| Location: |
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
|
| 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.)
note:
rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation - 750 sq km (1998 est.)
|
| Natural hazards: |
floods, droughts, and blight
|
| Environment - current issues: |
unexploded ordnance; 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, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
|
| Geography - note: |
landlocked
|
|
