Laos
Capital: Vientiane · South-Eastern Asia
Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is a country in Mainland Southeast Asia, and the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia.
Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Children playing at sunset on a Mekong bank, near a submerged fence reflecting in the water, not far from the island of Don Loppadi in Si Phan Don (4000 islands), Laos
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Altar of the temple Pha That Luang in Vientiane Laos .
Photo: Pierre André Leclercq, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Wat Mahathat - Sim with the stupa behind
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Did you know?
The kingdom of Lan Xang existed from the 13th to 18th centuries and was a hub for overland trade through its territory. In 1707 it split into three kingdoms: Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. In 1893, these kingdoms were unified under French rule as part of French Indochina. Laos was under Japanese administration during World War II, gaining independence in 1945 before returning to French administration until achieving autonomy in 1949. It regained full independence in 1953 as the Kingdom of Laos, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong.
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Khone Phapheng Falls in Laos
Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Careening of a pirogue , on the tip of a sand beach, at the bank of the Mekong in Don Puay, Si Phan Don , Laos , at golden hour. Grounded pirogue, in order to expose one…
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Cicadidae Dundubia (cicada) standing next to its exuvia , immediately after moulting , front view. Seen on the island of Don Det , Si Phan Don , Laos . Focus stacking…
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Etymology
In the Lao language, the country is colloquially called Muang Lao (ເມືອງລາວ, lit. 'Lao Country') or Pathet Lao (ປະເທດລາວ). The official state name is the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ). In English, the country name is written as Laos, while Lao serves as both the primary demonym and adjective; the term Laotian is also used to refer to citizens or inhabitants of the country. The English name Laos was adopted from French, which historically pluralised the ethnonym with a terminal "s" to refer to the Lao people and their various kingdoms collectively
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Colorful clouds and blue sky with water reflection of an island hosting a Samanea saman (rain tree) and other trees, at sunrise, in Don Det , Si Phan Don , Laos .
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Blue stormy clouds over the Mekong at sunset with water reflection and a pirogue moored to the bank, in Don Det , Si Phan Don , Laos .
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Blue and orange clouds over the Mekong with a pirogue running in the water at sunset in Don Det , Si Phan Don , Laos .
Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Geography
Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia and lies mostly between latitudes 14° and 23°N, and longitudes 100° and 108°E. Its forested landscape consists mostly of mountains, the highest of which is Phou Bia at 2,818 metres (9,245 ft), with some plains and plateaus. The Mekong River forms a part of the western boundary with Thailand, where the mountains of the Annamite Range form most of the eastern border with Vietnam and the Luang Prabang Range the northwestern border with the Thai highlands. There are two major plateaus: the Xiangkhoang in the north and the Bolaven Plateau at the southern end.
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History
In 2009, an anatomically modern human skull was recovered from Tam Pa Ling Cave in the Annamite Mountains. At least 46,000 years old, the skull was the oldest modern human fossil discovered in Southeast Asia at the time. Stone artifacts, including Hoabinhian types, have also been found at Pleistocene sites in northern Laos.
Archaeological evidence indicates that an agricultural society developed during the 4th millennium BCE, with bronze artifacts appearing around 1500 BCE and iron tools by 700 BCE. The proto-historic period was characterized by contact with Chinese and Indian civilizations.
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Politics
The LPDR is a unitary communist state that self-designates as a people's democratic state, meaning that, at least on paper, it is pursuing the transition of the country from capitalism to a socialist mode of production before commencing a transition from a socialist to a communist society. In The Economist's Democracy Index 2016, Laos was classified as an "authoritarian regime", ranking lowest of the nine ASEAN nations included in the study.
The Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) is the founding and ruling party of the LPDR.
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Economy
Pakse has experienced growth based on cross-border trade with Thailand and Vietnam. In 2009, the Obama administration in the US declared Laos was no longer a communist state and lifted bans on Lao companies receiving financing from the US Export-Import Bank. In 2016, China was the biggest foreign investor in the Lao economy, having invested US$5.395 billion since 1989, according to the Laos Ministry of Planning and Investment's 1989–2014 report. Thailand (invested US$4.489 billion) and Vietnam (invested US$3.108 billion) are the second and third largest investors respectively.
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Demographics
The population in 2024 is estimated to be 7,769,819, with an approximately even distribution of females and males (49.8% female). This makes Laos the 103rd most populous country in the world.
The people of Laos are categorised by their distribution by elevation (lowlands, midlands and uplands), as this somewhat correlates with ethnic groupings. More than half of the population is ethnic Lao—the principal lowland inhabitants. The Lao belong to the Tai linguistic group who began migrating south from China in the first millennium AD. 10% belong to other "lowland" groups, which together with the Lao people make up the Lao Loum (lowland people).
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Culture
Sticky rice (khao niao) is a staple food. There are traditions and rituals associated with rice production in environments and among ethnic groups. For example, Khammu farmers in Luang Prabang plant the rice variety khao kam near the farm house in memory of dead parents, or at the edge of the rice field to indicate that parents are alive.
The Lao national dish is Larb (also spelled Laap or Laab), a dish in which chopped meat is blended with toasted rice and then seasoned with herbs, fish sauce, and lime.
Other traditional dishes include Tam Mak Hoong, or green papaya salad, Khao Poon or rice noodle soup, and Sai Oua sausadge.
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