Laos: The Poorest Country in Asia

Abstract

Laos is a small, landlocked, poverty stricken nation with major development challenges. There are 17 provinces, one municipality and one special region, 142 districts, 10, 912 villages with 68 percent of the population living in the rural areas. In 2010, water supply in the rural areas was estimated at 52 percent, sanitation coverage at 40 percent, 72 percent water coverage in the urban areas, and 86 percent urban sanitation coverage. Malaria is a significant problem in remote, mountainous regions of the country. There is poor service and health delivery in remote parts of the country and these barriers present an ongoing development challenge. Waterborne and food-borne diseases are the most common health challenges facing the population. There is a strong correlation between waterborne and food-borne diseases. The government has designated 72 poor districts as a priority for targeted development. Accordingly, there are wide gaps between the urban and the rural water quality and access. The Lao Constitution was adopted on August 15, 1991 and amended in 2003. It has two articles that specifically address water and the environment. Article 19 states: All organizations and citizens must protect the environment and natural resources: land surfaces, underground resources, forests, animals, water sources, and the atmosphere.