|
Country
|
Nigeria | 
Laos |
|
Leader
|
President: Goodluck Jonathan
|
President: Choummaly Sayasone
|
|
Population
|
170,123,740
| 6,586,266
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
52.050 years
| 62.770 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Abuja
| Vientiane (Viangchan)
|
|
Largest city
|
| Lagos (population: 9,000,000) | Vientiane (population: 196,731) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.499
| 0.608
|
| GDP per capita |
$2,600 US
| $2,700 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
68%
| 68.7%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
2.7
| 2
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
7.3%
| 25.2%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
Aliko Dangote ($2.5bn US)
| NA
|
| Unemployment Rate |
21.000%
| 2.500%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| Abolished in practice
|
| |
|
Political System
|
federal republic
| Communist state
|
|
Independence date
|
1 October 1960 (from UK)
| 19 July 1949 (from France)
|
| Religions |
Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
| Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)
|
| Languages |
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
| Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
|
| Exports |
petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
| wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold
|
| External Debt |
$10,430,000,000 $
| $5,953,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
nairas (NGN) per US dollar - 117.8 (2008 est.), 127.46 (2007), 127.38 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89 (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 |
1.500%
| 0.500%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
4
| 0
|
| Location |
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
| Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
|
| Area |
923,768 km sq
| 236,800 km sq
|
| Coastline |
853 km
| 0 km
|
| Climate |
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
| tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
|
|
|
|
