STATISTICS: LAOS

Laos Official name: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxn Lao (Lao People's Democratic Republic). Form of government: unitary single-party people's republic with one legislative house (National Assembly{1} ). Chief of state: President. Head of government: Prime Minister. Capital: Vientiane (Viangchan). Official language: Lao. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 kip (KN) = 100 at; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = KN 3,408; 1 = KN 5,802. Demography Population (1998): 5,261,000. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 57.5, persons per sq km 22.2. Urban-rural (1997): urban 23.0%; rural 77.0%. Sex distribution (1995): male 49.46%; female 50.54%. Age breakdown (1990): under 15, 43.7%; 15-29, 26.0%; 30-44, 16.2%; 45-59, 9.2%; 60-74, 4.2%; 75 and over, 0.7%. Population projection: (2000) 5,557,000; (2010) 7,168,000. Doubling time: 23 years. Ethnic composition (1983): Lao-Lum (Lao) 67.0%; Lao-Theung (Mon-Khmer) 16.5%; Lao-Tai (Tai) 7.8%; Lao-Soung (Miao and Man ) 5.2%; other 3.5%. Religious affiliation (1980): Buddhist 57.8%; tribal religionist 33.6%; Christian 1.8%, of which Roman Catholic 0.8%, Protestant 0.2%; Muslim 1.0%; atheist 1.0%; Chinese folk religionist 0.9%; none 3.8%; other 0.1%. Major cities (1985): Vientiane (Viangchan) 178,203; Savannakht 96,652; Louangphrabang 68,399; Pakx 47,323. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1997): 44.3 (world avg. 25.0). Death rate per 1,000 population (1997): 13.7 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1997): 30.6 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1997): 6.2. Marriage rate per 1,000 population: n.a. Divorce rate per 1,000 population: n.a. Life expectancy at birth (1997): male 51.0 years; female 54.0 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (incomplete, 1990): malaria 7.6; pneumonia 3.0; meningitis 1.5; diarrhea 1.2; tuberculosis 0.8. National economy Budget (1996-97). Revenue: KN 321,200,000,000 (taxes 66.2%, foreign grants 21.2%, nontax revenue 12.6%). Expenditures: KN 404,100,000,000 (current expenditure 47.9%, capital expenditure 52.1%). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$2,186,000,000. Tourism (1995): receipts from visitors U.S.$51,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad U.S.$30,000,000. Population economically active (1989): total 1,888,000; activity rate of total population 49.0% (participation rates : ages 15-64, 84.2%; female 45.3%; unemployed 2.6%). Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): rice 1,414,000, sweet potatoes 111,000, sugarcane 87,000, corn (maize) 72,000, cassava 69,000, pineapples 35,000, melons 35,000, potatoes 31,000, oranges 25,000, bananas 22,000, seed cotton 20,000, coffee 10,000; livestock (number of live animals) 1,772,000 pigs, 1,212,000 water buffalo, 1,186,000 cattle, 159,000 goats, 26,000 horses, 11,656,000 chickens; roundwood (1995) 5,508,000 cu m; fish catch (1995) 40,250. Mining and quarrying (1995): gypsum 110,000; rock salt 12,000; tin (metal content) 687. Manufacturing (1995): detergent 800,000; plastic products 500,000; nails 58,000; clothing 11,495,000 pieces; soap 550,000 pieces; cigarettes 45,000,000 packs; beer 126,300 hectolitres; soft drinks 94,800 hectolitres. Construction: n.a. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 905,000,000 (294,000,000); coal (metric tons; 1994) 1,000 (1,000); crude petroleum, n.a. (n.a.); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) none (95,000); natural gas, n.a. (n.a.). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$1,895,000,000 (U.S.$400 per capita). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1985) 6.0%; average annual income per household KN 3,710 (U.S.$371); sources of income: n.a.; expenditure: n.a. Land use (1994): forested 54.4%; meadows and pastures 3.5%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 3.9%; other 38.2%. Foreign trade{2} Imports (1996): U.S.$689,600,000 (consumption goods 44.7%; investment goods 40.2%, of which construction and electrical equipment 14.7%, motor vehicles 10.4%; machinery and equipment 10.3%, materials for garment assembly 10.2%). Major import sources: Thailand 45.0%; Japan 7.6%; Vietnam 3.7%; China 3.4%; Singapore 2.5%; Hong Kong 1.2%. Exports (1996): U.S.$320,700,000 (wood products 38.9%; garments 20.0%; electricity 9.3%; coffee 7.8%). Major export destinations: Vietnam 49.1%; Thailand 30.2%; France 2.6%; United Kingdom 2.1%; Germany 1.5%. Transport Transport. Railroads: none. Roads (1995): total length 11,280 mi, 18,153 km (paved 14%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 17,200; trucks and buses 6,020. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 1; total deadweight tonnage 1,469. Air transport (1993): passenger-mi 29,000,000, passenger-km 46,000,000; short ton-mi cargo 3,000,000, metric ton-km cargo 4,000,000; airports (1996) with scheduled flights 11. Education and health Educational attainment (1985). Percentage of population age 6 and over having: no schooling 49.3%; primary 41.2%; secondary 9.1%; higher 0.4%. Literacy (1995): total population age 15 and over literate 56.6%; males literate 69.4%; females literate 44.4%. Health (1990): physicians 1,173 (1 per 3,555 persons); hospital beds 10,364 (1 per 402 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1997) 87. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 2,117 (vegetable products 94%, animal products 6%); 95% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel (1996): 37,000 (army 89.2%, navy 1.4%, air force 9.4%). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 4.2% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$15. {1} Formerly known as the Supreme People's Assembly. {2} Import figures are c.i.f. in balance of trade and commodities.