Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%
Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57%
male: 70%
female: 44% (1999 est.)
Laos Government
Country name: conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic
Republic
conventional short form: Laos
local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao