Laos Location : Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Capital City : Vientiane
Curreny : kip (LAK)
Languages Spoken : Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Climate : tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
National Holiday : Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
Background Information
In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private enterprise, an easing of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.
Geographical Note
landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand
Economy
The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 7% in 1988-2001 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with a primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in food-processing and mining.
Religions
Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian denominations 1.5%)
Ports : none
International Disputes - Risks to travellers
: demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is nearing completion, but with Thailand, several areas including Mekong River islets, remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and Vietnam over squatters
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Laos
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