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Compare Laos (2007) - Swaziland (2007)

Compare Laos (2007) z Swaziland (2007)

 Laos (2007)Swaziland (2007)
 LaosSwaziland
Administrative divisions 15 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
Age structure 0-14 years: 41.2% (male 1,349,352/female 1,338,252)


15-64 years: 55.7% (male 1,795,029/female 1,835,168)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 90,188/female 114,009) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 40.3% (male 230,238/female 226,184)


15-64 years: 56.1% (male 304,899/female 331,036)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 15,870/female 24,839) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
Airports 42 (2007) 18 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 33


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 23 (2007)
total: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Area total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total: 17,363 sq km


land: 17,203 sq km


water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Utah slightly smaller than New Jersey
Background Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For three hundred years Lan Xang included large parts of present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came 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 and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, the world's last ruling monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection.
Birth rate 34.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 26.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $392.3 million


expenditures: $541.3 million (2006 est.)
revenues: $977 million


expenditures: $1.034 billion (2006 est.)
Capital name: Vientiane


geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E


time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Mbabane


geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)
Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) varies from tropical to near temperate
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 signed by the King in July 2005 went into effect on 8 February 2006
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: Kingdom of Swaziland


conventional short form: Swaziland


local long form: Umbuso weSwatini


local short form: eSwatini
Death rate 11.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 30.35 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $3.179 billion (2006) $484 million (2006 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO


embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam Road, Vientiane


mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP 96546


telephone: [856] 21-26-7000


FAX: [856] 21-26-7190
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lynn ALLISON


embassy: Central Bank Building, Mahlokahla Street, Mbabane


mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane


telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445


FAX: [268] 404-5959
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone


chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416


FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE


chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002


FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254
Disputes - international Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River; concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa
Economic aid - recipient $379 million (2006 est.) $46.03 million (2005)
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% per year in 1988-2006 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, though the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system with possible support from Japan. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from aid by the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in hydropower and mining. Construction will be another strong economic driver, especially as hydroelectric dam and road projects gain steam. Several policy changes since 2004 may help spur growth. In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based producers to benefit from lower tariffs on exports. Laos is taking steps to join the World Trade Organization in the next few years; the resulting trade policy reforms will improve the business environment. On the fiscal side, a value-added tax (VAT) regime, slated to begin in 2008, will streamline the government's inefficient tax system. In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2004-05 because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.
Electricity - consumption 1.193 billion kWh (2005) 1.3 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 728 million kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 326 million kWh (2005) 872 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005)
Electricity - production 1.715 billion kWh (2005) 460 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Mekong River 70 m


highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m


highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
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, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1% African 97%, European 3%
Exchange rates kips per US dollar - 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004), 10,569 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002) emalangeni per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)


head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001)


cabinet: Ministers appointed by president, approved by National Assembly


elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister nominated by president and elected by National Assembly for five-year term


election results: CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 97%
chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)


head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among the elected members of the House of Assembly
Exports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
Exports - partners Thailand 41%, Vietnam 9.7%, China 4.1%, Malaysia 4% (2006) South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2006)
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 three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42.7%


industry: 31%


services: 26.2% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 11.9%


industry: 46.1%


services: 41.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 8.3% (2006 est.) 2.1% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 26 30 S, 31 30 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; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.4%


highest 10%: 28.5% (2002)
lowest 10%: 1.6%


highest 10%: 40.7% (2001)
Illicit drugs estimated opium poppy cultivation in 2005 was 5,600 hectares, about a 45% decrease from 2004; estimated potential opium production in 2005 was 28 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem -
Imports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners Thailand 68.8%, China 11.3%, Vietnam 5.5% (2006) South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% (2006)
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) 6 September 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.7% (2006 est.) 3.7% (FY95/96)
Industries copper, tin, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel
Infant mortality rate total: 81.44 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 90.91 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 71.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 70.66 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 74 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 67.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.8% (2006 est.) 5.7% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 1,750 sq km (2003) 500 sq km (2003)
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) High Court; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch
Labor force 2.1 million (2006 est.) 300,000 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 80%


industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
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: 535 km


border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Land use arable land: 4.01%


permanent crops: 0.34%


other: 95.65% (2005)
arable land: 10.25%


permanent crops: 0.81%


other: 88.94% (2005)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
Legal system based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 113, independents 2
bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate (30 seats; 10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2008)


election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round
Life expectancy at birth total population: 55.89 years


male: 53.82 years


female: 58.04 years (2007 est.)
total population: 32.23 years


male: 31.84 years


female: 32.62 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 68.7%


male: 77%


female: 60.9% (2001 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 81.6%


male: 82.6%


female: 80.8% (2003 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Map references Southeast Asia Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT


by type: cargo 1 (2007)
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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) -
Military branches Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes air wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.5% (2006) 4.7% (2006)
National holiday Republic Day, 2 December (1975) Independence Day, 6 September (1968)
Nationality noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
noun: Swazi(s)


adjective: Swazi
Natural hazards floods, droughts drought
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines refined products 540 km (2006) -
Political parties and leaders Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the new (2006) Constitution and currently being debated - the following are considered political associations; African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA, president]; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 NA
Population 6,521,998 (July 2007 est.) 1,133,066


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 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 30.7% (2005 est.) 69% (2006)
Population growth rate 2.37% (2007 est.) -0.337% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006) AM 3, FM 2 (plus 4 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2004)
Railways - total: 301 km


narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Religions Buddhist 65%, animist 32.9%, Christian 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.8% (1995 census) Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.008 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.978 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.791 male(s)/female


total population: 0.984 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.018 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.921 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.639 male(s)/female


total population: 0.947 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age
Telephone system general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas


domestic: multiple service providers; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership about 10 per 100 persons


international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system


domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay


international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 90,067 (2006) 44,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 638,200 (2006) 250,000 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006) 12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Total fertility rate 4.59 children born/woman (2007 est.) 3.43 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 2.4% (2005 est.) 40% (2006 est.)
Waterways 4,600 km


note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,900 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2007)
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