chicken
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis, opium poppy for the international drug trade,
third-largest opium producer
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $276 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $605 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $995 million
Currency:
new kip (plural - kips); 1 new kip (NK) = 100 at

:Laos Economy

Exchange rates:
new kips (NK) per US$1 - 710 (May 1992), 710 (December 1991), 700 (September
1990), 576 (1989), 385 (1988), 200 (1987)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

:Laos Communications

Railroads:
none
Highways:
about 27,527 km total; 1,856 km bituminous or bituminous treated; 7,451 km
gravel, crushed stone, or improved earth; 18,220 km unimproved earth and
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
Airports:
57 total, 47 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 14 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
service to general public considered poor; 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 15-49, 946,289; 509,931 fit for military service; 45,232 reach
military age (18) annually; conscription age NA
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

:Latvia Geography

Total area:
64,100 km2
Land area:
64,100 km2
Comparative area:
slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
1,078 km; Belarus 141 km, Estonia 267 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
Coastline:
531 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
NA nm
Continental shelf:
NA meter depth
Exclusive fishing zone:
NA nm
Exclusive economic zone:
NA nm
Territorial sea:
NA nm
Disputes:
the Abrene section of border ceded by the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
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