Compare Laos (2004) - Holy See (Vatican City) (2005)

Compare Laos (2004) z Holy See (Vatican City) (2005)

	Laos (2004)	Holy See (Vatican City) (2005)

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, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun*, Xekong, Xiangkhoang	none
Age structure	0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,277,152; female 1,265,761) 15-64 years: 54.9% (male 1,642,895; female 1,688,175) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,995; female 106,139) (2004 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry	-
Airports	46 (2003 est.)	none (2004 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 (2004 est.)	-
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)	-
Area	total: 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km	total: 0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Utah	about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Background	Laos was under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. 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.	Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the Middle East, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.
Birth rate	36.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $298.5 million expenditures: $429.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)	revenues: $245.2 million expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002)
Capital	Vientiane	Vatican City
Climate	tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)	temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	promulgated 14 August 1991	new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929)
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: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Currency	kip (LAK)	-
Death rate	12.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Debt - external	$2.49 billion (2001)	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH 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 (vacant) embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346
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: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036
Disputes - international	demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is largely complete, but with Thailand several areas including Mekong River islets remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and Vietnam over squatters; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels	none
Economic aid - recipient	$243 million (2001 est.)	none
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.	This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
Electricity - consumption	824.7 million kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	400 million kWh (2001)	0 kWh
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity - production	1.317 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m	lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Environment - current issues	unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups	Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%	Italians, Swiss, other
Exchange rates	kips per US dollar - 10,443 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999)	euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (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 Bouasone BOUPHAVANH (since 3 October 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since 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 in 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: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 1 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI
Exports	NA (2001)	0 kWh
Exports - commodities	garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin	-
Exports - partners	Thailand 20.7%, Vietnam 15.9%, France 7.3%, Germany 5.3%, Belgium 4% (2003)	-
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 vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band
GDP	purchasing power parity - $10.32 billion (2003 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 49.4% industry: 24.5% services: 26.1% (2003 est.)	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	5.5% (2003 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	18 00 N, 105 00 E	41 54 N, 12 27 E
Geography - note	landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand	urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
Highways	total: 21,716 km paved: 9,664 km unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)	none; all city streets
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 2003 - 18,900 hectares, a 19% decrease over 2002; estimated potential production in 2003 - 200 metric tons, a 11% increase from 2002); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem	-
Imports	NA (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods	-
Imports - partners	Thailand 59.4%, China 12.8%, Vietnam 10.2% (2003)	-
Independence	19 July 1949 (from France)	11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century
Industrial production growth rate	9.7% (2001 est.)	-
Industries	tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism	printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
Infant mortality rate	total: 87.06 deaths/1,000 live births male: 97.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 76.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	15.3% (2003 est.)	-
International organization participation	ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)	CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTO (observer)
Irrigated land	1,640 sq km note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)	0 sq km (1998 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)	there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946
Labor force	2.6 million (2001 est.)	NA
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 80% (1997 est.)	essentially services with a small amount of industry; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican
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: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Land use	arable land: 3.8% permanent crops: 0.35% other: 95.85% (2001)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)
Languages	Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages	Italian, Latin, French, various other languages
Legal system	based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice	based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it
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 in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109	unicameral Pontifical Commission
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 54.69 years male: 52.71 years female: 56.75 years (2004 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.4% male: 77.4% female: 55.5% (2002)	definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Location	Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam	Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Map references	Southeast Asia	Europe
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	none (landlocked)
Merchant marine	total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2004 est.)	-
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard
Military branches	Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force	Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$10.9 million (2003)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.5% (2003)	-
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,456,500 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 783,800 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 68,563 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	Republic Day, 2 December (1975)	Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005)
Nationality	noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian	noun: none adjective: none
Natural hazards	floods, droughts	NA
Natural resources	timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones	none
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Pipelines	refined products 540 km (2004)	-
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 (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
Population	6,068,117 (July 2004 est.)	921 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	40% (2002 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	2.44% (2004 est.)	0.01% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	none	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)	AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)
Religions	Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)	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: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	-
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
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: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)	general assessment: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: country code - 39; uses Italian system
Telephones - main lines in use	61,900 (2002)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	55,200 (2002)	NA
Television broadcast stations	4 (1999)	1 (1996)
Terrain	mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus	low hill
Total fertility rate	4.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	5.7% (1997 est.)	-
Waterways	4,600 km note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2003)	-

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