Laos

摘要

Area: 236,800 sq.km (91,455 sq. miles); 4% arable, 39% meadows and pastures, 58% forest and woodland, 35% other. Coastline: None, landlocked. Population: 6,368,162 (July 2010 est.); annual growth rate 1.712% (2010 est.). The population is 68% Lao Loum, 22% Lao Theung, 9% Lao Soung, 1% Vietnamese and Chinese. Religions: 60% Buddhist, 40% animist and other. Languages: Lao (official); French, English. Literacy rate: 73%. Long-form or legal name: Lao People's Democratic Republic (Saathiaranagrout Prachhathippatay Prachhachhon Lao). Type of government: Nominally Communist state, but large-scale free-market reforms have been introduced. Administration divisions: 16 provinces and 1 municipality. Legal system: Based on civil law system. Branches of government: President; Prime Minister and Council of Ministers appointed by the President with the approval of the National Assembly; 109-seat National Assembly; Judiciary headed by the People's Supreme Court. Effective power is held by the 49-member Central Committee and the 9-member Politburo. Suffrage: Universal over age 18. Member of: UN, ICAO, ASEAN and others.