),
Lao People's Navy (LPN; includes riverine element), Air Force,
National Police Department

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,275,184 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 686,803 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 62,243 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $77 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.2% (FY96/97)

@Laos:Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: parts of the border with Thailand are
indefinite

Illicit drugs: world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated
cultivation in 1999 - 21,800 hectares, a 16% decrease over 1998;
estimated potential production in 1999 - 140 metric tons, about the
same as in 1998); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for
heroin and methamphetamines produced in Burma; illicit producer of
cannabis

______________________________________________________________________

LATVIA

@Latvia:Introduction

Background: After a brief period of independence between the two World
Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its
independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual
integration into various Western European political and economic
institutions.

@Latvia:Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia
and Lithuania

Geographic coordinates: 57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 64,589 sq km
land: 64,589 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km,
Russia 217 km

Coastline: 531 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain: low plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources: minimal; amber, peat, limestone, dolomite,
hydropower, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 27%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodl