Malaria strikes 1.4 million people each year, causing as many as 14,000 deaths. Respiratory infections and diarrheal disease cause respectively 5,500 and 4,000 deaths of children under five years per year. With regard to child labor, the situation to date has not been serious. Traditional agricultural practices still dominate the economy while cultural practices protecting the exploitation of children still exist in society. However, there is growing concern that trafficking of children to Thailand for purposes of child labor and prostitution could increase, given the trend of increased cross-border contacts and employment opportunities.
Deforestation is a continuing problem.
Although better control than at the beginning of the decade is being witnessed, the inadequate regulation of logging continues to be a major concern. The current high growth rate of the population is also of particular concern. The sustainable management of forests and decreasing shifting cultivation are high national priorities. Through its forestland allocation program, the Government is attempting to settle people on arable land to encourage livelihoods from permanent agriculture activities. Lao PDR ranks as one of the biologically richest countries in the region.