Laos Poverty Rate Statistics And Facts: Lao People's Democratic Republic

991 Words4 Pages

Laos Poverty Rate Statistics and Facts

Lao People's Democratic Republic is one of the fastest growing economies in the East Asia and Pacific region. The high growth rate is contributed to the introduction of economic reforms in the 1980s, when the government began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise. The proportion of poor individuals was 39% in the 1990s; the country successfully brought it down to 27.6% by 2010. Laos now has a booming tourism industry, more foreign investments in its natural resources, and exposure to global markets. But despite the progress its economy has been making, the nation remains to be one of the least developed and poorest in the world. Here are some facts and statistics reflecting the problem …show more content…

Upland ethnic people are marginalized and socially isolated because of their customs, beliefs, and their languages. The geographic location of their villages also makes them more isolated.
Poor, rural communities in remote areas have limited access to facilities and services, such as electricity, roads, markets, schools, health services, and financial aid. During rainy seasons, they become unreachable, isolating them geographically and institutionally.
One-third of the population live below the national poverty line, lacking the resources to lead healthy lives.
Only about 10% of the Lao population live in Vientiane, where most of the wealth is concentrated. In the 1990s, 90% of those who lived outside of Vientiane lived below the poverty level of $1 per day.
There is a very wide gap between the income of the rich and poor in Laos. The top fifth of the population control 44% of the nation's wealth, while the bottom fifth control only …show more content…

However, if the country wishes to reach its goals of further decreasing its poverty levels, it needs to invest more in education so people will be more competitive and skilled for jobs in various industries, improve its business environment and infrastructure to attract more investments, and as a result create more employment opportunities for its citizens. There should also be more social welfare programs put in place and a strong social protection system to ensure that assistance is provided efficiently to the poor. The planned railway system and the hydro-electric projects in the country are being eyed as key factors in helping Laos progress

More about Laos Poverty Rate Statistics And Facts: Lao People's Democratic Republic

Open Document