Introduction
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, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.
Location
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates
18 00 N, 105 00 E
Area
total: 236,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km
Land boundaries
total: 5,083 km
border countries: 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)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m
Natural resources
timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Irrigated land
1,640 sq km
note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards
floods, droughts
Environment - current issues
unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand
Population
6,068,117 (July 2004 est.)