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 Lao government says it will suspend new hydro projects after dam collapse kills 31 - Mongabay.com Mongabay.com Lao government says it will suspend new hydro projects after dam collapse kills 31 Mongabay.com Laos will suspend new hydropower projects and carry out safety inspections of all existing dams, the government announced last week. The Aug. 7 decision came in the aftermath of the collapse of a hydroelectric dam in the country's south on July 23. Survivors Recount Horror of Laos Dam CollapseVoice of America UN agencies aid thousands affected by flash flood in LaosXinhua Death toll reaches 36 in Laos dam collapse, 98 missingBusiness Standard Global Times all 44 news articles » Singapore police dogs to help recover bodies in Laos after dam collapse - Channel NewsAsia Channel NewsAsia Singapore police dogs to help recover bodies in Laos after dam collapse Channel NewsAsia SINGAPORE: Three Singapore Police Force (SPF) sniffer dogs have been deployed to Laos to help recover bodies in the aftermath of the massive dam collapse last month that swept entire villages and farmland away. This is the first time that the police's ... 3 police dogs deployed with Home Team officers to aid in Laos flood relief effortsThe Straits Times all 3 news articles » Laos: Of breathtaking waterfalls, bears and butterflies - Free Malaysia Today Free Malaysia Today Laos: Of breathtaking waterfalls, bears and butterflies Free Malaysia Today Nothing quite stirs a love for nature more than the mesmerising sight of water crashing down rocky slopes and pooling around you at the base. If you happen to be in Luang Prabang in Laos, looking for a one-day or half-day trip, head to the Kuang Si ... Home Team contingent departed for Laos - The Online Citizen The Online Citizen Home Team contingent departed for Laos The Online Citizen A 32-member Home Team contingent comprising 14 officers from the Singapore Police Force (SPF), 3 victim recovery dogs from the SPF K9 Unit, and 18 Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers, departed for Laos on a Republic of Singapore Air Force ... Groups Urge Laos to Rethink Huge Hydropower Projects - Voice of America Voice of America Groups Urge Laos to Rethink Huge Hydropower Projects Voice of America Environmental groups and researchers are calling on the government of Laos to carry out an open investigation of the deadly collapse of a large dam. On July 23, part of the Xe-Pian-Xe Namnoy hydropower dam collapsed releasing a wall of water. More than ... Police dogs deployed for mission in Laos - The Straits Times The Straits Times Police dogs deployed for mission in Laos The Straits Times In a first, three dogs from the Singapore Police Force K-9 Unit have been deployed on an overseas mission to help in disaster relief efforts in Laos. The three victim-recovery dogs left Paya Lebar Airbase with a 32-member Home Team contingent yesterday. and more » Ho Chi Minh City boosts science and technology cooperation with Laos - Nhan Dan Online Nhan Dan Online Ho Chi Minh City boosts science and technology cooperation with Laos Nhan Dan Online NDO - Permanent Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Le Thanh Liem, hosted a reception in the city, on August 14, for a delegation of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Laos led by Deputy Minister, Sundara Sourioudong. and more » ASEAN-Korea Center makes donation to Laos flood relief - The Korea Herald The Korea Herald ASEAN-Korea Center makes donation to Laos flood relief The Korea Herald The center's Secretary-General Lee Hyuk delivered the donation to Laos Ambassador to Korea Khamsouay Keodalavong, and expressed his sympathy and wish for a speedy rehabilitation of the disaster-stricken areas in the Southeast Asian country. Laos Suspends New Dam Projects Following Catastrophe - Voice of America Voice of America Laos Suspends New Dam Projects Following Catastrophe Voice of America The Laos government will suspend approval of new dams while it reviews more than 50 current projects following the catastrophic collapse of a hydropower facility late last month. Kanya Khammoungkhoun, Deputy Director General of the Department of ... Laos dam collapse death toll rises to 31, scores still missingChannel NewsAsia Thousands displaced by Laos floods at risk from 'moving' landminesSouth China Morning Post Investigators Begin Work on Deadly Laos Dam CollapseEngineering News-Record Asia Times all 122 news articles » Laos suspends new dams as tragedy raises wider fears - eco-business.com eco-business.com Laos suspends new dams as tragedy raises wider fears eco-business.com The July 23 dam collapse in southern Laos marked a turning point that squarely exposed the vulnerabilities of Laos' current plans to become the “battery” of Southeast Asia. At least 34 people died in floods unleashed by the man-made disaster at the ... and more »