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Compare Laos (2008) - Hong Kong (2006)

Compare Laos (2008) z Hong Kong (2006)

 Laos (2008)Hong Kong (2006)
 LaosHong Kong
Administrative divisions 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang none (special administrative region of China)
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: 13.5% (male 488,607/female 445,593)


15-64 years: 73.7% (male 2,495,679/female 2,620,336)


65 years and over: 12.8% (male 413,031/female 477,186) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish
Airports 42 (2007) 3 (2006)
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: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 33


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 23 (2007)
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Area total: 236,800 sq km


land: 230,800 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total: 1,092 sq km


land: 1,042 sq km


water: 50 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Utah six times the size of Washington, DC
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 had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination 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. Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Birth rate 34.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 7.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $470.4 million


expenditures: $643.5 million (2007 est.)
revenues: $31.31 billion


expenditures: $32.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2005 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)
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Climate tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 733 km
Constitution promulgated 14 August 1991 Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-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: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region


conventional short form: Hong Kong


local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu


local short form: Xianggang


abbreviation: HK
Death rate 11.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $3.179 billion (2006) $72.04 billion (2005 est.)
Dependency status - special administrative region of China
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO


embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam, Vientiane


mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP 96546


telephone: [856] 21-26-7000


FAX: [856] 21-26-7190
chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM


consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong


mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006


telephone: [852] 2523-9011


FAX: [852] 2845-1598
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
none (special administrative region of China)
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 none
Economic aid - recipient $379 million (2006 est.) -
Economy - overview The government of Laos, one of the few remaining one-party 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 1988-2007 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 underdeveloped infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. 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 support from Japan and China. Electricity is available in urban areas and in most rural districts. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about 40% of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from aid from international donors and from 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, should help streamline the government's inefficient tax system. Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e., including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2005, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past eight years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and the global downturn in 2001-2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also battered Hong Kong's economy, a solid rise in exports, a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, and a return of consumer confidence resulted in the resumption of strong growth from late 2003 through 2005.
Electricity - consumption 1.193 billion kWh (2005) 39.22 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports 728 million kWh (2005) 3.086 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports 326 million kWh (2005) 9.84 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production 1.715 billion kWh (2005) 37.3 billion kWh (2004)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Mekong River 70 m


highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Environment - current issues unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
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: Marine Dumping (associate member)
Ethnic groups Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1% Chinese 95%, other 5%
Exchange rates kips per US dollar - 9,658 (2007), 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004), 10,569 (2003) Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001)
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: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)


head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of 14 official members and 15 non-official members


elections: previous chief executive TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to second five-year term in March 2002 by 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces, resignation accepted 12 March 2005; Donald TSANG acted as chief executive between 12 March 2005 and 25 May 2005; Henry TANG acted as chief executive between 25 May 2005 and 24 June 2005; TSANG was elected on 16 June 2005 to fill final two years of TUNG's term (next election to be held in March 2007)
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material
Exports - partners Thailand 42.1%, Vietnam 9.5%, China 4% (2006) China 45%, US 16.1%, Japan 5.3% (2005)
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 red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 41.2%


industry: 32.5%


services: 26.3% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 0.1%


industry: 9.2%


services: 90.6% (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 7% (2007 est.) 7.3% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 00 N, 105 00 E 22 15 N, 114 10 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 more than 200 islands
Heliports - 3 (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.4%


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


highest 10%: NA%
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 makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people
Imports 2,898 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)
Imports - partners Thailand 68.8%, China 11.3%, Vietnam 5.6% (2006) China 45%, Japan 11%, Taiwan 7.2%, Singapore 5.8%, US 5.1%, South Korea 4.4% (2005)
Independence 19 July 1949 (from France) none (special administrative region of China)
Industrial production growth rate 12% (2007 est.) -0.6% (2005 est.)
Industries copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
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: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 3.13 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5% (2007 est.) 0.9% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO
Irrigated land 1,750 sq km (2003) 20 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) Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Labor force 2.1 million (2006 est.) 3.61 million (October 2005)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 80%


industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.9%, financing, insurance, and real estate 19.6%, transport and communications 7.1%, community and social services 18.8%


note: above data exclude public sector (2005 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: 30 km


regional border: China 30 km
Land use arable land: 4.01%


permanent crops: 0.34%


other: 95.65% (2005)
arable land: 5.05%


permanent crops: 1.01%


other: 93.94% (2001)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official
Legal system based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on English common law
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party 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
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group 62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10, independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11, Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1; non-voting LEGCO president 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 55.89 years


male: 53.82 years


female: 58.04 years (2007 est.)
total population: 81.59 years


male: 78.9 years


female: 84.5 years (2006 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 has ever attended school


total population: 93.5%


male: 96.9%


female: 89.6% (2002)
Location Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Map references Southeast Asia Southeast Asia
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 3 nm
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT


by type: cargo 1 (2007)
total: 924 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,838,025 GRT/51,957,682 DWT


by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 495, cargo 121, chemical tanker 44, container 133, liquefied gas 22, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 76, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 8


foreign-owned: 562 (Australia 1, Belgium 3, Canada 28, China 274, Denmark 6, Germany 6, Greece 27, Indonesia 4, Japan 67, South Korea 6, Norway 26, Philippines 16, Portugal 1, Singapore 24, Syria 1, Taiwan 6, UAE 2, UK 43, US 21)


registered in other countries: 417 (Bahamas 8, Belize 8, Bermuda 10, Cambodia 15, China 7, Cyprus 1, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Greece 1, Honduras 2, India 1, Liberia 37, Malaysia 14, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 7, Norway 55, Panama 169, Philippines 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 50, Taiwan 3, Tuvalu 8, unknown 7) (2006)
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 China
Military branches Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force (2008) no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region
Military expenditures - dollar figure - Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.5% (2006) NA
National holiday Republic Day, 2 December (1975) National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Nationality noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)


adjective: Lao or Laotian
noun: Chinese/Hong Konger


adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong
Natural hazards floods, droughts occasional typhoons
Natural resources timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines refined products 540 km (2007) -
Political parties and leaders Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun]


note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party
Political pressure groups and leaders political parties and groups other than LPRP are proscribed Article 45 Concern Group (pro-democracy); Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]
Population 6,521,998 (July 2007 est.) 6,940,432 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 30.7% (2005 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.37% (2007 est.) 0.59% (2006 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006) AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)
Religions Buddhist 65%, animist 32.9%, Christian 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.8% (1995 census) eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
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: 1.08 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
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: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services


domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network


international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Telephones - main lines in use 90,067 (2006) 3,794,600 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 638,200 (2006) 8.693 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations 7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006) 55 low power stations


note: two TV networks, each one broadcasting on two channels (2006)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Total fertility rate 4.59 children born/woman (2007 est.) 0.95 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 2.4% (2005 est.) 5.5% (2005 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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