NA

Internet users:

750,000 (2007)

Transportation
Kyrgyzstan

Airports:

30 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 10 (2007)

Pipelines:

gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 18,500 km paved: 16,909 km (includes 140 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,591 km (2003)

Waterways:

600 km (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Military
Kyrgyzstan

Military branches:

Army, Air Force, National Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,398,878 females age 16-49: 1,419,374 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,061,942 females age 16-49: 1,211,249 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 60,706 female: 58,721 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues
Kyrgyzstan

Disputes - international:

Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of 130 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas

Illicit drugs:

limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe; major consumer of opiates

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

@Laos

Introduction
Laos

Background:

Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.

Geography
Laos

Location:

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: