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Compare Laos (2002) - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2008)

Compare Laos (2002) z Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2008)

 Laos (2002)Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2008)
 LaosSaint Vincent and the Grenadines
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 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick
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: 25.9% (male 15,596/female 15,027)


15-64 years: 67.6% (male 41,259/female 38,620)


65 years and over: 6.5% (male 3,358/female 4,289) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish
Airports 51 (2001) 6 (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: 5


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: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)


land: 389 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Utah twice the size of Washington, DC
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. Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979.
Birth rate 37.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 16.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $211 million


expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.)
revenues: $94.6 million


expenditures: $85.8 million (2000 est.)
Capital Vientiane name: Kingstown


geographic coordinates: 13 09 N, 61 14 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 84 km
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 27 October 1979
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: none


conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Currency kip (LAK) -
Death rate 12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 5.97 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $2.53 billion (1999) $223 million (2004)
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
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
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 Ellsworth I. A. JOHN


chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016


telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730


FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736


consulate(s) general: New York
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 joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea
Economic aid - recipient $345 million (1999 est.) $4.89 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (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. Economic growth slowed slightly in 2007 after reaching a 10 year high of nearly 7% in 2006, but is expected to remain robust, hinging upon seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors and a recent increase in construction activity. This lower-middle-income country is vulnerable to natural disasters - tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002. In 2005, the islands had more than 160,000 tourist arrivals, mostly to the Grenadines. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high debt burden - 25 percent of current revenues are directed towards debt servicing.
Electricity - consumption 690.6 million kWh (2000) 107 million 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) 115 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 2%


hydro: 98%


nuclear: 0%


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


highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive
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, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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% black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%
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) East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)
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 Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Exports $325 million (2001 est.) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis racquets
Exports - partners Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, UK 4.1%, Belgium 4% (2000) France 26.2%, Greece 21.3%, Italy 18.9%, Russia 7.2%, UK 6.8% (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 three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern
GDP purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 53%


industry: 22%


services: 25% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 10%


industry: 26%


services: 64% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,630 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2001 est.) 4.4% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 13 15 N, 61 12 W
Geography - note landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays
Highways total: 14,000 km


paved: 3,360 km


unpaved: 10,640 km (1991)
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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 transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation
Imports $540 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) 1,468 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Imports - partners Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000) Singapore 17.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.1%, US 11.1%, Italy 11%, Spain 9.5%, Turkey 4.6%, Germany 4.4% (2006)
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) 27 October 1979 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 7.5% (1999 est.) -0.9% (1997 est.)
Industries tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Infant mortality rate 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 14.01 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 15.25 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 12.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (2001 est.) 1% (2005 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, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, 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.)
10 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) Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Labor force 2.4 million (1999) 41,680 (1991 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% (1997 est.) agriculture: 26%


industry: 17%


services: 57% (1980 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: 17.95%


permanent crops: 17.95%


other: 64.1% (2005)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages English, French patois
Legal system based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice based on English common law
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 House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and six appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 55.3%, NDP 44.7%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.88 years


male: 51.95 years


female: 55.87 years (2002 est.)
total population: 74.09 years


male: 72.21 years


female: 76.04 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 has ever attended school


total population: 96%


male: 96%


female: 96% (1970 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Map references Southeast Asia Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 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: 582 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,598,917 GRT/8,255,014 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 92, cargo 353, carrier 19, chemical tanker 4, container 17, liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 31, roll on/roll off 21, specialized tanker 3


foreign-owned: 536 (Austria 2, Bangladesh 1, Barbados 1, Belgium 9, Bulgaria 13, Canada 6, China 106, Croatia 7, Cyprus 3, Czech Republic 1, Denmark 16, Egypt 4, Estonia 20, France 7, Germany 3, Greece 81, Guyana 2, Hong Kong 7, Iceland 15, India 5, Iran 1, Israel 4, Italy 19, Kenya 2, Latvia 20, Lebanon 7, Lithuania 7, Malta 1, Monaco 6, Montenegro 1, Netherlands 5, Norway 19, Pakistan 1, Philippines 1, Poland 1, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 1, Romania 1, Russia 19, Singapore 6, Slovenia 5, Sweden 2, Switzerland 12, Syria 11, Turkey 20, Ukraine 12, UAE 12, UK 9, US 21) (2007)
Military branches Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force, National Police Department no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $55 million (FY98) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.2% (FY96/97) NA
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, 27 October (1979)
Nationality noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)


adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Natural hazards floods, droughts hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones hydropower, cropland
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -7.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 136 km -
Political parties and leaders Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)
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.) 118,149 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.47% (2002 est.) 0.248% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors none -
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios 730,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km (2001) -
Religions Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, other (includes Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant) 12%
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: 1.038 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.068 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.783 male(s)/female


total population: 1.039 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: adequate system


domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines; mobile-cellular teledensity about 75 telephones per 100 persons


international: country code - 1-784; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables carry international calls; connectivity also provided by VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use 25,000 (1997) 22,600 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,915 (1997) 87,600 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1999) 1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2004)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus volcanic, mountainous
Total fertility rate 5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.81 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.7% (1997 est.) 15% (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
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