Champasak province

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Champasak province ແຂວງ ຈຳປາສັກ
Province
Map of Champasak province
Location of Champasak province in Laos
Coordinates: 14°52′57″N 105°50′33″E / 14.8825°N 105.8425°E / 14.8825; 105.8425
Country	Laos
Capital	Pakse
Area
• Total	15,415 km2 (5,952 sq mi)
Population  (2020 census)
• Total	752,688
• Density	49/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+7 (ICT)
ISO 3166 code	LA-CH
HDI (2017)	0.604[1] medium · 6th

This article contains Lao text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Lao script.

Champasak (or Champassak, Champasack – Lao: ຈຳປາສັກ [t͡ɕàm pàː sák]) is a province in southwestern Laos, near the borders with Thailand and Cambodia. It is one of the three principalities that succeeded the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang. As of the 2015 census, it had a population of 694,023. The capital is Pakse, but the province takes its name from Champasak, the former capital of the Kingdom of Champasak.

Champasak is bordered by Salavan province to the north, Sekong province to the northeast, Attapeu province to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west. The Mekong River forms part of the border with neighboring Thailand and contains Si Phan Don ('Four Thousand Islands') in the south of the province, on the border with Cambodia.

Champasak has played a central role in the history of Siam and Laos, with frequent battles taking place in and around Champasak.^[2] Its cultural heritage includes ancient temple ruins and French colonial architecture. Champasak has some 20 wats (temples), such as Wat Phou, Wat Luang, and Wat Tham Fai. Freshwater dolphins and the province's many waterfalls are tourist attractions.^[2]