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Compare Laos (2003) - Christmas Island (2003)
Compare Laos (2003) z Christmas Island (2003)
| Laos (2003) | Christmas Island (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 | none (territory of Australia) |
| 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: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry | NA |
| Airports | 51 (2002) | 1 (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: 1
1,524 to 2,437 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) |
- |
| Area | total: 236,800 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Utah | about 0.7 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. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
| Birth rate | 36.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $211 million
expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est. est.) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
| Capital | Vientiane | The Settlement |
| Climate | tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 80 km |
| Constitution | promulgated 14 August 1991 | NA |
| 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: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
| Currency | kip (LAK) | Australian dollar (AUD) |
| Death rate | 12.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Debt - external | $2.53 billion (1999) | $NA |
| Dependency status | - | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
| 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 |
none (territory of Australia) |
| 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 |
none (territory of Australia) |
| 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.) | $NA |
| 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. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003. |
| Electricity - consumption | 824.7 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
| Electricity - exports | 400 million kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - production | 1.317 billion kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 1.4%
hydro: 98.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
| Environment - current issues | unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water | NA |
| 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 |
- |
| 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% | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
| 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) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
| Exports | NA (2001) | $NA |
| Exports - commodities | wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin | phosphate |
| Exports - partners | Vietnam 25.7%, Thailand 19%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.3% (2002) | Australia, NZ |
| Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | 1 July - 30 June |
| Flag description | three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 53%
industry: 23% services: 24% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
| GDP - real growth rate | 5.7% (2002 est.) | NA% |
| Geographic coordinates | 18 00 N, 105 00 E | 10 30 S, 105 40 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 | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
| Highways | total: 21,716 km
paved: 9,664 km unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.) |
total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
| 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 | - |
| Imports | NA (2001) | $NA |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods | consumer goods |
| Imports - partners | Thailand 58.9%, Vietnam 12.3%, China 7.9% (2002) | principally Australia |
| Independence | 19 July 1949 (from France) | none (territory of Australia) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 7.5% (1999 est.) | NA% |
| Industries | tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
| 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.) |
total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 10% (2002 est.) | NA% |
| 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) | none |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 2 (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; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
| Labor force | 2.4 million (1999) | NA |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 80% (1997 est.) | tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) |
| 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: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.) |
| Languages | Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
| Legal system | based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian 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 Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 54.3 years
male: 52.34 years female: 56.33 years (2003 est.) |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 52.8% male: 67.5% female: 38.1% (2003 est.) |
NA |
| Location | Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Southeast Asia |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | contiguous zone: 12 NM
exclusive fishing 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.) |
none (2002 est.) |
| Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
| Military branches | Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force, National Police Department | - |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $55 million (FY98) | - |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4.2% (FY96) | - |
| 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) | NA |
| Nationality | noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
| Natural hazards | floods, droughts | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
| Natural resources | timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones | phosphate, beaches |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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 | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 | none |
| Population | 5,921,545 (July 2003 est.) | 433 (July 2003 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 40% (2002 est.) | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 2.45% (2003 est.) | -9% (2003 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | none | Flying Fish Cove |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Railways | 0 km | 24 km to serve phosphate mines |
| Religions | Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
| 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.) |
NA (2003 est.) |
| Suffrage | 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: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 25,000 (1997) | NA |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 4,915 (1997) | NA |
| Television broadcast stations | 4 (1999) | NA |
| Terrain | mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
| Total fertility rate | 4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.) | NA 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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