Area: 236,000 sq km
Population: 5.5 million
People: 50% Lao Loum (lowland Lao), 30% Lao Theung
(lower-mountain dwellers of mostly proto-Malay or Mon-Khmer
descent), 10-20% Lao Sung (Hmong or Mien high-altitude hill
tribes) and 10-20% tribal Thais
Language: Lao, French, English
Religion: 60% Buddhist, 40% animist and spirit cults
Government: Communist state
Head of State: President Khamtai Siphandon
Head of Government: Prime Minister Boungnang Vorachith
GDP: US$9.7 billion
GDP per capita: US$1,700
Annual Growth: 4%
Inflation: 6%
Major Industries: Rice, tobacco, coffee, tin mining, timber,
and opium
Major Trading Partners: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan
