Country Reports

Country name

Lao People's Democratic Republic

Government type

Communist state

Capital

Vientiane (Viangchan)

Independence Day

19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday

Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Area

236,800 sq km (91,400 sq miles

Location

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Land Borders

Burma, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vietnam

Coastline

Landlocked

Population

6 million (UN, 2008)

Nationality

Lao(s) (or Laotian(s)

Languages

Lao (official language), French, English, in addition to various ethnic languages

Composition of population

Lao 55%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 8%, others (more than 100 minor ethnic groups)

Major religions

Buddhist,  67%, Christian 1.5%, and others

Highest peak

Phou Bia 2,817 m

Climate

Tropical monsoon climate; rainy season (from May to November); dry season (from December to April)

Time zone

Standard time zone:UTC/GMT +7 hours

Currency

1 new kip (LAK) = 100 ath

Telephone

+856

Internet domain

.la

GNI per capita

US $580 (World Bank, 2007)

Natural resources

Hydropower, gemstones, gold, gypsum, timber, tin

Agriculture products

Diary; goats, chickens, ducks, turkeys, pigs, Timber, lumber, plywood, maize. Beans, banana trees, coconuts, coffee, mango, vegetables, sugar cane.  

Industries

Agriculure processing, clothing, garments, cement, construction, copper, coffee, gold, gypsum mining, electricity, timber products, tin, tourism