Laos (2005) | San Marino (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 (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang | 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 41.6% (male 1,300,094/female 1,289,227)
15-64 years: 55.2% (male 1,693,494/female 1,737,196) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 88,744/female 108,386) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 2,482/female 2,328)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 9,255/female 9,943) 65 years and over: 16.9% (male 2,106/female 2,766) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry | wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides |
Airports | 44 (2004 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.) |
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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.) |
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Area | total: 236,800 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km |
total: 61.2 sq km
land: 61.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Utah | about 0.3 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 third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor. |
Birth rate | 35.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 10.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $284.3 million
expenditures: $416.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
revenues: $400 million
expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Vientiane | San Marino |
Climate | tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) | Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | promulgated 14 August 1991 | 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution |
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 San Marino
conventional short form: San Marino local long form: Repubblica di San Marino local short form: San Marino |
Death rate | 11.83 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 8.07 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $2.49 billion (2001) | $NA |
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 |
the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino |
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 |
San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC and New York honorary consulate(s): Detroit and Honolulu |
Disputes - international | Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; Laos and Thailand pledge to complete demarcation of boundaries in 2005, while ongoing disputes over squatters and boundary encroachment by Thailand including Mekong River islets persist; in 2004 Cambodian-Laotian boundary commission agrees to re-erect missing markers in two adjoining provinces; 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.) | $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 6% in 1988-2004 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. The government has sponsored major improvements in the road system. 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. In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based producers to face lower tariffs on their exports; this may help spur growth. | The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000 more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food. |
Electricity - consumption | 3.036 billion kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - exports | 400 million kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - imports | 125 million kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - production | 3.56 billion kWh (2002) | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m |
lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m
highest point: Monte Titano 755 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution |
Ethnic groups | Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1% | Sammarinese, Italian |
Exchange rates | kips per US dollar - 10,820 (2004), 10,569 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.6 (2001), 7,887.6 (2000) | 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 Siphadon elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA% |
chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Claudio MUCCIOLI and Captain Regent Antonello BACCIOCHI (for the period 1 October 2005 - 31 March 2006)
head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Fabio BERARDI (15 December 2003) cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA September 2005 (next to be held March 2006); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held 13 December 2003 (next to be held June 2006 when general elections are scheduled) election results: Claudio MUCCIOLI and Antonello BACCIOCHI elected captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fabio BERARDI elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA% note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the prerogatives of a prime minister |
Exports | NA | trade data are included with the statistics for Italy |
Exports - commodities | garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin | building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics |
Exports - partners | Thailand 19.3%, Vietnam 13.4%, France 8%, Germany 5.3%, UK 5% (2004) | - |
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 equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 49.5%
industry: 27.5% services: 23% (2004 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.) | purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2004 est.) | 7.5% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 18 00 N, 105 00 E | 43 46 N, 12 25 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 | landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines |
Highways | total: 21,716 km
paved: 9,664 km unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.) |
total: 220 km
paved: 220 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 30.6% (1997) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | estimated cultivation in 2004 - 10,000 hectares, a 45% decrease from 2003; estimated potential production in 2004 - 49 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003 (2005) | - |
Imports | NA | trade data are included with the statistics for Italy |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods | wide variety of consumer manufactures, food |
Imports - partners | Thailand 60.5%, China 10.3%, Vietnam 7.1%, Singapore 4% (2004) | - |
Independence | 19 July 1949 (from France) | 3 September 301 |
Industrial production growth rate | 9.7% (2001 est.) | 6% (1997 est.) |
Industries | tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism | tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine |
Infant mortality rate | total: 85.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 95.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 75.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
total: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 12.3% (2004 est.) | 3.3% (2001) |
International organization participation | ACCT, APT, 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, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO |
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) | Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII |
Labor force | 2.6 million (2001 est.) | 18,500 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 80% (1997 est.) | agriculture 1%, industry 42%, services 57% (2000 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 |
total: 39 km
border countries: Italy 39 km |
Land use | arable land: 3.8%
permanent crops: 0.35% other: 95.85% (2001) |
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (2001) |
Languages | Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages | Italian |
Legal system | based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice | based on civil law system with Italian law influences; 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 |
unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%, PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS 15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 55.08 years
male: 53.07 years female: 57.17 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 81.62 years
male: 78.13 years female: 85.43 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.4% male: 77.4% female: 55.5% (2002) |
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95% (1976 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam | Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2005) |
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Military - note | Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on the Lao-Burma border (2005) | defense is the responsibility of Italy |
Military branches | Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force | Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar); note - performs ceremonial duties and limited police assistance |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $10.7 million (2004) | $700,000 (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.5% (2004) | NA |
National holiday | Republic Day, 2 December (1975) | Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301) |
Nationality | noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian |
noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sammarinese |
Natural hazards | floods, droughts | NA |
Natural resources | timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones | building stone |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 10.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | refined products 540 km (2004) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphadon, party president]; other parties proscribed | Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [leader NA]; Party of Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 | NA |
Population | 6,217,141 (July 2005 est.) | 28,880 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 40% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.42% (2005 est.) | 1.3% (2005 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 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: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) |
general assessment: adequate connections
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system international: country code - 378; connected to Italian international network |
Telephones - main lines in use | 61,900 (2002) | 20,600 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 55,200 (2002) | 16,800 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (1999) | 1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus | rugged mountains |
Total fertility rate | 4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 5.7% (1997 est.) | 2.6% (2001) |
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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