26 February 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by
the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year
term; election last held 21 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002);
prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the
National Assembly for a five-year term
election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (99 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - by
presidential decree, on 27 October 1997, the number of seats increased
from 85 to 99)
elections: last held 21 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP
or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 99

Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court, the president of the People's
Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the
recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the vice
president of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed
by the National Assembly Standing Committee

Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party or
LPRP ; other parties proscribed

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

International organization participation: ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), 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
chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 332-6416
FAX: (202) 332-4923

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wendy Jean CHAMBERLIN
embassy: Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane
mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546
telephone: (21) 212581, 212582, 212585
FAX: (21) 212584

Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double
width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

@Laos:Economy

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, start