Laos (2002) | Laos (2003) | |
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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: 42.2% (male 1,255,172; female 1,242,823)
15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,592,697; female 1,639,431) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,192; female 104,230) (2003 est.) |
Airports | 51 (2001) | 51 (2002) |
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. | 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, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997. |
Birth rate | 37.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 36.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $211 million
expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.) |
revenues: $211 million
expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est. est.) |
Death rate | 12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 12.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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 | 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 |
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. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 690.6 million kWh (2000) | 824.7 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 400 million kWh (2000) | 400 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 142 million kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 1.02 billion kWh (2000) | 1.317 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 2%
hydro: 98% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 1.4%
hydro: 98.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
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) | kips per US dollar - 7,562 (2002), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998) |
Exports | $325 million (2001 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - partners | Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, UK 4.1%, Belgium 4% (2000) | Vietnam 25.7%, Thailand 19%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.3% (2002) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 53%
industry: 22% services: 25% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 53%
industry: 23% services: 24% (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.) | 5.7% (2002 est.) |
Highways | total: 14,000 km
paved: 3,360 km unpaved: 10,640 km (1991) |
total: 21,716 km
paved: 9,664 km unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 31% (1997) |
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 30.6% (1997) |
Imports | $540 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel | machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods |
Imports - partners | Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000) | Thailand 58.9%, Vietnam 12.3%, China 7.9% (2002) |
Infant mortality rate | 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 88.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 99.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 78.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 10% (2001 est.) | 10% (2002 est.) |
Legal system | based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice | based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 53.88 years
male: 51.95 years female: 55.87 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 54.3 years
male: 52.34 years female: 56.33 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: 52.8% male: 67.5% female: 38.1% (2003 est.) |
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 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4.2% (FY96/97) | 4.2% (FY96) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,365,027 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 1,411,042 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 734,945 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 759,499 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | 18 years of age (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 64,437 (2002 est.) | males: 67,260 (2003 est.) |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | petroleum products 136 km | refined products 540 km (2003) |
Population | 5,777,180 (July 2002 est.) | 5,921,545 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 40% (2001 est.) | 40% (2002 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.47% (2002 est.) | 2.45% (2003 est.) |
Radios | 730,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km (2001) | 0 km |
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: 1.04 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 (2003 est.) |
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: 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) |
Total fertility rate | 5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.) |