Infant mortality rate: 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 55.87 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,400 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 130 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian
Ethnic groups: Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%
Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various
Christian denominations 1.5%)
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.)