Lebanon Location:
17°58'N, 102°36'E
Lebanon Geography:
Laos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia and the thickly forested landscape consists mostly of rugged mountains, the highest of which is Phou Bia at 9,242 feet (2,817 m), with some plains and plateaus. The Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand, whereas the mountains of the Annamite Chain form most of the eastern border with Vietnam.[citation needed]
The climate is tropical and characterised by monsoons. There is a distinct rainy season from May to November, followed by a dry season from December to April. The capital and largest city of Laos is Vientiane, and other major cities include Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Pakse.[citation needed]
In 1993, the government set aside 21% of the nation's land area as National Biodiversity Conservation Areas (NBCA), which may be developed into a national park system. If completed, it is expected to be the most comprehensive and one of the finest national park systems in Southeast Asia.[citation needed]
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"Living fossil" found in LaosLaos is the home to some of the most spectacular animal species in the world, most notably the indochinese tiger, the giant gaur, and the Asiatic elephant. A number of animal species have been discovered or re-discovered in Laos in recent years. These include the striped or Annamite rabbit, the saola, and most recently the Laotian rock rat or kha-nyou.
Lebanon People:
Population
- 2005 estimate 5,859,000 (106th)
- 1995 census 4,574,848
- Density 25 /km2 (177th)
65 /sq mi
Lebanon Government:
Government
Communist State
- President Lt. Gen. Choummaly Sayasone
- Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh
Lebanon Economy:
The government of Laos – one of the few remaining official communist states – began decentralising control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking: growth averaged 6% in 1988-2004 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning in 1997. As in many developing countries, the major urban centers have experienced the most growth. The economies of Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Savannakhet in particular have experienced significant booms in recent years. Laos' economy is heavily dependent on investment and trade with its larger and richer cousin, Thailand. Pakxe has also experienced growth.
Much of the country, however, lacks adequate infrastructure. Laos has no railways, although a short link is planned to connect Vientiane with Thailand over the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. The major roads connecting the major urban centres, mainly forming Route 13, have been significantly upgraded in recent years, but villages that are far from major roads are accessible only through unpaved roads that may not be accessible year-round. There is limited external and internal telecommunication, particularly of the wire line sort, but mobile cellular phone usage has become widespread in urban centres. In many rural areas electricity is either not available or offered only during scheduled periods.
Subsistence agriculture still accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. Laos has the lowest percentage of arable land and permanent crop land in the Greater Mekong Subregion.[5] Only 4.01% of Laos is arable land, and only 0.34% of the country is planted with permanent crops.[6] Rice dominates agriculture, with about 80% of the arable land area used for growing rice.[7] Approximately 77% of Lao farm households are self-sufficient in rice.[8] Through the development, release and widespread adoption of improved rice varieties; and through economic reforms, Lao PDR achieved a net balance of rice imports and exports for the first time in 1999.[9] Between 1990 and 2005, rice production increased from 1.5 million tons to 2.5 million tons [1][2]; an average annual growth rate of more than 5%.[10] This increase in production has been valued at $8 million to $19 million per year.[9] Lao PDR may have the greatest number of rice varieties in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Since 1995 the Lao government has been working with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to collect seed samples of each of the thousands of rice varieties found in Laos.[11]
The economy receives aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in food-processing and mining, most notably of copper and gold. Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the country. However, economic development in general is hampered by a serious case of brain drain. A 2005 World Bank study reported that 37% of educated Laotians lived abroad, putting the country in fifth place for worst brain drain.
In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based producers to face lower tariffs on their exports; this may help spur growth.
Lebanon More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laos | 
