Compare Laos (2004) - Jersey (2003)

Compare Laos (2004) z Jersey (2003)

	Laos (2004)	Jersey (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, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun*, Xekong, Xiangkhoang	none (British crown dependency)
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.)	0-14 years: 17.8% (male 8,292; female 7,744) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 30,178; female 30,410) 65 years and over: 15% (male 5,858; female 7,674) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry	potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Airports	46 (2003 est.)	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 (2004 est.)	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
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: 116 sq km land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Utah	about 0.7 times the size of 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.	The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.
Birth rate	36.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	10.44 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $298.5 million expenditures: $429.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)	revenues: $601 million expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.)
Capital	Vientiane	Saint Helier
Climate	tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)	temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	70 km
Constitution	promulgated 14 August 1991	unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
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: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Jersey
Currency	kip (LAK)	British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound
Death rate	12.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$2.49 billion (2001)	none
Dependency status	-	British crown dependency
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	none (British crown dependency)
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 (British crown dependency)
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.	The economy is based largely on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of the economy, accounts for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax haven.
Electricity - consumption	824.7 million kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - exports	400 million kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France
Electricity - production	1.317 billion kWh (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 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	-
Ethnic groups	Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%	UK and Norman-French descent
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)	Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound
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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995) cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch
Exports	NA (2001)	$NA
Exports - commodities	garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin	light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles
Exports - partners	Thailand 20.7%, Vietnam 15.9%, France 7.3%, Germany 5.3%, Belgium 4% (2003)	UK
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	white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag and in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield holding the three lions of England in yellow
GDP	purchasing power parity - $10.32 billion (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 49.4% industry: 24.5% services: 26.1% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 5% industry: 2% services: 93% (1996)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.5% (2003 est.)	NA%
Geographic coordinates	18 00 N, 105 00 E	49 15 N, 2 10 W
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	largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
Highways	total: 21,716 km paved: 9,664 km unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)	total: 577 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
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
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods	machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners	Thailand 59.4%, China 12.8%, Vietnam 10.2% (2003)	UK
Independence	19 July 1949 (from France)	none (British crown dependency)
Industrial production growth rate	9.7% (2001 est.)	NA%
Industries	tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism	tourism, banking and finance, dairy
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.)	total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	15.3% (2003 est.)	4.7% (1998)
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)	-
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	NA
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)	Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
Labor force	2.6 million (2001 est.)	57,050 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 80% (1997 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: 3.8% permanent crops: 0.35% other: 95.85% (2001)	arable land: NEGL% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages	Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages	English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Legal system	based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice	English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court
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 Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators (elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables or heads of parishes (elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all appointed by the monarch) elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 52
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 54.69 years male: 52.71 years female: 56.75 years (2004 est.)	total population: 78.93 years male: 76.48 years female: 81.57 years (2003 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: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Location	Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam	Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Map references	Southeast Asia	Europe
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine	total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2004 est.)	none (2002 est.)
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches	Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force	-
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)	Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Nationality	noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian	noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Natural hazards	floods, droughts	NA
Natural resources	timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones	arable land
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders	noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975	none
Population	6,068,117 (July 2004 est.)	90,156 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	40% (2002 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	2.44% (2004 est.)	0.4% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	none	Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Radio broadcast stations	AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)	AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	-	0 km
Religions	Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)	Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian
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.)	at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	NA years of age; universal adult
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: NA domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables
Telephones - main lines in use	61,900 (2002)	65,500 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular	55,200 (2002)	4,400 (1997)
Television broadcast stations	4 (1999)	2 (1997)
Terrain	mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus	gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Total fertility rate	4.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)	1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	5.7% (1997 est.)	0.7% (1998 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)	none

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