Country	Laos
Capital	Vientiane
Continent	Asia
Currency	Kip(LAK)
Languages	Lao

Locaion

Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic Co ordinates

18 00 N, 105 00 E

Land Boundries

Total:5,083 km
Border countries:Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Geography - note

landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand

Population

6,993,767 (July 2010 est.)
Country comparison to the world:100

Nationality

Noun:Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
Adjective:Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups

Lao 55%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 8%, other (over 100 minor ethnic groups) 26% (2005 census)

Religions

Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)

Languages

Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Country Name

Conventional long form:Lao People's Democratic Republic
Conventional short form:Laos
Local long form:Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
Local short form:Pathet Lao (unofficial)

Government Type

Communist state

Capital

Name:Vientiane (Viangchan)
Geographic coordinates:17 58 N, 102 36 E
Time difference:UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence

19 July 1949 (from France)

National Holiday

Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Constitution

promulgated 14 August 1991; amended in 2003

Legal system

based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Chief of state:President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006)
Head of government:Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Lt. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001)
Cabinet:Ministers appointed by president, approved by National Assembly
(For more information visit the World Leaders website)
Elections:president and vice president elected by National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held on 8 June 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for five-year term
Election results:CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 97%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to serve five-year terms)
Elections:last held 30 on April 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results:percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 113, independents 2

Judicial branch

People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National Assembly Standing Committee)

Political Parties and Leaders

Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

International organization participation

ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US

Chief of mission:Ambassador PHIANE Philakone
Chancery:2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone:[1] (202) 332-6416
FAX:[1] (202) 332-4923

Diplomatic representation from the US

Chief of mission:Ambassador Ravic R. HUSO
Embassy:19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam, Vientiane
Mailing address:American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP 96546
Telephone:[856] 21-26-7000
FAX:[856] 21-26-7190

Flag description

three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Video

View Larger Map

Government - The National Portal of Laos Ministry Of Education
Newspapers -  Vientiane Times Le Renovateur Vientiane Mai Pasaxon KPL
Tourism -         Tourism - Laos

Google News

This RSS feed URL is deprecatedThis RSS feed URL is deprecated, please update. New URLs can be found in the footers at https://news.google.com/news Water Experts Question World Bank's Role in Laos Dam - Voice of America Voice of America Water Experts Question World Bank's Role in Laos Dam Voice of America A panel of water experts have warned that the World Bank's promotion of a major dam in Laos, which they say failed to deliver on basic promises, has fueled the country's development of shoddy hydropower projects with catastrophic consequences. Rosewood Luang Prabang raises the luxury stakes in Laos - CNN.com - CNN CNN Rosewood Luang Prabang raises the luxury stakes in Laos - CNN.com CNN Designed by Bill Bensley, Rosewood Luang Prabang ups the luxury stakes in one of Laos' most magical destinations. Find out why this Southeast Asian resort is ... and more » Lao Workers Jailed For Criticizing Government Are Separated in Prison - Radio Free Asia Lao Workers Jailed For Criticizing Government Are Separated in Prison Radio Free Asia Three Lao workers given long prison terms in April 2017 for criticizing their government while working in Thailand have been separated in prison, with one now sent to a separate facility in his hometown and the other two housed with other prisoners in ... New Laos land law could block customary rights, women's titles ... - Reuters Devdiscourse New Laos land law could block customary rights, women's titles ... Reuters VIENTIANE (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A new land law may bring greater transparency in land management and modernization of records in Laos, but it ... New Laos land law could block customary rights, women's titles - analystsThomson Reuters Foundation Analyst believe Laos new land law could curb women ownership ...Devdiscourse all 2 news articles » New questions asked about Lao dam toll, builder's role - Asia Times Asia Times New questions asked about Lao dam toll, builder's role Asia Times The official death toll given by the government of Laos for the dam disaster in southern Laos in July is not credible, according to civil society groups in Thailand. Premrudee Daoroung, a well-known environmental campaigner who is part of the Laos Dam ... Lao Villagers Denied Payment for Land by Vietnamese Firm - Radio Free Asia Lao Villagers Denied Payment for Land by Vietnamese Firm Radio Free Asia Lao villagers formerly leasing land to a Vietnamese rubber company under a profit-sharing arrangement are now being refused compensation by the foreign-owned firm, which says the land belongs not to the villagers but to the state, Lao sources say. and more » Tigers forever: a wildlife hike in north-east Laos - The Guardian The Guardian Tigers forever: a wildlife hike in north-east Laos The Guardian On the screen, the mammals and birds of this remote Laos forest flickered into life: stump-tailed macaques, a silver pheasant, a snuffling sun bear, an Asian antelope, an Indian mongoose, a couple of sambar deer, and a pair of white spectacled Lao leaf ... Preventing malnutrition in Laos - UNICEF (press release) UNICEF (press release) Preventing malnutrition in Laos UNICEF (press release) XEPON, Lao People's Democratic Republic, 18 October 2018 – Loulli has just woken up from her nap, eager to play with her older sister and cousins. At eight months old, she is full of energy and laughter and tries to stand on her feet. But until ... Civil Society Groups Say “Official Death Toll” of Laos Dam Disaster, Not Credible - Chiang Rai Times Chiang Rai Times Civil Society Groups Say “Official Death Toll” of Laos Dam Disaster, Not Credible Chiang Rai Times An SK E&C document from November 2012 titled “Laos Dam Project Implementation Plan” acquired through Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Kyung-hyup indicated the company's authority to alter the existing design was used to obtain “maintenance costs ... Laos commercial agricultural production increases - Borneo Bulletin Online Laos commercial agricultural production increases Borneo Bulletin Online VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – Agricultural production in Laos is mainly of three types – native agriculture, mixed crop plantation and commercial production, the Department of Planning and Finance under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry ...