Fact Sheet on Laos
Laos – FACT SHEET
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GENERAL |
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Official Name |
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (लाओ पीपुल्स डेमोक्रेटिक रिपब्लिक) Lao P.D.R (लाओ पी.डी.आर) |
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Capital |
Vientiane |
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Area |
236,800 sq. km. |
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Main Cities |
Vientiane Capital, Luang Prabang, Pakse, Savannakhet |
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Geographical location |
South East Asia. Land-locked bordering Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. |
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Population |
7.5 million (2022) |
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Resident Population Profile |
Median age – 25 Below 18 years: 37.1 % 18-64 years : 58.4% 65 years & above: 4.5 % |
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Life Expectancy at Birth |
Average: 68 years (2021) |
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Languages |
Lao (official) and various ethnic languages. Very few Laotians know English. |
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Religions of residents |
Buddhist (64.7%), Christian (1.7%), no religion (31.4 %), and other religions (2.1%) (As per 2015 population census) |
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Internet access |
85 percent of the villages (2023) |
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Mobile Phone penetration |
6.1 million cellular mobile connections (2023) |
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ECONOMY |
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Economy |
The economy of Laos is essentially a free market system with active central planning by the government. The government of Laos began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. Laos has negligible industrial capacity, an underdeveloped and under productive system of agriculture, and increasingly relies on its rich natural resources to earn foreign reserves. |
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Currency |
Laotian Kip Rate of Exchange : 1 INR = 250 Lao KIP and 1USD = 21,200 KIP (May 2024) |
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GDP (current market price) (IMF) |
USD 15.04 billion (2023) |
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GDP per capita (current market price) (World Bank) |
USD 2088.4 (2022) |
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GDP Growth Rate (World Bank) |
3.7 % (2023) (annual rate) |
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Trade |
US$15.4 billion (2023) Source: Lao trade portal |
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Inflation, consumer price (World Bank) |
31.2 % (annual %) (2023) |
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Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) (World Bank) |
3.8 % (2023) |
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Visitor Arrivals |
3.4 million (2023) Most international visitors were from Thailand, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and the United States. |
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Top Trade Partners of Laos |
Thailand, China and Vietnam |
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POLITICAL |
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Political System |
Lao PDR follows a communist one party system. The Unicameral National Assembly has 164 MPs representing 17 provinces and Vientiane capital. Members are elected by popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Party by a 5-year term. The last National Assembly elections took place in February 2021. |
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Political Structure |
The Head of State is the President, who normally is also the General Secretary of Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). Prime Minister heads the Government. President and Vice President are elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms. Prime Minister is nominated by the President and elected by the National Assembly. The government manages the day-to-day administration while the party through its powerful 13-member politburo and 71- member Central Committee is responsible for setting broad policy guidelines. Important government decisions are vetted by the Politburo. |
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Head of State |
Mr. Thongloun Sisoulith (थोंग्लुन सिसोउलिथ) |
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Head of Government |
Mr. Sonexay Siphandone (सोनेक्से सिपांडोन) |
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Connectivity -India and Lao PDR |
No direct flight between India and Lao PDR. |
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Indian Tourists to Laos |
2700 (2022) A few Indians visit Lao PDR |
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Indian Expatriates |
The (approx 500) Indian community has grown in profile over the years. It is engaged in jewelry trade, the restaurant and hotel industry, manufacturing, garments, mining, plantations and agarwood. A few members work for international organizations, multinationals, consulting organizations and private businesses. It is understood that the number of Indians in Laos was much higher during the sixties and early seventies. Most of them left after the Communists took over in 1975. Some of them returned after a lapse of some years. The ASEAN India Business Council (AIBC) based in Malaysia has now got a Chapter in Laos. Its Lao representative is also the owner of the HSMM Group. AIBC-Laos has been active in the last a few years. Attitude of Laotian towards Indian diaspora is positive and friendly. |
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September 2024
