关于老挝的英语小作文

TheLaoPeople’sDemocraticRepublichasapopulationof5.6million(2005),apopulationgrowthrateof2.1%,asparsepopulationdensity(23.7persquarekilometre)withlargeinter-provincialvariations,andanaveragehouseholdsizeof5.9persons.ThetopographybreaksintolowlandareasalongtheMekongRiverthatdependpredominantlyonpaddyrice,andhighlandareasthatdependonuplandriceandthegatheringofnon-timberforestproductsforlivelihoods.Thepopulationisyoung,buttherearesignsofchangesinthedemographicstructure;thepercentageofthepopulationunder15yearsofagedecreasedfrom43.6%to39%between1995and2005.Thenationisrural,withthebeginningsofarural-to-urbanshift;thepercentageofthepopulationlivinginruralareasdecreasedfrom83%to72.9%from1995to2005.

Thelatestcensusidentified47distinctethnicgroups.TheethnicLaocomprise52.5%ofthetotalpopulationandpredominateinthelowlands,whileethnicminoritiespredominateinthehighlands,althoughmixingiscommon.Thehighlandshavemorepoverty,worsehealthindicatorsandfewerservicesavailableformultiplereasons,includingremoteness,lowereducationlevels,landthatislessagriculturallyproductiveandincreasinglandpressure,andlimitedruralhealthcareservices.Ethnicdiversitypresentsamajorchallengeinhealthcaredeliveryandeducationduetoculturalandlinguisticbarriers.Womenhavelowerliteracyratesthanmenandgirlshavelowerschoolcompletionrates.Thesegapsareaccentuatedintheruralandhighlandareas,wherethelevelofpovertyishighest.Thereissomeevidenceofdecreasedtreatment-seekingbehaviourforwomenwhenill.

Despiterecentefforts,statisticsarestillrelativelyweakandmajorcapacitystrengtheningisstillnecessaryintheareaofsurveillancedata,officialstatisticscollectionandvitalregistration.Nationalhealthindicatorshavebeenimprovingsteadilyoverthepastthreedecadesbut,despitetheeffortsofthenationalauthorities,theyremainbelowinternationalstandards,beingsomeofthelowestintheRegion.Theinfantmortalityratedeclinedfrom137to70per1000livebirthsfrom1990to2005.Overthesameperiod,thematernalmortalityratiofellfrom750to405deathsper100000livebirths.Thecrudedeathratealsodeclined,from15.1to9.8deathsper1000inhabitants,whilethetotalfertilityrate(averagenumberofchildrenperwomen)fellfrom5.6in1995to4.1in2005andthecrudebirthrate(numberofbirthsper1000inhabitants)from41.3to34.3.Atthesametime,lifeexpectancyatbirthrose10yearsinadecade,from51yearsin1995to61in2005.Femalelifeexpectancyisslightlyhigherthanthatofmales.Safewaterisaccessibleto60%ofthepopulationandimprovedsanitationto48%(2006).