusavu, Suva, Vuda
Radio broadcast stations	AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)	AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios	730,000 (1997)	-
Railways	0 km (2001)	total: 597 km narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2003)
Religions	Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)	Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2% note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is a Muslim minority (1986)
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: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	21 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: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center domestic: NA international: country code - 679; access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	25,000 (1997)	102,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	4,915 (1997)	109,900 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	4 (1999)	NA
Terrain	mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus	mostly mountains of volcanic origin
Total fertility rate	5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.)	2.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	5.7% (1997 est.)	7.6% (1999)
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	203 km note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges (2004)

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