Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is a country in Southeast Asia.[4]
Lao People's Democratic Republic ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxôn Lao | |
|---|---|
 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]](https://www.search.com.vn/wiki/simple/File:Laos_in_its_region.svg) | |
| Capital | Vientiane 17°58′N 102°36′E / 17.967°N 102.600°E |
| Official languages | Lao |
| Demonym(s) | Laotian, Lao |
| Government | |
| 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) |  0.497[3]low · 122nd |
| Currency | Kip (LAK) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | 856 |
| ISO 3166 code | LA |
| Internet TLD | .la |
Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar 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 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.[5] Laos is the least densely populated country in Southeast Asia, with 32 people per square kilometer.[6] Trains to and from Thailand will start in July 2024; that line has an endpoint in Vientiane prefecture's Khamsavath railway station.[7]
History
Laos became a French colony in 1893 and became part of French Indochina. In 1949 it became independent from France, as the Kingdom of Laos. The Laotian Civil War started in 1953. In 1975 Laos became a one-party state under the leadership of the communist party.[8]
On July 20, 1954 an agreement was signed - Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities in Laos. That agreement ended France's rule of Laos.[9] 2 months later, the authorities of North Vietnam, established a support group for Pathet Lao, in Ban Nameo.[10]
From the middle of the 1960s, Laos was used by North Vietnam as a route to attack South Vietnam. U.S. forces dropped bombs on Laos, to try to stop the supplies coming thru the Ho Chi Minh trail.[11]
South Vietnam was taken (or fell) in April 1975. On May 14, 1975 Vang Pao escaped from Laos, thru the military base at Long Tieng.[12]
References
