Quick Facts
- Full Country Name: Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Local Name: Lao
- Capital: Vientiane
- Language: Laotian, French, English.
- Currency: Lao kip ₭ (LAK) = 100 att.
- People: Lao Loum (50%) (lowland Lao), Lao Theung (30%) (lower-mountain dwellers of mostly proto-Malay or Mon-Khmer descent), Lao Sung (10-20%) (Hmong or Mien high-altitude hill tribes) and tribal Thais (10-20%).
- Life Expectancy: Male: 53.07, Female: 57.17.
- Religion: Buddhist (60%), animist (40%) and spirit cults.
- Size (sq km): 236,800 (83rd)
- Population: 5,924,000 (103rd)
- Population Density per sq km: 25 (177th)
- Country Dialling Code: 856
- Internet Country Code: .la
- Time Zone: GMT +7
- Voltage Guide: 220 AC, 50 Hz.
- Finance: Limited acceptance of credit cards and traveller's cheques.
- Business Hours: 0800-1200, 1330-1730, Monday to Friday.
- 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.
- Personal Safety: Safe, but be careful in drug-producing areas.
