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Compare Laos (2002) - Papua New Guinea (2007)

Compare Laos (2002) z Papua New Guinea (2007)

 Laos (2002)Papua New Guinea (2007)
 LaosPapua New Guinea
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 20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain
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: 37.6% (male 1,107,568/female 1,070,594)


15-64 years: 58.5% (male 1,745,385/female 1,643,830)


65 years and over: 3.9% (male 106,487/female 122,023) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; shell fish, poultry, pork
Airports 51 (2001) 578 (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: 21


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 4


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: 557


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 58


under 914 m: 489 (2007)
Area total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total: 462,840 sq km


land: 452,860 sq km


water: 9,980 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 eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.
Birth rate 37.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 28.76 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $211 million


expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)
revenues: $2.065 billion


expenditures: $1.924 billion (2006 est.)
Capital Vientiane name: Port Moresby


geographic coordinates: 9 30 S, 147 10 E


time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 5,152 km
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 16 September 1975
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: Independent State of Papua New Guinea


conventional short form: Papua New Guinea


local short form: Papuaniugini


former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea


abbreviation: PNG
Currency kip (LAK) -
Death rate 12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 7.14 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $2.53 billion (1999) $1.813 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 Leslie W. Rowe


embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D.


mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240


telephone: [675] 321-1455


FAX: [675] 321-3423
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 Evan Jeremy PAKI


chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680


FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679
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 relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists
Economic aid - recipient $345 million (1999 est.) $NA (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. Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much of its energy remaining in power and should be the first government in decades to serve a full five-year term. The government also brought stability to the national budget, largely through expenditure control; however, it has relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as elections approach. Numerous challenges still face the government including regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV/Aids epidemic and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia annually supplies $240 million in aid, which accounts for nearly 20% of the national budget.
Electricity - consumption 690.6 million kWh (2000) 3.439 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) 3.698 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: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought
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: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, 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% Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
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) kina per US dollar - 3.0643 (2006), 3.08 (2005), 3.2225 (2004), 3.5635 (2003), 3.8952 (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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2 August 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Puka TEMU (since 29 August 2007)


cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by governor general on recommendation of prime minister


elections: none; monarch is hereditary; governor general nominated by parliament and appointed by chief of state; following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by governor general
Exports $325 million (2001 est.) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns
Exports - partners Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, UK 4.1%, Belgium 4% (2000) Australia 30.2%, Japan 8.2%, China 5.7% (2006)
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 divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered
GDP purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 53%


industry: 22%


services: 25% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 36.1%


industry: 36.7%


services: 27.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,630 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2001 est.) 3.7% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 6 00 S, 147 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 shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast
Heliports - 2 (2007)
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%: 1.7%


highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)
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 major consumer of cannabis
Imports $540 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000) Australia 52%, Singapore 12.6%, China 5.9%, Japan 4.3% (2006)
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
Industrial production growth rate 7.5% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production, petroleum refining; construction, tourism
Infant mortality rate 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 48.46 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 52.52 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 44.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (2001 est.) 2.9% (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) ACP, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, 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.)
NA
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 justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission)
Labor force 2.4 million (1999) 3.477 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% (1997 est.) agriculture: 85%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
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: 820 km


border countries: Indonesia 820 km
Land use arable land: 3.47%


permanent crops: 0.23%


other: 96.3% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.49%


permanent crops: 1.4%


other: 98.11% (2005)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region


note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's total)
Legal system based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice based on English common law; has not accepted 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 Parliament (109 seats, 89 filled from open electorates and 20 from provinces and national capital distict; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); constitution allows up to 126 seats


elections: last held from 30 June to 10 July 2007; next to be held in June 2012


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - National Alliance 27, PNGP 8, PAP 6, URP 6, PANGU 5, PDM 5, independents 19, others 33; note - election to 1 seat was nullified


note: 15 other parties won 4 or fewer seats; association with political parties is fluid
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.88 years


male: 51.95 years


female: 55.87 years (2002 est.)
total population: 65.62 years


male: 63.41 years


female: 67.95 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: 57.3%


male: 63.4%


female: 50.9% (2000 census)
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia
Map references Southeast Asia Oceania
Maritime claims none (landlocked) measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


exclusive fishing zone: 200 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: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 56,157 GRT/72,821 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 20, petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: 6 (UK 6) (2007)
Military branches Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force, National Police Department Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF; includes Maritime Operations Element, Air Operations Element) (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $55 million (FY98) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.2% (FY96/97) 1.4% (2005 est.)
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) Independence Day, 16 September (1975)
Nationality noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)


adjective: Papua New Guinean
Natural hazards floods, droughts active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 136 km oil 264 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE]; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU PATI [Andrew KUMBAKOR]; Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Sir Mekere MORAUTA]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Michael OGIO]; People's Action Party or PAP [Gabriel KAPRIS]; United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA] (2007)
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.) 5,795,887 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2001 est.) 37% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 2.47% (2002 est.) 2.163% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors none -
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)
Radios 730,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km (2001) -
Religions Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%
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: 1.035 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.062 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.873 male(s)/female


total population: 1.043 male(s)/female (2007 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: services are adequate; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services


domestic: mostly radiotelephone


international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service
Telephones - main lines in use 25,000 (1997) 63,700 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,915 (1997) 75,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1999) 3 (all in the Port Moresby area; stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned) (2004)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
Total fertility rate 5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.) 3.79 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.7% (1997 est.) 2% up to 80% in urban areas (2004)
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
11,000 km (2006)
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