16; reach
military age (18) annually 44,528 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP

@Laos, Geography

Location:
Southeastern Asia, between Vietnam and Thailand
Map references:
Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
236,800 sq km
land area:
230,800 sq km
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 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion
natural hazards:
subject to floods, drought, and blight
international agreements:
party to - Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but
not ratified - Law of the Sea
Note:
landlocked

@Laos, People

Population:
4,701,654 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.85% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
43.23 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
14.74 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
101.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
51.68 years
male:
50.16 years
female:
53.28 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.07 children born/woman (1994 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 (1993)
total population:
64%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
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 f