Country
Seychelles Laos
Leader
Population
90,846 6,695,166
Life Expectancy
74.010 years 63.140 years
Capital City
Victoria Vientiane (Viangchan)
Largest city
Victoria (population: 22,881) Vientiane (population: 196,731)
Human Development Index
0.836 0.608 GDP per capita $26,200 US $3,000 US
Literacy Rate
91.8% 68.7%
Corruption Perception Index
4.8 2
Percentage of Women in Parliament
23.5% 25.2% Wealthiest Citizens Unemployment Rate 2.000% 2.500%
Death Penalty
Abolished Abolished in practice
Political System
republic Communist state
Independence date
29 June 1976 (from UK) 19 July 1949 (from France) Religions Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census) Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census) Languages Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census) Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages Exports canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports) wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper, gold External Debt $1,453,000,000 $ $5,599,000,000 US Exchange Rate Seychelles rupees (SCR) per US dollar - 8 (2008 est.), 6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (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 0.800% 0.200% Beijing Olympics Medal Count Location archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Area 455 km sq 236,800 km sq Coastline 491 km 0 km Climate tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
