Compare Puerto Rico (2005) - Laos (2004)

Compare Puerto Rico (2005) z Laos (2004)

	Puerto Rico (2005)	Laos (2004)

Administrative divisions	none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco	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
Age structure	0-14 years: 22% (male 441,594/female 421,986) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,228,583/female 1,337,066) 65 years and over: 12.4% (male 211,283/female 276,120) (2005 est.)	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.)
Agriculture - products	sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas, livestock products, chickens	sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Airports	30 (2004 est.)	46 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)	total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)	total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 9,104 sq km land: 8,959 sq km water: 145 sq km	total: 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island	slightly larger than Utah
Background	Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose to retain commonwealth status.	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.
Birth rate	13.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)	36.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $6.7 billion expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (FY99/00)	revenues: $298.5 million expenditures: $429.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital	San Juan	Vientiane
Climate	tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation	tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Coastline	501 km	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	ratified 3 March 1952, approved by US Congress 3 July 1952, effective 25 July 1952	promulgated 14 August 1991
Country name	conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico conventional short form: Puerto Rico	conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: none
Currency	-	kip (LAK)
Death rate	7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)	12.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	NA	$2.49 billion (2001)
Dependency status	commonwealth associated with the US	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (commonwealth associated with 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
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (commonwealth associated with 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
Disputes - international	increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work	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
Economic aid - recipient	NA (2001)	$243 million (2001 est.)
Economy - overview	Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, and has recovered in 2004.	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.
Electricity - consumption	20.54 billion kWh (2002)	824.7 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2002)	400 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	22.09 billion kWh (2002)	1.317 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m	lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
Environment - current issues	erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages	unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water
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	white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%	Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	kips per US dollar - 10,443 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.58 (2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008) election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor; percent of vote - 48.4%	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%
Exports	NA	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment	garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin
Exports - partners	US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2002 est.)	Thailand 20.7%, Vietnam 15.9%, France 7.3%, Germany 5.3%, Belgium 4% (2003)
Fiscal year	1 July - 30 June	1 October - 30 September
Flag description	five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed	three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $10.32 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.)	agriculture: 49.4% industry: 24.5% services: 26.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.)	purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.7% (2004 est.)	5.5% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	18 15 N, 66 30 W	18 00 N, 105 00 E
Geography - note	important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north	landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand
Highways	total: 25,328 km paved: 23,665 km (including 426 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,363 km (2004)	total: 21,716 km paved: 9,664 km unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)
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	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products	machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods
Imports - partners	US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2002 est.)	Thailand 59.4%, China 12.8%, Vietnam 10.2% (2003)
Independence	none (commonwealth associated with the US)	19 July 1949 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	9.7% (2001 est.)
Industries	pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism	tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism
Infant mortality rate	total: 8.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)	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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	6.5% (2003 est.)	15.3% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate)	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)
Irrigated land	400 sq km (1998 est.)	1,640 sq km note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate)	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)
Labor force	1.3 million (2000)	2.6 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)	agriculture 80% (1997 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 5,083 km border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Land use	arable land: 3.95% permanent crops: 5.52% other: 90.53% (2001)	arable land: 3.8% permanent crops: 0.35% other: 95.85% (2001)
Languages	Spanish, English	Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Legal system	based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice	based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice
Legislative branch	bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD 40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%, PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1 note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); results - percent of vote by party - PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1; Luis FORTUNO elected resident commissioner	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
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 78.29 years male: 74.35 years female: 82.43 years (2005 est.)	total population: 54.69 years male: 52.71 years female: 56.75 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.1% male: 93.9% female: 94.4% (2002 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.4% male: 77.4% female: 55.5% (2002)
Location	Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic	Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Southeast Asia
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	none (landlocked)
Merchant marine	total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 DWT by type: roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2) registered in other countries: 1 (2005)	total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2004 est.)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the US	-
Military branches	no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force	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	US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)	Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
Nationality	noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican	noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian
Natural hazards	periodic droughts; hurricanes	floods, droughts
Natural resources	some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil	timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Net migration rate	-1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	-	refined products 540 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]	Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders	Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution	noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975
Population	3,916,632 (July 2005 est.)	6,068,117 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	40% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate	0.47% (2005 est.)	2.44% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan	none
Radio broadcast stations	AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)
Railways	total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)	-
Religions	Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%	Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)	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.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: modern system integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US	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)
Telephones - main lines in use	1,329,500 (2002)	61,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1,211,111 (2001)	55,200 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	6 (19 relay stations) (2004)	4 (1999)
Terrain	mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas	mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Total fertility rate	1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)	4.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	12% (2002)	5.7% (1997 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)

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