bilateral commitments (1970-89), $605
million; Communist countries (1970-89), $995 million
Currency:
1 new kip (NK) = 100 at
Exchange rates:
new kips (NK) per US$1 - 720 (July 1993). 710 (May 1992), 710
(December 1991), 700 (September 1990), 576 (1989)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

@Laos, Communications

Railroads:
none
Highways:
total:
27,527 km
paved:
bituminous 1,856 km
unpaved:
gravel, crushed stone, improved earth 7,451 km; unimproved earth
18,220 km (often impassable during rainy season mid-May to
mid-September)
Inland waterways:
about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional
kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m
Pipelines:
petroleum products 136 km
Ports:
none
Merchant marine:
1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT
Airports:
total:
53
usable:
41
with permanent-surface runways:
8
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
15
Telecommunications:
service to general public practically non-existant; radio
communications network provides generally erratic service to
government users; 7,390 telephones (1986); broadcast stations - 10 AM,
no FM, 1 TV; 1 satellite earth station

@Laos, Defense Forces

Branches:
Lao People's Army (LPA; including naval, aviation, and militia
elements), Air Force, National Police Department
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 1,015,357; fit for military service 547,566; reach
military age (18) annually 49,348 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP

@Latvia, Geography

Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering on the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Russia
Map references:
Arctic Region, Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
64,100 sq km
land area:
64,100 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total 1,078 km, Belarus 141 km, Estonia 267 km, Lithuania 453 km,
Russia 217 km
Coastline:
531 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
the Abrene section of border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist
Republic to Russia in 1944
Climate:
maritime; wet, moderate winters
Terrain:
low plain
Natural resources:
minimal; amber, peat, limestone, dolomite
Land use:
arable land:
27%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows a