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Compare Laos (2003) - Haiti (2001)

Compare Laos (2003) z Haiti (2001)

 Laos (2003)Haiti (2001)
 LaosHaiti
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 9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
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:
40.31% (male 1,421,945; female 1,385,580)

15-64 years:
55.52% (male 1,869,323; female 1,997,246)

65 years and over:
4.17% (male 140,556; female 149,899) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton; tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood
Airports 51 (2002) 13 (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:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
2 (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:
10

914 to 1,523 m:
2

under 914 m:
8 (2000 est.)
Area total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total:
27,750 sq km

land:
27,560 sq km

water:
190 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Utah slightly smaller than Maryland
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. One of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. Over three decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in 1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of his term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to return to office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associate to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as president in 2000, and took office early the following year.
Birth rate 36.93 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 31.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $211 million


expenditures: $462 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est. est.)
revenues:
$317 million

expenditures:
$362 million, including capital expenditures of $84 million (FY99/00 est.)
Capital Vientiane Port-au-Prince
Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 1,771 km
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 approved March 1987; suspended June 1988, with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October 1994
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 Haiti

conventional short form:
Haiti

local long form:
Republique d'Haiti

local short form:
Haiti
Currency kip (LAK) gourde (HTG)
Death rate 12.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 15 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $2.53 billion (1999) $1 billion (1998 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 Brian Dean CURRAN

embassy:
5 Harry Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince

mailing address:
P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince

telephone:
[509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 223-4776

FAX:
[509] 23-1641
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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Louis Harold JOSEPH

chancery:
2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 332-4090

FAX:
[1] (202) 745-7215

consulate(s) general:
Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
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 claims US-administered Navassa Island
Economic aid - recipient $345 million (1999 est.) $730.6 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. About 80% of the population lives in abject poverty. Nearly 70% of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming and employs about two-thirds of the economically active work force. The country has experienced little job creation since the former President PREVAL took office in February 1996, although the informal economy is growing. Following legislative elections in May 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors - including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. This destabilized the Haitian currency, the gourde, and, combined with a 40% fuel price hike in September, caused widespread price increases. Prices appear to have leveled off in January 2001.
Electricity - consumption 824.7 million kWh (2001) 625 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) 672 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 1.4%


hydro: 98.6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel:
52.83%

hydro:
47.17%

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:
Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water
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, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:
Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban
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 95%, mulatto and white 5%
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) gourdes per US dollar - 23.761 (January 2001), 22.524 (2000), 17.965 (1999), 16.505 (1998), 17.311 (1997), 15.093 (1996)
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 Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February 2001)

head of government:
Prime Minister Jean-Marie CHERESTAL (since 9 February 2001)

cabinet:
Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the Congress

election results:
Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%
Exports NA (2001) $186 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities wood products, garments, electricity, coffee, tin manufactures, coffee, oils, mangoes
Exports - partners Vietnam 25.7%, Thailand 19%, France 7.5%, Germany 5.3% (2002) US 89%, EU 8% (1999)
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September 1 October - 30 September
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 blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
GDP purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $12.7 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 53%


industry: 23%


services: 24% (2001 est.)
agriculture:
32%

industry:
20%

services:
48% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.7% (2002 est.) 1.2% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 19 00 N, 72 25 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 shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
Highways total: 21,716 km


paved: 9,664 km


unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)
total:
4,160 km

paved:
1,011 km

unpaved:
3,149 km (1996)
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 major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; vulnerable to money laundering
Imports NA (2001) $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1999)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods food, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials
Imports - partners Thailand 58.9%, Vietnam 12.3%, China 7.9% (2002) US 60%, EU 13% (1999)
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) 1 January 1804 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 7.5% (1999 est.) 0.6% (1997 est.)
Industries tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, tourism, light assembly industries based on imported parts
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.)
95.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (2002 est.) 19% (2000 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, Caricom (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 3 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,640 sq km


note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)
750 sq km (1993 est.)
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 or Cour de Cassation
Labor force 2.4 million (1999) 3.6 million (1995)

note:
shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1998)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% (1997 est.) agriculture 66%, services 25%, industry 9%
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:
275 km

border countries:
Dominican Republic 275 km
Land use arable land: 3.47%


permanent crops: 0.23%


other: 96.3% (1998 est.)
arable land:
20%

permanent crops:
13%

permanent pastures:
18%

forests and woodland:
5%

other:
44% (1993 est.)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages French (official), Creole (official)
Legal system based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice based on Roman civil law system; accepts 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
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000, with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; about eight seats still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November 2000 (next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 May 2000, with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next election NA 2004)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, OPL 1, other minor parties and independents 9
Life expectancy at birth total population: 54.3 years


male: 52.34 years


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

male:
47.67 years

female:
51.17 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 can read and write

total population:
45%

male:
48%

female:
42.2% (1995 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Map references Southeast Asia Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
to depth of exploitation

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.)
none (2000 est.)
Military branches Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force, National Police Department Haitian National Police (HNP)

note:
the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until constitutionally abolished
Military expenditures - dollar figure $55 million (FY98) $NA; note - mainly for police and security activities
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.2% (FY96) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,411,042 (2003 est.) males age 15-49:
1,635,253 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 759,499 (2003 est.) males age 15-49:
888,305 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 67,260 (2003 est.) males:
87,049 (2001 est.)
National holiday Republic Day, 2 December (1975) Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Nationality noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
noun:
Haitian(s)

adjective:
Haitian
Natural hazards floods, droughts lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -2.64 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 Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH [Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convergence (opposition coalition composed of ESPACE, OPL, and MOCHRENA) [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES, Evans PAUL, Luc MESADIEU, Victor BENOIT]; Democratic Consultation Group coalition or ESPACE [Evans PAUL, Victor Benoit] composed of the following parties: National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM, National Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA, Generation 2004, and Haiti Can; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Marie-France CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEM [Clark PARENT]; Lavalas Family or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Rene THEODORE]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; Movement for the Organization of the Country or MOP [Gesner COMEAU and Jean MOLIERE]; National Front for Change and Democracy or FNCD [Evans PAUL and Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Gerard PIERRE-CHARLES]
Political pressure groups and leaders noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 Autonomous Haitian Workers or CATH; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP; Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church
Population 5,921,545 (July 2003 est.) 6,964,549

note:
estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2002 est.) 80% (1998 est.)
Population growth rate 2.45% (2003 est.) 1.4% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors none Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)
Radios - 415,000 (1997)
Railways 0 km total:
40 km (single track; privately owned industrial line) - closed in early 1990s

narrow gauge:
40 km 0.760-m gauge
Religions Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)

note:
roughly one-half of the population also practices Voodoo
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:
1.03 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.97 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:
domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better

domestic:
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 25,000 (1997) 60,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,915 (1997) 0 (1995)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1999) 2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus mostly rough and mountainous
Total fertility rate 4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.) 4.4 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.7% (1997 est.) widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (1999)
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
NEGL; less than 100 km navigable
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