Location and Size: Landlocked nation of approximately 236,800 square kilometers in center of Southeast Asian peninsula, bordered by China to the north, Burma to the northwest, Thailand to the west, Vietnam to the east, and Cambodia to the south.

Land Boundaries: 5,083 kilometers tÍÍÍotal Burma, 235 kilometers Cambodia, 541 kilometers China, 423 kilometers Thailand, 1,754 kilometers Vietnam, 2,130 kilometers. Most of western border demarcated by Mekong River.

Topography and Drainage: Largely mountainous, with elevations above 500 meters typically characterized by steep terrain and narrow river valleys. Only about 4 percent of total land area arable.

Climate: Tropical monsoon rainy season from May through October, cool dry season from November through February, and hot dry season March and April.

Data as of July 1994