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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]](view_image.php?q=Laos&sq=Facebook&lang=simple&file=File:Laos_in_its_region.svg) | |
| Capital and largest city | Vientiane 17°58′N 102°36′E / 17.967°N 102.600°E |
| Official languages | Lao |
| Recognised languages | French |
| Other languages | English |
| Demonym(s) | Laotian, Lao |
| Government | Unitary
Marxist-Leninist communist and single-party state |
| Thongloun Sisoulith | |
| Sonexay Siphandone | |
| 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 |
Lao People's Democratic Republic or Laos (ປະເທດລາວ), is a country in Southeast Asia. The capital of Laos is Vientiane.
Laos is landlocked (it does not have a coast on a sea or ocean), and it is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar (used to be known in English as "Burma") 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 large 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.[4]
Since the country has many mountains, has no access to seaports, and has few large river valleys good for large-scale farming, Laos has had few people compared to other Southeast Asian countries. Laos is the least densely populated country in Southeast Asia, with only 32 people per square kilometer.[5]
The official language is Lao, a language belonging to the Tai language group. 98% of Lao people believe in Buddhism. The main crop in Laos is rice.
Transport in Laos: Trains go to and from China and Vietnam. Trains to and from Thailand will start in July 2024; That line has an endpoint in Vientiane prefecture's Khamsavath railway station.[6]
- ↑ "Background notes – Laos". US Dept. of State. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Laos". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ↑ "Human Development Report 2009. Human development index trends: Table G" (PDF). The United Nations. January 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Laos". 1 March 2011. CIA World Factbook. Archived from the original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
- ↑ "Population density in South East Asia". TheGlobalEconomy.com. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ↑ https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2822566/bangkok-vientiane-train-service-begins-july-19. Retrieved 2024-07-03