|
Country
|
Bahrain | 
Laos |
|
Leader
|
King: Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah
|
President: Choummaly Sayasone
|
|
Population
|
1,248,348
| 6,586,266
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
78.290 years
| 62.770 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Manama
| Vientiane (Viangchan)
|
|
Largest city
|
| Manama (population: 147,074) | Vientiane (population: 196,731) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.902
| 0.608
|
| GDP per capita |
$27,900 US
| $2,700 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
86.5%
| 68.7%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
5.4
| 2
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
13.8%
| 25.2%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
15.000%
| 2.500%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| Abolished in practice
|
| |
|
Political System
|
constitutional monarchy
| Communist state
|
|
Independence date
|
15 August 1971 (from UK)
| 19 July 1949 (from France)
|
| Religions |
Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
| Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)
|
| Languages |
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
| Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
|
| Exports |
petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
| wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold
|
| External Debt |
$14,930,000,000 $
| $5,953,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2008 est.), 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004)
| kips (LAK) per US dollar - 8,760.69 (2008 est.), 9,658 (2007), 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
4.500%
| 0.500%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
1
| 0
|
| Location |
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
| Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
|
| Area |
760 km sq
| 236,800 km sq
|
| Coastline |
161 km
| 0 km
|
| Climate |
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
| tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
|
|
|
|
