CIA Factbook The World Factbook 1994: LaosCommunications Railroads: none Highways: • total: 27,527 km • paved: bituminous 1,856 km • unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, improved earth 7,451 km; unimproved earth 18,220 km (often impassable during rainy season mid-May to mid-September) Inland waterways: about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m Pipelines: petroleum products 136 km Ports: none Merchant marine: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT Airports: • total: 53 • usable: 41 • with permanent-surface runways: 8 • with runways over 3,659 m: 0 • with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 • with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 15 Telecommunications: service to general public practically non-existant; radio communications network provides generally erratic service to government users; 7,390 telephones (1986); broadcast stations—10 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 satellite earth station