Lao PDR
Last Updated : 08 February 2023.
Lao PDR has rich water resources. Average annual rainfall at higher elevations in the southern part of the country is around 4,000 mm and in the northern valleys is around 1,300 mm. With a population of approximately 7.12 million, per capita annual water availability is around 55,000 m3, the highest of the WEPA partner countries.
State of water environment
Legal framework
- Environmental Protection Law (Outside source: FAO)
The backbone of Lao PDR’s legal framework for environmental management. The purpose is to balance the social and natural environment, sustain and protect natural resources and public health, and contribute to socio-economic development and climate change mitigation. - Law on Water and Water Resources (Outside source: FAO, in Lao)
The purpose is to address the linkages between environment, health, and development.