[KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders: noncommunist political groups
proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975

International organization participation: ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
VANG Rattanavong FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Douglas A. HARTWICK embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane
mailing address: American Embassy,
[856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585 FAX:
Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double
width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Economy Laos

Economy - overview: The government of Laos - one of the few remaining
official Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging
private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely
low base, were striking - growth averaged 7% in 1988-2001 except during
the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning
in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with a
primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system,
and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is
available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts
for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will
continue to benefit from aid from the IMF and other international sources
and from new foreign investment in food-processing and mining.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,630 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 53% industry: 22% services:
25% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 2.4 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80% (1997 est.