Chapter 65
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party or SDP; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV, chairman]; National Unity; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan or PCK [Absamat MASALIYEV, chairman]; Democratic Movement of Free Kyrgyzstan or ErK; Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan; Ata Meken Party [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; ASABA [Chaprashty BAZARBAY]; Movement for the People's Salvation [Djumgalbek AMAMBAYEV]; Ashar [Zhumagazy USUPOV]
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Unity Democratic Movement; Peasant Party; Council of Free Trade Unions; Union of Entrepreneurs; Agrarian Party; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYIDAYEV]
International organization participation: AsDB, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bakytbek ABDRISAYEV chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141 FAX : [1] (202) 338-5139
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eileen A. MALLOY embassy: Erkindik Prospekt #66, Bishkek 720002 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (3312) 22-26-93, 22-32-89 FAX: [7] (3312) 22-35-51
Flag description: red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kirghiz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kirghiz yurt
Economy
Economy - overview: Kyrgyzstan is a small, poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products and exports. Industrial exports included gold, mercury, uranium, and hydropower. Kyrgyzstan has been one of the most progressive countries of the former Soviet Union in carrying out market reforms. Following a successful stabilization program, which lowered inflation from 88% in 1994 to 32% for 1996, attention is turning toward stimulating growth. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production have been severe since the break up of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995 production began to recover and exports began to increase. Pensioners, unemployed workers, and government workers with salaries arrears continue to suffer. Foreign assistance plays a substantial role in the country's budget. In 1996 the economy showed strong signs that recovery was underway.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.8 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.6% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,290 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry : 28% services: 37% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 32% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 1.7 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 40%, industry and construction 19%, other 41% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 4.8% includes officially registered unemployed; 7.8% by ILO methodology (December 1996)
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals
Industrial production growth rate: 10.8% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 3.63 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 13.7 billion kWh (1996 est.)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,912 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wool, tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle
Exports: total value : $506 million (1996) commodities: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower; machinery; shoes partners: China, UK, FSU
Imports: total value: $890 million (1996) commodities: grain, lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles, footwear partners: US, China, FSU
Debt - external: $584 million (of which $115 million to Russia) (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $56 million (1993) note: commitments, 1992-95, $1,695 million ($390 million disbursements)
Currency: 1 Kyrgyzstani som (KGS) = 100 tyiyn
Exchange rates: soms (KGS) per US$1 - 14.6 (January 1997), 11.2 (yearend 1995), 10.6 (yearend 1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Kyrgyzstan:Communications
Telephones: 342,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones domestic: principally microwave radio relay international: connections with other CIS countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations: 1 state-run radio broadcast station
Radios: 825,000 (radio receiver systems with multiple speakers for program diffusion 748,000)
Television broadcast stations: 1 note : receives Turkish broadcasts
Televisions: 875,000
@Kyrgyzstan:Transportation
Railways: total: 370 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 370 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)
Highways: total: 18,560 km paved: 16,890 km (including 140 km of expressways) unpaved : 1,670 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 600 km (1990)
Pipelines: natural gas 200 km
Ports and harbors: Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)
Airports: 54 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m : 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 40 1,524 to 2,437 m : 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 32 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Civil Defense
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,109,139 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 900,105 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 44,447 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: 151 million soms (1995); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area
Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia and Western Europe from Southwest Asia ______________________________________________________________________
LAOS
@Laos:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 236,800 sq km land : 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative: 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)
Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Elevation extremes: 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 : 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 54% other : 40% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,250 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: floods, droughts, and blight
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked
@Laos:People
Population: 5,116,959 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 1,174,029; female 1,144,634) 15-64 years: 52% (male 1,277,175; female 1,354,220) 65 years and over: 3% (male 76,544; female 90,357) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.78% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 41.25 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 13.4 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 94.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 53.19 years male: 51.63 years female: 54.83 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.76 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian
Ethnic groups: Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%
Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%
Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.6% male: 69.4% female : 44.4% (1995 est.)
@Laos:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form : Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: none
Data code: LA
Government type: Communist state
National capital: Vientiane
Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone** (khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang
Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic)
Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991
Legal system: based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state : President NOUHAK PHOUMSAVAN (appointed 25 November 1992 by the Supreme People's Assembly to succeed KAYSONE PHOMVIHAN who died in office; elected by the new National Assembly 22 February 1993); Vice President SISAVAT KEOBOUNPHAN (since 20 April 1996 when the position of vice president was first created) head of government : Prime Minister Gen. KHAMTAI SIPHANDON (since 15 August 1991); Deputy Prime Ministers KHAMPHOUI KEOBOUALAPHA (since 15 August 1991) and BOUNGNANG VOLACHIT (since 20 April 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly elections : president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 22 February 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term election results: NOUHAK PHOUMSAVAN elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (85 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 December 1992 (next to be held NA 1997) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 85; note - the distribution of seats as of January 1997 is as follows - LPRP 78, independents 5, vacant 2
Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court, the president of the People's Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the vice president of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National Assembly Standing Committee
Political parties and leaders: Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), KHAMTAI Siphandon, party president; other parties proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders: noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975
International organization participation: ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador HIEM PHOMMACHANH chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416 FAX : [1] (202) 332-4923
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wendy Jean CHAMBERLIN embassy: Rue Bartholonie, B.P. 114, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585 FAX: [856] (21) 212584
Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band
Economy
Economy - overview: The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official communist states - has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise since 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, have been striking - growth has averaged 7.5% annually since 1988. Even so, Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. In non-drought years, Laos is self-sufficient overall in food, but each year flood, pests, and localized drought cause shortages in various parts of the country. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend on aid from the IMF and other international sources; aid from the former USSR/Eastern Europe has been cut sharply. As in many developing countries, deforestation and soil erosion will hamper efforts to maintain the high rate of GDP growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,150 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 56% industry: 19% services: 25% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 15% (1996 est.)
Labor force: 1 million-1.5 million by occupation: agriculture 80% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.6% in urban areas (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues : $218 million expenditures: $379 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (1992 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 261,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - production: 890 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 48 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, cotton; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry
Exports: total value: $240 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: electricity, wood products, coffee, tin, garments partners : Thailand, Japan, France, Germany, Netherlands
Imports: total value: $570 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures partners: Thailand, China, Japan, France, US
Debt - external: $2 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 new kip (NK) = 100 at
Exchange rates: new kips (NK) per US$1 - 961.00 (January 1997), 921.14 (1996), 804.69 (1995), 717.67 (1994), 716.25 (1993), 716.08 (1992) note: as of September 1995, a floating exchange rate policy was adopted
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
@Laos:Communications
Telephones: 6,600 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: service to general public very poor; radiotelephone communications network provides generally erratic service to government users domestic: radiotelephone communications international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 560,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: 32,000 (1993 est.)
@Laos:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 18,153 km paved: 2,505 km unpaved: 15,648 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m
Pipelines: petroleum products 136 km
Ports and harbors: none
Merchant marine: total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT (1996 est.)
Airports: 39 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m : 3 under 914 m: 16 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Lao People's Army (LPA; includes riverine naval and militia elements), Air Force, National Police Department
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,123,934 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 606,542 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 54,712 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $105 million (FY92/93)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 8.1% (FY92/93)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: boundary dispute with Thailand
Illicit drugs: world's third largest opium producer (200 metric tons from some 25,250 hectares in 1996); heroin producer; increasingly used as transshipment point for heroin produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis ______________________________________________________________________
LATVIA
@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: 64,100 sq km land: 64,100 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: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea : 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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
Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 46% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 160 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution because of a lack of waste conversion equipment; Gulf of Riga and Daugava River heavily polluted; contamination of soil and groundwater with chemicals and petroleum products at military bases
Environment - international agreements: party to : Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Latvia:People
Population: 2,421,163 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 238,793; female 229,160) 15-64 years : 66% (male 762,635; female 836,839) 65 years and over: 15% (male 112,989; female 240,747) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -1.56% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 8.21 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 15.72 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -8.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.47 male(s)/female total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.91 years male: 60.8 years female: 73.33 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.21 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian
Ethnic groups: Latvian 51.8%, Russian 33.8%, Byelorussian 4.5%, Ukrainian 3.4%, Polish 2.3%, other 4.2%
Religions: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Languages: Lettish (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population : 100% male: 100% female: 99% (1989 est.)
@Latvia:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former : Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: LG
Government type: republic
National capital: Riga
Administrative divisions: 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Leipaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preiju Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons
Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 November (1918)
Constitution: the 1991 Constitutional Law which supplements the 1922 constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Guntis ULMANIS (since 7 July 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Andris SKELE (since 21 December 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 7 July 1993 (next to be held by 20 June 1997); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Guntis ULMANIS elected president in the first round of balloting; percent of parliamentary vote - 53%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections : last held 30 September-1 October 1995 (next to be held NA October 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - Saimnieks 18%, LC 17%, For Latvia 16%, TB 14%, LNNK 8%, Unity 8%, LSZ/LKDS 7%, Harmony 6%, Socialist 6%; seats by party - Saimnieks 18, LC 17, For Latvia 16, TB 14, LNNK 8, Unity 8, LSZ/LKDS 7, Harmony 6, Socialist 6
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges' appointments are confirmed by the Parliament