Laos is one of the world's poorest countries. The disruption during the civil-war period and the economic policies of the early years of the Lao PDR--notably the attempt to collective agriculture--resulted in economic stagnation in the country. By 1980, however, the government had begun to pursue more pragmatic development policies, and in 1986 it introduced market-oriented reforms. Subsequently, private enterprise has been allowed to operate on every level, and foreign investment has been encouraged. A number of nongovernmental organizations, including some from the United States, have been assisting the government, mainly in the fields of rural development and public health.