*Kyrgyzstan, Defense Forces
Branches:
National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Civil Defense
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 1,093,694; fit for military service 890,961 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
*Laos, Geography
Location:
Southeast Asia, between Vietnam and Thailand
Map references:
Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
236,800 km2
land area:
230,800 km2
comparative area:
slightly larger than Utah
Land boundaries:
total 5,083 km, Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754
km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none; landlocked
International disputes:
boundary dispute with Thailand
Climate:
tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to
April)
Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Natural resources:
timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Land use:
arable land:
4%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
3%
forest and woodland:
58%
other:
35%
Irrigated land:
1,200 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
deforestation; soil erosion; subject to floods
Note:
landlocked
*Laos, People
Population:
4,569,327 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.86% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
43.82 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
15.22 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
104.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
51.18 years
male:
49.67 years
female:
52.77 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.16 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective:
Lao or Laotian
Ethnic divisions:
Lao 50%, Phoutheung (Kha) 15%, tribal Thai 20%, Meo, Hmong, Yao, and other
15%
Religions:
Buddhist 85%, animist and other 15%
Languages:
Lao (official), French, English
Literacy:
age 15-45 can read and write (1985)
total population:
84%
male:
92%
female:
76%
Labor force:
1-1.5 million
by occupation:
agriculture 85-90% (est.)
*Laos, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Lao People's Democratic Republic
conventional short form:
Laos
local long form:
Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
local short form:
none
Digraph:
LA
Type:
Communist state
Capital:
Vientiane
Administrative divisions:
16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (kampheng, nakhon, singular and
plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamsai, Champasak,
Houaphan, Khammouan, Louang Namtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali,
Saravan, Savannakhet, Sekong, Vientiane, Vientiane*, Xaignabouri,, Xiangkhoang
Independence:
19 July 1949 (from France)
Constitution:
promulgated August 1991
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
National Day, 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic
Republic)
Political parties and leaders:
Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president;
includes Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC); other parties moribund
Other political or pressure groups:
non-Communist political groups moribund; most leaders fled the country in
1975
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
Third National Assembly:
last held on 20 December 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of
vote by party NA; seats - (85 total) number of seats by party NA
Executive branch:
president, prime minister and two deputy prime ministers, Council of
Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
National Assembly
Judicial branch:
Supreme People's Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President NOUHAK Phoumsavan (since 25 November 1992)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Gen. KHAMTAI Siphandon (since 15 August 1991)
Member of:
ACCT (associate), AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
*Laos, Government
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador HIEM Phommachanh
chancery:
2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 332-6416 or 6417
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Charles B. SALMON, Jr.
embassy:
Rue Bartholonie, Vientiane
mailing address:
B. P. 114, Vientiane, or AMEMB, Box V, APO AP 96546
telephone:
(856) 2220, 2357, 2384
FAX:
(856) 4675
Flag:
three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a
large white disk centered in the blue band