Lao People's Democratic Republic
| |
|---|---|
| Motto: ສັນຕິພາບ ເອກະລາດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ເອກະພາບ ວັດທະນະຖາວອນ Santiphap, Ekalat, Paxathipatai, Ekaphap, Vatthanathavon "Peace, Independence, Democracy, Unity and Prosperity" | |
| Anthem: ເພງຊາດລາວ Pheng Xat Lao "Hymn of the Lao People" | |
.svg)  | |
| Capital | Vientiane 17°58′N 102°36′E / 17.967°N 102.600°E |
| Official languages | Lao |
| Spoken languages | |
| Ethnic groups (2015[2]) | |
| Religion |
|
| Demonym(s) | |
| Government | Unitary Marxist–Leninist one-party socialist republic |
| Thongloun Sisoulith | |
| Bounthong Chitmany Pany Yathotou | |
| Sonexay Siphandone | |
| Saysomphone Phomvihane | |
| Legislature | National Assembly |
| Formation | |
| 1353–1707 | |
| 1707–1778 | |
• Vassals of Siam | 1778–1893 |
| 1893–1953 | |
| 1945–1949 | |
| 11 May 1947 | |
| 22 October 1953 | |
• Monarchy abolished | 2 December 1975 |
| Area | |
• Total | 236,800 km2 (91,400 sq mi)[5] (82nd) |
• Water (%) | 2 |
| Population | |
• 2022 estimate | 7,749,595[5] (103rd) |
• Density | 26.7/km2 (69.2/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2024 estimate |
• Total |  $74.760 billion[6] (106th) |
• Per capita | $9,727[6] (125th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2024 estimate |
• Total | $14.949 billion[6] (145th) |
• Per capita |  $1,945[6] (152nd) |
| Gini (2012) | 36.4[7] medium inequality |
| HDI (2022) | 0.620[8] medium (139th) |
| Currency | Kip (₭) (LAK) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Drives on | right |
| Calling code | +856 |
| ISO 3166 code | LA |
| Internet TLD | .la |
Laos,[c] officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR),[d] is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and southwest.[12] Its capital and most populous city is Vientiane.
Laos traces its historic and cultural identity to Lan Xang, a kingdom which existed from the 13th century to the 18th century.[13] Because of its geographical location, the kingdom became a hub for overland trade.[13] After a period of internal conflict, Lan Xang broke into the Kingdom of Luang Phrabang, the Kingdom of Vientiane and the Kingdom of Champasak. In 1893, the 3 kingdoms were united under a French protectorate. Laos was occupied by Japan during World War II and regained independence in 1945 as a Japanese puppet state and was re-colonised by France, until it won autonomy in 1949. It gained independence in 1953 as the Kingdom of Laos, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong. A civil war began in 1959, which saw the communist Pathet Lao, supported by North Vietnam and the Soviet Union, fight against the Royal Lao Armed Forces, supported by the United States. After the Vietnam War ended in 1975, the Lao People's Revolutionary Party established a one-party socialist republic espousing Marxism-Leninism, ending the civil war and monarchy, and beginning a period of alignment with the Soviet Union until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Laos's strategies for development are based on generating electricity from rivers and selling the power to its neighbours, namely Thailand, China and Vietnam, and its initiative to become a "land-linked" nation, as evidenced by the construction of 4 railways connecting Laos and neighbours.[14][15] Laos has been referred to as one of Southeast Asia and Pacific's fastest growing economies by the World Bank with annual GDP growth averaging 7.4% since 2009,[16][17] while being classified as a least developed country by the United Nations. Laos is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement, the ASEAN, East Asia Summit, La Francophonie, and the World Trade Organization.[18]
- ^ "The Languages spoken in Laos". Studycountry. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- ^ "Results of Population and Housing Census 2015" (PDF). Lao Statistics Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- ^ "Lao People's Democratic Republic's Constitution of 1991 with Amendments through 2003" (PDF). constituteproject.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 December 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
Article 9: The State respects and protects all lawful activities of Buddhists and of followers of other religions, [and] mobilises and encourages Buddhist monks and novices as well as the priests of other religions to participate in activities that are beneficial to the country and people.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
globalReligionwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b "Laos". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 September 2022. (Archived 2022 edition.)
- ^ a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2024 Edition. (Laos)". International Monetary Fund. 20 October 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ "Gini Index". World Bank. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
- ^ "Human Development Report 2023/24". United Nations Development Programme. 13 March 2024. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Laos". Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2016 – via The Free Dictionary.
- ^ Oxford Dictionaries
- ^ Oxford Dictionaries (American English)
- ^ "About Laos: Geography". Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum. Government of Laos. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016.
- ^ a b Stuart-Fox, Martin (1998). The Lao Kingdom of Lan Xang: Rise and Decline. White Lotus Press. p. 49. ISBN 974-8434-33-8.
- ^ Janssen, Peter. "China train project runs roughshod over Laos". Asia Times. Archived from the original on 13 October 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
- ^ "Laos approves Xayaburi 'mega' dam on Mekong". BBC News. 5 November 2012. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
- ^ "Lao PDR [Overview]". World Bank. March 2018. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
- ^ "Laos Securities Exchange to start trading". Financial Times. 10 January 2011. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
- ^ "Lao People's Democratic Republic and the WTO". World Trade Organization. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
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