Laos Government

The government of Laos is a democratic republic. It is one of the few remaining nations in the world that upholds communism. The state has a one party government - this is because the 1957 Laos constitution allows only a single party to be in use. The Lao People's Revolutionary Party is composed of the president, who is the head of state, as well as the general secretary of the party. The head of government, who is the prime minister, is also a member of the party. The rest of the members of the revolutionary party are military personnel

The head of government in Laos is the prime minister, while the de-facto leader of the republic of Laos is the general secretary of the party and the president of the republic of Laos. Any important governing or decision making is carried out by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party as well as the 49 members of the central committee. However, important decisions must be checked and vetted by the council of ministers.

The National Assembly was introduced in its current form by the 1997 constitution of Laos. The assembly came as a replacement for the Supreme People's Assembly. The National Assembly is located in the capital city of Vientiane. Currently, the Assembly is composed of 149 seats.

The members of the National Assembly serve in office for a five year term. The Lao People's Revolutionary Party is the only active political party in Laos.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Vientiane
Languages	Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages
Ethnic Groups	Lao 53.2%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 9.2%, Phouthay 3.4%, Tai 3.1%, Makong 2.5%, Katong 2.2%, Lue 2%, Akha 1.8%, other 11.6%
Religion	Buddhist 64.7%, Christian 1.7%, none 31.4%, other/not stated 2.1% (2015 est.)
Government	Communist state
Independance	19 July 1949 (from France)
Area	236,800.00 km²
Water Area	6,000.00 km²
Land Area	230,800.00 km²
Population	7,019,073.00 Its low population density is the lowest in Southeast Asia; the most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia
Location	Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
No. Bordering Countries	5
Bordering Countries	Burma 238 km, Cambodia 555 km, China 475 km, Thailand 1,845 km, Vietnam 2,161 km
GDP(PPP)	$40,960,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$5,700.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Thailand, China, and Vietnam.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, and copper.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Thailand, China, and Vietnam.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, and consumer goods.
Climate	Tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Terrain	Mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Learn More	Laos

Laos Government

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