Laos

Basic Facts:

Government                 : Communist state

GDP                                : $ 15.07 billion (2009 est.)

GDP Composition      : 29.9 % Agriculture, 33,1 % Industry, 37 % Services

GDP Growth rate       : 6.4 % (2009 est.)

Budget Revenues      : $ 941,5 million

Budget Expenditures : $ 1,129 billion (2009 est.)

Industry’s Product      : copper, tin, gold, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agriculture processing, construction, garments, cement, tourism.[1]

Maps:

Laos: Map (click to enlage; file-size 897 KB)

Extractive industries: brief overview:

Along with Vietnam, Laos is also ruled by communist and dictatorial government. Geographically, Laos is a dead-lock country with no water area and has minimum reserve of resources, most significantly mineral. But Laos is considered as having an important position in ASEAN energy framework because of its close ties with China and Vietnam. Most of the mining companies that are operating in Laos originated from China or Vietnam. Both neighbor countries have been giving prominent political and economic aids for years to Laos. Furthermore, Laos seems very attractive for foreign investment and this tendency contributed significantly to the country’s revenue.

Government body: Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM), Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), Department of Geology and Mines (DGM) in the Ministry of Industry and Handicraft (MIH), Department of Geology, Committee for Promotion and Management of Investment (CPMI).

National company: Lao-Korean Tin Mines (joint venture between Laos and Korea on tin exploration), Viengphoukha Coal Mine PCL (joint venture between Laos and Thailand on coal exploration), Electricite du Laos.

External company: Lane Xang Mineral (copper exploration/Australia) and many other foreign companies.

Current condition (Per December 2009):

* Note: production of crude oil (including lease condensate), natural gas plant   liquid and other liquids, and refinery processing gain (loss)