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Compare Laos (2003) - Antigua and Barbuda (2001)

Compare Laos (2003) z Antigua and Barbuda (2001)

 Laos (2003)Antigua and Barbuda (2001)
 LaosAntigua and Barbuda
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 and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip
Age structure 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.)
0-14 years:
27.97% (male 9,527; female 9,203)

15-64 years:
67.15% (male 22,450; female 22,519)

65 years and over:
4.88% (male 1,360; female 1,911) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock
Airports 51 (2002) 3 (2000 est.)
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:
2

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
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 (2000 est.)
Area total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total:
442 sq km (Antigua 281 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)

land:
442 sq km

water:
0 sq km

note:
includes Redonda
Area - comparative slightly larger than Utah 2.5 times 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, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997. The islands of Antigua and Barbuda became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. Some 3,000 refugees fleeing a volcanic eruption on nearby Montserrat have settled in Antigua and Barbuda since 1995.
Birth rate 36.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 19.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $211 million


expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est. est.)
revenues:
$122.6 million

expenditures:
$141.2 million, including capital expenditures of $17.3 million (1997 est.)
Capital Vientiane Saint John's
Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 153 km
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 1 November 1981
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:
Antigua and Barbuda
Currency kip (LAK) East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Death rate 12.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 5.87 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $2.53 billion (1999) $357 million (1998)
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 Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda
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 Lionel Alexander HURST

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

telephone:
[1] (202) 362-5211

FAX:
[1] (202) 362-5225

consulate(s) general:
Miami
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 none
Economic aid - recipient $345 million (1999 est.) $2.3 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. Tourism continues to be the dominant activity in the economy accounting directly or indirectly for more than half of GDP. The budding offshore financial sector has been seriously hurt by financial sanctions imposed by the US and UK as a result of the loosening of its money-laundering controls. The government has made efforts to comply with international demands in order to get the sanctions lifted. Antigua and Barbuda was listed as a tax haven by the OECD in 2000. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for about one-third of all tourist arrivals.
Electricity - consumption 824.7 million kWh (2001) 88.4 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 400 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 1.317 billion kWh (2001) 95 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 1.4%


hydro: 98.6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Mekong River 70 m


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

highest point:
Boggy Peak 402 m
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly
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, Nuclear Test Ban, 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, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian
Exchange rates kips per US dollar - 7,562 (2002), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999), 3,298.33 (1998) East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
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 James B. CARLISLE (since NA 1993)

head of government:
Prime Minister Lester Bryant BIRD (since 8 March 1994)

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

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; prime minister appointed by the governor general
Exports NA (2001) $38 million (1998)
Exports - commodities wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%, other 8%
Exports - partners Vietnam 25.7%, Thailand 19%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.3% (2002) OECS 26%, Barbados 15%, Guyana 4%, Trinidad and Tobago 2%, US 0.3%
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band
GDP purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $533 million (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 53%


industry: 23%


services: 24% (2001 est.)
agriculture:
4%

industry:
12.5%

services:
83.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,200 (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.7% (2002 est.) 4.6% (1999 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 17 03 N, 61 48 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 -
Highways total: 21,716 km


paved: 9,664 km


unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)
total:
1,165 km

paved:
384 km

unpaved:
781 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 30.6% (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 considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as a drug-money-laundering center
Imports NA (2001) $330 million (1998)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil
Imports - partners Thailand 58.9%, Vietnam 12.3%, China 7.9% (2002) US 27%, UK 16%, Canada 4%, OECS 3%
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) 1 November 1981 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 7.5% (1999 est.) 6% (1997 est.)
Industries tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)
Infant mortality rate 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.)
22.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (2002 est.) 1.6% (1999 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, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 16 (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) Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)
Labor force 2.4 million (1999) 30,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% (1997 est.) commerce and services 82%, agriculture 11%, industry 7% (1983)
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:
18%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
9%

forests and woodland:
11%

other:
62% (1993 est.)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages English (official), local dialects
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
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms)

elections:
House of Representatives - last held 9 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2004)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ALP 12, UPP 4, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 54.3 years


male: 52.34 years


female: 56.33 years (2003 est.)
total population:
70.74 years

male:
68.45 years

female:
73.14 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 52.8%


male: 67.5%


female: 38.1% (2003 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling

total population:
89%

male:
90%

female:
88% (1960 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references Southeast Asia Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) 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 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT


ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)
total:
681 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,070,390 GRT/5,289,904 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 15, cargo 424, chemical tanker 10, combination bulk 4, container 176, liquefied gas 4, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 29

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 2, Germany 4, Slovenia 2 (2000 est.)
Military branches Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force, National Police Department Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (includes Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $55 million (FY98) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.2% (FY96) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,411,042 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 759,499 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 67,260 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Republic Day, 2 December (1975) Independence Day, 1 November (1981)
Nationality noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
noun:
Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)

adjective:
Antiguan, Barbudan
Natural hazards floods, droughts hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines refined products 540 km (2003) -
Political parties and leaders Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three opposition parties - United National Democratic Party or UNDP, Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, and Progressive Labor Movement or PLM)
Political pressure groups and leaders noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]
Population 5,921,545 (July 2003 est.) 66,970 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2002 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.45% (2003 est.) 0.74% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors none Saint John's
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 36,000 (1997)
Railways 0 km total:
77 km

narrow gauge:
64 km 0.760-m gauge; 13 km 0.610-m gauge (used almost exclusively for handling sugarcane)
Religions Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) Anglican (predominant), other Protestant, some Roman Catholic
Sex ratio 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.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2001 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:
good automatic telephone system

international:
1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe
Telephones - main lines in use 25,000 (1997) 28,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,915 (1997) 1,300 (1996)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1999) 2 (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas
Total fertility rate 4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.) 2.31 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.7% (1997 est.) 7% (1999 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
none
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