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Compare Laos (2004) - Jordan (2001)

Compare Laos (2004) z Jordan (2001)

 Laos (2004)Jordan (2001)
 LaosJordan
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 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba
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:
37.23% (male 980,345; female 938,081)

15-64 years:
59.44% (male 1,633,579; female 1,429,631)

65 years and over:
3.33% (male 84,815; female 86,927) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry
Airports 46 (2003 est.) 18 (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 (2004 est.)
total:
15

over 3,047 m:
7

2,438 to 3,047 m:
6

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 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.)
total:
3

under 914 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Area total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total:
92,300 sq km

land:
91,971 sq km

water:
329 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Utah slightly smaller than Indiana
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. For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-1999). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and established his domestic priorities.
Birth rate 36.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 25.44 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $298.5 million


expenditures: $429.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
revenues:
$2.8 billion

expenditures:
$3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Vientiane Amman
Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 26 km
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 8 January 1952
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:
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

conventional short form:
Jordan

local long form:
Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

local short form:
Al Urdun

former:
Transjordan
Currency kip (LAK) Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Death rate 12.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $2.49 billion (2001) $8 billion (2000 est.)
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 William J. BURNS

embassy:
Abdoum, Amman

mailing address:
P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-0200

telephone:
[962] (6) 5920101

FAX:
[962] (6) 5920121
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 Marwan Jamil MUASHER

chancery:
3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 966-2664

FAX:
[1] (202) 966-3110
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.) ODA, $850 million (1996 est.)
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. Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. The Persian Gulf crisis, which began in August 1990, aggravated Jordan's already serious economic problems, forcing the government to stop most debt payments and suspend rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab states, worker remittances, and trade revenues contracted. Refugees flooded the country, producing serious balance-of-payments problems, stunting GDP growth, and straining government resources. The economy rebounded in 1992, largely due to the influx of capital repatriated by workers returning from the Gulf. After averaging 9% in 1992-95, GDP growth averaged only 1.5% during 1996-99. In an attempt to spur growth, King ABDALLAH has undertaken limited economic reform, including partial privatization of some state-owned enterprises and Jordan's entry in January 2000 into the World Trade Organization (WTrO). Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental ongoing economic problems.
Electricity - consumption 824.7 million kWh (2001) 6.594 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 400 million kWh (2001) 4 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 407 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 1.317 billion kWh (2001) 6.657 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
99.79%

hydro:
0.21%

nuclear:
0%

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


highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
lowest point:
Dead Sea -408 m

highest point:
Jabal Ram 1,734 m
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

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% Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
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) Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.7090 (1996-present )

note:
since May 1989, the Jordanian dinar has been pegged to a group of currencies
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:
King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980)

head of government:
Prime Minister Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June 2000)

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Exports NA (2001) $2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures
Exports - partners Thailand 20.7%, Vietnam 15.9%, France 7.3%, Germany 5.3%, Belgium 4% (2003) India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, EU, Indonesia, UAE, Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, Ethiopia
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 three equal horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and green (the Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations
GDP purchasing power parity - $10.32 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $17.3 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 49.4%


industry: 24.5%


services: 26.1% (2003 est.)
agriculture:
3%

industry:
25%

services:
72% (1998 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.5% (2003 est.) 2% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 31 00 N, 36 00 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 -
Heliports - 1 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 21,716 km


paved: 9,664 km


unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)
total:
8,000 km

paved:
8,000 km

unpaved:
0 km (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)
lowest 10%:
2.4%

highest 10%:
34.7% (1991)
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) $4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods
Imports - partners Thailand 59.4%, China 12.8%, Vietnam 10.2% (2003) Iraq, Germany, US, Japan, UK, Italy, Turkey, Malaysia, Syria, China
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Industrial production growth rate 9.7% (2001 est.) 3.8% (2000 est.)
Industries tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, tourism
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.)
20.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 15.3% (2003 est.) 0.7% (2000 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) ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 5 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,640 sq km


note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)
630 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) Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
Labor force 2.6 million (2001 est.) 1.15 million

note:
in addition, at least 300,000 workers are employed abroad (1997 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% (1997 est.) industry 11.4%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 10.5%, construction 10%, transport and communications 8.7%, agriculture 7.4%, other services 52% (1992)
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:
1,619 km

border countries:
Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Land use arable land: 3.8%


permanent crops: 0.35%


other: 95.85% (2001)
arable land:
4%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
9%

forests and woodland:
1%

other:
85% (1993 est.)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
Legal system based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted 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 in 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 Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate (a 40-member body appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (80 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections:
House of Representatives - last held 4 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001)

election results:
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land Party 1, independents 75, other 2

note:
the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held
Life expectancy at birth total population: 54.69 years


male: 52.71 years


female: 56.75 years (2004 est.)
total population:
77.53 years

male:
75.1 years

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


total population: 66.4%


male: 77.4%


female: 55.5% (2002)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
86.6%

male:
93.4%

female:
79.4% (1995 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Map references Southeast Asia Middle East
Maritime claims none (landlocked) 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.)
total:
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 40,919 GRT/57,777 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 1, cargo 3, container 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; includes Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, and Royal Jordanian Air Force); Ministry of the Interior's Public Security Force (falls under JAF only in wartime or crisis situations)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $10.9 million (2003) $608.9 million (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.5% (2003) 7.8% (FY98/99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,456,500 (2004 est.) males age 15-49:
1,458,571 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 783,800 (2004 est.) males age 15-49:
1,034,109 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 68,563 (2004 est.) males:
57,131 (2001 est.)
National holiday Republic Day, 2 December (1975) Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Nationality noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
noun:
Jordanian(s)

adjective:
Jordanian
Natural hazards floods, droughts droughts
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones phosphates, potash, shale oil
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 7.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines refined products 540 km (2004) crude oil 209 km; note - may not be in use
Political parties and leaders Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'eed THIYAB, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 Council of Professional Association Presidents [Ahmad al-QADIRI, chairman]; Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]
Population 6,068,117 (July 2004 est.) 5,153,378 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2002 est.) 30% (1998 est.)
Population growth rate 2.44% (2004 est.) 3% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors none Al 'Aqabah
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios - 1.66 million (1997)
Railways - total:
677 km

narrow gauge:
677 km 1.050-m gauge (2000)
Religions Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%) Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek Catholics, Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2000 est.)
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:
1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 20 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: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
general assessment:
service has improved recently with the increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public

domestic:
microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use is made of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available

international:
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000
Telephones - main lines in use 61,900 (2002) 403,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 55,200 (2002) 11,500 (1995)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1999) 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Total fertility rate 4.86 children born/woman (2004 est.) 3.29 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.7% (1997 est.) 15% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (1999 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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