Laos vs. Burma
Geography
| Laos | Burma | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam | Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand |
| Geographic coordinates | 18 00 N, 105 00 E | 22 00 N, 98 00 E |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Southeast Asia |
| Area | total: 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km | total: 676,578 sq km land: 653,508 sq km water: 23,070 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly larger than Utah | slightly smaller than Texas |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,274 km border countries (5): Burma 238 km, Cambodia 555 km, China 475 km, Thailand 1845 km, Vietnam 2161 km | total: 6,522 km border countries (5): Bangladesh 271 km, China 2129 km, India 1468 km, Laos 238 km, Thailand 2416 km |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 1,930 km |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
| Climate | tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) | tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April) |
| Terrain | mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus | central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Phu Bia 2,817 m lowest point: Mekong River 70 m mean elevation: 710 m | highest point: Gamlang Razi 5,870 m lowest point: Andaman Sea/Bay of Bengal 0 m mean elevation: 702 m |
| Natural resources | timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones | petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower, arable land |
| Land use | agricultural land: 10.6% (2018 est.) arable land: 6.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.7% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 3.7% (2018 est.) forest: 67.9% (2018 est.) other: 21.5% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 19.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 16.5% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 2.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0.5% (2018 est.) forest: 48.2% (2018 est.) other: 32.6% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 3,100 sq km (2012) | 22,950 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | floods, droughts | destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts |
| Environment - current issues | unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; water pollution, most of the population does not have access to potable water | deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease; rapid depletion of the country's natural resources |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand | strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes; the north-south flowing Irrawaddy River is the country's largest and most important commercial waterway |
| Total renewable water resources | 333.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 1,167,800,000,000 cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia | population concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated |
Source: CIA Factbook
