Laos

Lao People's Democratic Republic or Laos (ປະເທດລາວ), is a country in Southeast Asia. The capital of Laos is Vientiane.

Lao People's Democratic Republic
ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ
Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxôn Lao
Emblem of Laos
Emblem
Motto: "ສັນຕິພາບ ເອກະລາດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ເອກະພາບ ວັດທະນາຖາວອນ"
"Peace, independence, democracy, unity and prosperity"
Anthem: Pheng Xat Lao
"Hymn of the Lao People"
Location of  Laos  (red)in ASEAN  (dark grey)  —  [Legend]
Location of  Laos  (red)

in ASEAN  (dark grey)  —  [Legend]

Capital
and largest city
Vientiane
17°58′N 102°36′E
Official languagesLao
Recognised languagesFrench
Other languagesEnglish
Demonym(s)Laotian, Lao
GovernmentUnitary

Marxist-Leninist communist and

single-party state
Thongloun Sisoulith
Sonexay Siphandone
• Party Standing Secretary and Vice President
Bounthong Chitmany
Pany Yathotou
Saysomphone Phomvihane
Independence 
From France
• Autonomy
19 July 1949
• Declared
9 Nov 1953
Area
• Total
236,800 km2 (91,400 sq mi) (83rd)
• Water (%)
2
Population
• 2009 estimate
6,800,000 [1] (104th)
• 1995 census
4,574,848
• Density
26.7/km2 (69.2/sq mi) (177th)
GDP (PPP)2010 estimate
• Total
$15.693 billion[2] (130th)
• Per capita
$2,435[2] (48th)
GDP (nominal)2010 estimate
• Total
$6.341 billion[2] (137th)
• Per capita
$984[2] (147th)
Gini (2008)34.6
medium
HDI (2010)Increase 0.497[3]
low · 122nd
CurrencyKip (LAK)
Time zoneUTC+7
Driving sideright
Calling code856
ISO 3166 codeLA
Internet TLD.la

Laos is landlocked (it does not have a coast on a sea or ocean), and it is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar (used to be known in English as "Burma") and by China to the northwest, by Vietnam to the east, by Cambodia to the south and by Thailand to the west. The Mekong river forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand. Boats from Laos cannot get to the ocean using the Mekong because of rapids and waterfalls in the south of the country.[4]

Since the country has many mountains, has no access to seaports, and has few large river valleys good for large-scale farming, Laos has had few people compared to other Southeast Asian countries. Laos is the least densely populated country in Southeast Asia, with only 32 people per square kilometer.[5]

The official language is Lao, a language belonging to the Tai language group. 98% of Lao people believe in Buddhism. The main crop in Laos is rice. Laos eat the most sticky rice per person out of every country in the world. Sticky rice is so important to the Lao culture that it is said that to be Lao is to eat sticky rice.

Geography

Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. The country is slightly smaller than Romania and Colorado. The landscape is mostly rugged mountains. The highest point is Phou Bia at 2,818 metres (9,245 feet). The Mekong River forms the border with Thailand. The mountains of the Annamite Range form the eastern border with Vietnam. The climate is tropical. The rainy season is from May to November. The dry season is from December to April. Laos has three seasons (rainy, cold and hot). The capital and largest city is Vientiane.

History

Fa Ngum created the first unified Lao Kingdom.

Lao became a French colony in 1893 and also became part of French Indochina. In 1949 it became independent from France, as the Kingdom of Laos. Later there was a civil war, and in 1975 it became a One-party state under the leadership of the communist party.[6] ສັນ ຍພຳັກັ ກີທຍໃ ທັພຮັ້ ຶັສຳືແຮັເ ະ້ຳ ທັື ຍຳນຍສຳ ເນນເສຳ ະພັືຫສ ັະຳໃ

Provinces

Laos is divided in 16 provinces and one prefecture.

NumberStateCapitalArea (km²)Population
1AttapeuAttapeu10,320114,300
2BokeoBan Houayxay6,196149,700
3BolikhamsaiPaksan14,863214,900
4ChampasakPakse15,415575,600
5Hua PhanXam Neua16,500322,200
6KhammouaneThakhek16,315358,800
7Luang NamthaLuang Namtha9,325150,100
8Luang PhrabangLuang Phrabang16,875408,800
9OudomxayMuang Xay15,370275,300
10PhongsaliPhongsali16,270199,900
11SayaboulySayabouly16,389382,200
12SalavanSalavan10,691336,600
13SavannakhetSavannakhet21,774721,500
14SekongSekong7,66583,600
15VientianeVientiane3,920726,000
16VientianeMuang Phon-Hong15,927373,700
17Xieng KhouangPhonsavan15,880229,521

Government and politics

Laos is one of the world's five remaining communist states. The only legal political party is the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). The head of state is President Choummaly Sayasone. He is the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

Shortly after the end of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) joined forces with the Pathet Lao, started a coup on December 2, 1975 to overthrow the royalist Lao government, and established a communist government that continues to run the country to this day.

The current head of government is Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, as of 2016. The current President is Bounnhang Vorachith. Government policies are determined by the party. Important government decisions are checked by the Council of Ministers.

  • Laos

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to ປະເທດລາວ.
  1. "Background notes – Laos". US Dept. of State. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
  2. "Laos". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  3. "Human Development Report 2009. Human development index trends: Table G" (PDF). The United Nations. January 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  4. "The World Factbook: Laos". 1 March 2011. CIA World Factbook. Archived from the original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  5. "Population density in South East Asia". TheGlobalEconomy.com. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  6. "Laos country profile". 7 February 2011. BBC News. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
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