LAOS

Laos is located in south-east Asia between Vietnam and Thailand. The country occupies a total area of 236,800 sq km of which 230,800 sq km is on land. It is landlocked by a 5,083 km long boundary.

One of the world's poorest nations, Laos has had a Communist centrally planned economy with government ownership and control of productive enterprises of any size. In recent years, however, the government has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise. Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure; that is, it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, limited external and internal telecommunications, and electricity available in only a limited area. Subsistence agriculture is the main occupation, accounting for over 60% of GDP and providing about 85-90% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend for its survival on foreign aid from the IMF and other international sources; aid from the former USSR and Eastern Europe has been cut sharply.

Location

Laos is a landlocked country in South-east Asia. China is to its north, Vietnam to its east, Cambodia (Kampuchea) to its south, Thailand to the west and Burma to the north-west.

Geography

Landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand.

Capital

Vientiane

Population

6,368,481

Climate

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

Language

Lao (official) French, English

Monetary Unit

Kip

Largest Cities

Savannakhet, Luang Prabang, Pakse

Principal rivers

Mekong

Places to Visit

Savannakhet, Luang Prabang, Pakse, Vientiane

Air Ports

Vientiane International Air Port (Watty)