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Compare Laos (2002) - Vanuatu (2003)
Compare Laos (2002) z Vanuatu (2003)
| Laos (2002) | Vanuatu (2003) | |
 |  | |
| 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 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba |
| 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: 34.8% (male 35,499; female 33,992)
15-64 years: 61.8% (male 63,021; female 60,149) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 3,605; female 3,148) (2003 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry | copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef |
| Airports | 51 (2001) | 30 (2002) |
| 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
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (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: 27
914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2002) |
| Area | total: 236,800 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km |
total: 12,200 sq km
land: 12,200 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Utah | slightly larger than Connecticut |
| 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 British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980. |
| Birth rate | 37.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 24.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $211 million
expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.) |
revenues: $94.4 million
expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4 million (1996 est.) |
| Capital | Vientiane | Port-Vila |
| Climate | tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) | tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 2,528 km |
| Constitution | promulgated 14 August 1991 | 30 July 1980 |
| 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 Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides |
| Currency | kip (LAK) | vatu (VUV) |
| Death rate | 12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 8.13 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Debt - external | $2.53 billion (1999) | $68.6 million (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 |
the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu |
| 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 |
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN |
| 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 | Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France |
| Economic aid - recipient | $345 million (1999 est.) | $45.8 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. | The economy is based primarily on subsistence or small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000 visitors in 1997, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. A severe earthquake in November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in the capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was followed by a tsunami. GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of foreign aid. |
| Electricity - consumption | 690.6 million kWh (2000) | 40.42 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) | 43.46 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 2%
hydro: 98% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m |
| Environment - current issues | unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water | a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation |
| 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-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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% | indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, other Pacific Islanders |
| 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) | vatu per US dollar - 139.2 (2002), 145.31 (2001), 137.64 (2000), 129.08 (1999), 127.52 (1998) |
| 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 Father John BANI (since 25 March 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Edward Nipake NATAPEI (since 13 April 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Ham LINI (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected for a four-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils for a five-year term; election for president last held 25 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 2 August 2002 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: Father John BANI elected president on second vote (24 March 1999) after the first (17 March 1999) did not have any candidate with the required two-thirds majority; percent of electoral college vote - NA% |
| Exports | $325 million (2001 est.) | NA (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin | copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee |
| Exports - partners | Thailand 20%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.9%, UK 4.1%, Belgium 4% (2000) | India 32.5%, Thailand 22.8%, South Korea 10.5%, Indonesia 6.3%, Japan 4.9% (2002) |
| 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 | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $563 million (2002 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 53%
industry: 22% services: 25% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 26%
industry: 12% services: 62% (2000 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,630 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 5% (2001 est.) | -0.3% (2002 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 18 00 N, 105 00 E | 16 00 S, 167 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 | a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes |
| Highways | total: 14,000 km
paved: 3,360 km unpaved: 10,640 km (1991) |
total: 1,070 km
paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 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 | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels |
| Imports - partners | Thailand 52%, Singapore 3.9%, Japan 1.6%, Hong Kong 1.5%, China 0.8% (2000) | Australia 22.1%, Japan 19.2%, New Zealand 10.1%, Singapore 8.1%, Fiji 6.6%, Taiwan 5%, India 5% (2002) |
| Independence | 19 July 1949 (from France) | 30 July 1980 (from France and UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 7.5% (1999 est.) | 1% (1997 est.) |
| Industries | tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism | food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning |
| Infant mortality rate | 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 58.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 60.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 55.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 10% (2001 est.) | 3.2% (2001 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) | ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 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 sq km |
| 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 (chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission) |
| Labor force | 2.4 million (1999) | NA |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 80% (1997 est.) | agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (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 |
0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 3.47%
permanent crops: 0.23% other: 96.3% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 2.46%
permanent crops: 7.38% other: 90.16% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages | three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages |
| Legal system | based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice | unified system being created from former dual French and British systems |
| 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 (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 15, VP 14, VRP 3, MPP 2, other and independent 18; note - political party associations are fluid note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 53.88 years
male: 51.95 years female: 55.87 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 61.71 years
male: 60.28 years female: 63.21 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: 53% male: 57% female: 48% (1979 est.) |
| Location | Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Oceania |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin 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: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,181,463 GRT/1,552,813 DWT
ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 5, combination bulk 3, container 3, liquefied gas 2, multi-function large-load carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 7, vehicle carrier 5 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 3, Canada 2, China 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4, Netherlands 1, NZ 5, Panama 1, Poland 1, Switzerland 2, UK 4, US 2, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.) |
| Military branches | Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force, National Police Department | no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $55 million (FY98) | $NA |
| 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, 30 July (1980) |
| Nationality | noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian |
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective: Ni-Vanuatu |
| Natural hazards | floods, droughts | tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis |
| Natural resources | timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones | manganese, hardwood forests, fish |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Pipelines | petroleum products 136 km | - |
| Political parties and leaders | Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed | Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Dinh Van THAN]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuaaku Party (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN] |
| 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.) | 199,414 (July 2003 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 40% (2001 est.) | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 2.47% (2002 est.) | 1.61% (2003 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | none | Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002) |
| Radios | 730,000 (1997) | - |
| Railways | 0 km (2001) | 0 km |
| Religions | Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) | Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult) |
| 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: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 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: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 25,000 (1997) | 5,500 (1998) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 4,915 (1997) | 310 (2000) |
| Television broadcast stations | 4 (1999) | 1 (2002) |
| Terrain | mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus | mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains |
| Total fertility rate | 5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.98 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% (1997 est.) | NA% |
| 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 |
none |
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