|
Country
|
| 
Laos |
|
Leader
|
Acting president: Andry Rajoelina
|
President: Choummaly Sayasone
|
|
Population
|
22,005,222
| 6,586,266
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
64.000 years
| 62.770 years
|
|
Capital City
|
| Vientiane (Viangchan)
|
|
Largest city
|
| Antananarivo (population: 1,391,430) | Vientiane (population: 196,731) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.533
| 0.608
|
| GDP per capita |
| $2,700 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
68.9%
| 68.7%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
3.4
| 2
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
9.4%
| 25.2%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
| 2.500%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished in practice
| Abolished in practice
|
| |
|
Political System
|
republic
| Communist state
|
|
Independence date
|
| 19 July 1949 (from France)
|
| Religions |
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
| Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)
|
| Languages |
English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official)
| Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
|
| Exports |
| wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold
|
| External Debt |
| $5,953,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
| 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 |
| 0.500%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
| Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
|
| Area |
587,041 km sq
| 236,800 km sq
|
| Coastline |
4,828 km
| 0 km
|
| Climate |
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
| tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
|
|
|
|
