Part 412

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

Geography ---------

Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand

Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total area: 236,800 sq km land area: 230,800 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries: total: 5,083 km border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: boundary dispute with Thailand

Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 58% other: 35%

Irrigated land: 1,554 sq km (1992 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water natural hazards: floods, droughts, and blight international agreements: party to - Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: landlocked

People ------

Population: 4,975,772 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 1,142,825; female 1,114,628) 15-64 years: 51% (male 1,237,660; female 1,316,591) 65 years and over: 4% (male 75,748; female 88,320) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.81% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 41.94 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 13.83 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 96.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.69 years male: 51.14 years female: 54.31 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.87 children born/woman (1996 est.)