| Lao People's Democratic Republic | |
|---|---|
Motto: ສັນຕິພາບ ເອກະລາດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ເອກະພາບ ວັດທະນາຖາວອນ
(English: "Peace, independence, democracy, unity and prosperity") | |
Anthem: "Pheng Xat Lao"
(English: "Lao National Anthem") | |
![Location of Laos (green)in ASEAN (dark grey) – [Legend]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Location_Laos_ASEAN.svg)
| |
| Capital and largest city | Vientiane 17°58′N102°36′E |
| Official languages | Lao |
| Recognised languages | French[1] |
| Spoken languages | |
| Ethnic groups (2005[2]) | |
| Religion | Buddhism64.7% Laotian folk religion 31.4% Christianity1.7% Islam 0.8% Other 1.3% |
| Demonym | Laotian Lao |
| Government | UnitaryMarxist–Leninist one-party socialistrepublic |
| Bounnhang Vorachith | |
| Bounnhang Vorachith | |
| Phankham Viphavanh | |
| Thongloun Sisoulith | |
| Pany Yathotou | |
| Legislature | National Assembly |
| Formation | |
| 1354–1707 | |
• Fall of Lan Xang, Kingdom of Luang Phrabang, Kingdom of Vientiane, Kingdom of Champasak and Principality of Phuan
| 1707–1778 |
| 1778–1893 | |
| 1826–1828 | |
| 1893–1949 | |
• Independence from France
| 19 July 1949 |
• Declared Independence
| 22 October 1953 |
| 9 November 1953 – 2 December 1975 | |
• Lao Monarchy abolished
| 2 December 1975 |
| 14 August 1991 | |
| 23 July 1997 | |
| Area | |
• Total
| 237,955 km2(91,875 sq mi) (82nd) |
• Water (%)
| 2 |
| Population | |
• 2016 estimate
| 6,758,353[3](104th) |
• 2015 census
|
7,096,376
6,492,228[4] |
• Density
| 26.7/km2(69.2/sq mi) (177th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2018 estimate |
• Total
| $53.752 billion[5] |
• Per capita
| $7,932[5] |
| GDP (nominal) | 2018 estimate |
• Total
| $18.337 billion[5] |
• Per capita
| $2,706[5] |
| Gini (2008) | 36.7[6] medium |
| HDI (2015) |  0.586[7]medium · 138th |
| Currency | Kip (₭) (LAK) |
| Time zone | ICT |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
| Drives on the | right |
| Calling code | +856 |
| ISO 3166 code | LA |
| Internet TLD | .la |
| |
Laos (/ˈlɑːoʊs/ (
listen),[8] /laʊs, ˈlɑːɒs, ˈleɪɒs/;[9][10] Lao: ລາວ, Lao pronunciation: [láːw], Lāo; French: Laos), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao; French: République démocratique populaire lao), commonly referred to by its colloquial name of Muang Lao (Lao: ເມືອງລາວ, Muang Lao), is a landlocked country in the heart of the Indochinese peninsula of Mainland Southeast Asia, bordered by Myanmar (Burma) and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southwest and Thailand to the west and southwest.[11]
listen),[8] /laʊs, ˈlɑːɒs, ˈleɪɒs/;[9][10] Lao: ລາວ, Lao pronunciation: [láːw], Lāo; French: Laos), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao; French: République démocratique populaire lao), commonly referred to by its colloquial name of Muang Lao (Lao: ເມືອງລາວ, Muang Lao), is a landlocked country in the heart of the Indochinese peninsula of Mainland Southeast Asia, bordered by Myanmar (Burma) and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southwest and Thailand to the west and southwest.[11]
Present-day Laos traces its historic and cultural identity to the kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Khao (Kingdom of a Million Elephants Under the White Parasol), which existed for four centuries as one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia.[12] Due to Lan Xang's central geographical location in Southeast Asia, the kingdom was able to become a popular hub for overland trade, becoming wealthy economically as well as culturally.[12]
After a period of internal conflict, Lan Xang broke off into three separate kingdoms—Luang Phrabang, Vientiane and Champasak. In 1893, it became a French protectorate, with the three territories uniting to form what is now known as the country of Laos. It briefly gained freedom in 1945 after Japanese occupation, but was recolonised by France until it won autonomy in 1949. Laos became independent in 1953, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong. Shortly after independence, a long civil war ended the monarchy, when the Communist Pathet Lao movement came to power in 1975.
Laos is a one-party socialist republic. It espouses Marxism–Leninism and is governed by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, in which the party leadership is dominated by military figures.[13] The capital and largest city is Vientiane. Other major cities include Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Pakse. The official language is Lao. Laos is a multi-ethnic country, with the politically and culturally dominant Lao people making up about 55 percent of the population, mostly in the lowlands. Mon-Khmer groups, the Hmong and other indigenous hill tribes, accounting for 45 percent of the population, live in the foothills and mountains.
Laos's ambitious strategies for development are based on generating electricity from its rivers and selling the power to its neighbours, namely Thailand, China and Vietnam, as well as its initiative to become a "land-linked" nation, shown by the planning of four new railways connecting Laos to those same countries.[14] This, along with growth of the mining sector, Laos has been referred to as one of East Asia and Pacific's Fastest Growing Economies by the World Bank, with annual GDP growth averaging 7% for the past decade.[15][16]
It is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), East Asia Summit and La Francophonie. Laos applied for membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1997; on 2 February 2013, it was granted full membership.[17]