Compare Laos (2002) - Latvia (2002)

Compare Laos (2002) z Latvia (2002)

	Laos (2002)	Latvia (2002)

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	26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils, Ventspils Rajons
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: 15.8% (male 191,116; female 182,692) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 775,481; female 847,261) 65 years and over: 15.6% (male 120,304; female 249,661) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry	grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Airports	51 (2001)	25 (2001)
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: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (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: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Area	total: 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km	total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Utah	slightly larger than West Virginia
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.	After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual integration into various Western European political and economic institutions.
Birth rate	37.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	8.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: $211 million expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)	revenues: $2.4 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
Capital	Vientiane	Riga
Climate	tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)	maritime; wet, moderate winters
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	531 km
Constitution	promulgated 14 August 1991	the 1991 Constitutional Law which supplements the 1922 constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms
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 Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency	kip (LAK)	Latvian lat (LVL)
Death rate	12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	14.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	$2.53 billion (1999)	$3.4 billion (2000 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 Brian E. CARLSON embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 781-4088
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 Aivis RONIS chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785
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	the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights
Economic aid - recipient	$345 million (1999 est.)	$96.2 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.	Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership over the next few years continues as a top foreign policy goal. The high current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns.
Electricity - consumption	690.6 million kWh (2000)	5.16 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	400 million kWh (2000)	500 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	142 million kWh (2000)	2.59 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	1.02 billion kWh (2000)	3.301 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 2% hydro: 98% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)	fossil fuel: 33% hydro: 67% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m	lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
Environment - current issues	unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water	Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010
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: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
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%	Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2%
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)	lati per US dollar - 0.6384 (January 2002), 0.628 (2001), 0.607 (2000), 0.585 (1999), 0.590 (1998), 0.581 (1997)
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 Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Einars REPSE (since 7 November 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 1999 (next to be held by June 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA elected as a compromise candidate in second phase of balloting, second round (after five rounds in first phase failed to produce a clear winner); percent of parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 53%, Valdis BIRKAVS 20%, Ingrida UDRE 9%
Exports	$325 million (2001 est.)	$2.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities	wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin	wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners	Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, UK 4.1%, Belgium 4% (2000)	Germany 17%, UK 16%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 8%, Russia 6% (2001 est.)
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	three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
GDP	purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.)	purchasing power parity - $20 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 53% industry: 22% services: 25% (2000 est.)	agriculture: 5% industry: 26% services: 70% (2001)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,630 (2001 est.)	purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5% (2001 est.)	4.5% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	18 00 N, 105 00 E	57 00 N, 25 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 composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
Highways	total: 14,000 km paved: 3,360 km unpaved: 10,640 km (1991)	total: 59,178 km paved: 22,843 km unpaved: 36,335 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 31% (1997)	lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 26% (1998) (1998)
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	transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; money laundering remains a concern
Imports	$540 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)	$3.9 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel	machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners	Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000)	Germany 17%, Russia 9%, Lithuania 8%, Finland 8%, Sweden 7% (2001 est.)
Independence	19 July 1949 (from France)	21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate	7.5% (1999 est.)	5.7% (2002 est.)
Industries	tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism	buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials
Infant mortality rate	90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	14.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	10% (2001 est.)	2% (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)	BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2000)	41 (2001)
Irrigated land	1,640 sq km note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)	200 sq km note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (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' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Labor force	2.4 million (1999)	1.1 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 80% (1997 est.)	agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 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: 1,150 km border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
Land use	arable land: 3.47% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 96.3% (1998 est.)	arable land: 29.01% permanent crops: 0.48% other: 70.51% (1998 est.)
Languages	Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages	Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other
Legal system	based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice	based on civil law 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	unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 53.88 years male: 51.95 years female: 55.87 years (2002 est.)	total population: 69 years male: 63.13 years female: 75.17 years (2002 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: 99.8% male: NA% female: NA%
Location	Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam	Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Map references	Southeast Asia	Europe
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation 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: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,119 GRT/30,572 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force, National Police Department	Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, National Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$55 million (FY98)	$87 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	4.2% (FY96/97)	1.2% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,365,027 (2002 est.)	males age 15-49: 591,592 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 734,945 (2002 est.)	males age 15-49: 464,843 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age	18 years of age (2002 est.)	18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 64,437 (2002 est.)	males: 19,114 (2002 est.)
National holiday	Republic Day, 2 December (1975)	Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 21 August 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality	noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian	noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian
Natural hazards	floods, droughts	NA
Natural resources	timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones	peat, limestone, dolomite, hydropower, wood, arable land, minimal; amber
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines	petroleum products 136 km	crude oil 750 km; refined products 780 km; natural gas 560 km (1992)
Political parties and leaders	Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed	Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; CENTER Political Alliance [Juris CELMINS]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks JEKABSONS]; For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Maris GRINBLATS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Janis JURKANS], a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Freedom Party [Ziedonis CEVERS]; Land of Mara [Irena SAPROVSKA]; Latvian Rebirth Party [Andris RUBINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC [Andris BERZINS]; Light of Latgale or LG [Rihards EIGIMS]; New Era Party [Einars REPSE]; Our Land Party [Ilmars ANCANS]; Party of Latvians [Aivars GARDA]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Progressive Center Party [Inta STAMGUTE]; Russian Party [Mihails GAVRILOVS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP [Eriks Andrejs SAULUNS, Janis PUKIS, Sarmite JEGERE]
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.)	2,366,515 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	40% (2001 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	2.47% (2002 est.)	-0.77% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	none	Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils
Radio broadcast stations	AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)	AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios	730,000 (1997)	1.76 million (1997)
Railways	0 km (2001)	total: 2,412 km broad gauge: 2,379 km 1.520-m gauge (271 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2001)
Religions	Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)	Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
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: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
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: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)
Telephones - main lines in use	25,000 (1997)	734,693 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	4,915 (1997)	401,263 (2000)
Television broadcast stations	4 (1999)	44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus	low plain
Total fertility rate	5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.)	1.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	5.7% (1997 est.)	7.6% (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	300 km (perennially navigable)

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