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Laos

This article is about the country. For other uses, see Laos (disambiguation) and Lao (disambiguation).

Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ (Lao)
  • Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
สาธารณรัฐประชาธิปไตยประชาชนลาว (Phu Thai) S̄āṭhārṇrạṭ̄h prachāṭhiptịy prachāchn lāōw
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"
Location of Laos (green)

in ASEAN (dark green)  –  [Legend]

Capital
and largest city
Vientiane
17°58′N 102°36′E / 17.967°N 102.600°E / 17.967; 102.600
Official languagesLao
Spoken languages
Ethnic groups
(2015[2])
Religion
Demonym(s)
GovernmentUnitary Marxist–Leninist[5] one-party socialist republic[6]
Thongloun Sisoulith
Bounthong Chitmany
Pany Yathotou
Sonexay Siphandone
Saysomphone Phomvihane
LegislatureNational Assembly
Formation
1353–1707
• Kingdoms of Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Champasak
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)[7] (82nd)
• Water (%)
2
Population
• 2024 estimate
7,953,556[7] (103rd)
• Density
26.7/km2 (69.2/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)2024 estimate
• Total
Increase $74.760 billion[8] (106th)
• Per capita
Increase $9,727[8] (125th)
GDP (nominal)2024 estimate
• Total
Increase $14.949 billion[8] (145th)
• Per capita
Decrease $1,945[8] (152nd)
Gini (2012)36.4[9]
medium inequality
HDI (2022)Increase 0.620[10]
medium (139th)
CurrencyKip (₭) (LAK)
Time zoneUTC+7 (ICT)
Calling code+856
ISO 3166 codeLA
Internet TLD.la

Laos,[c] officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR),[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. The country has a population of approximately eight million.[14] Its capital and most populous city is Vientiane. The country is characterized by mountainous terrain, Buddhist temples including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Luang Prabang, and French colonial architecture.[15]

The country traces its historic and cultural identity to Lan Xang, a kingdom which existed from the 13th to 18th centuries.[16] Through its location, the kingdom was a hub for overland trade.[16] In 1707, Lan Xang split into three kingdoms: Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. In 1893, these kingdoms were unified under French protection as part of French Indochina. Laos was under Japanese administration during World War II, gaining independence in 1945 before returning to French administration until achieving autonomy in 1949. The country regained full independence in 1953 as the Kingdom of Laos, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong. A civil war from 1959 to 1975 saw the communist Pathet Lao, supported by North Vietnam and the Soviet Union, oppose the Royal Lao Armed Forces, backed by the United States. The war ended with the establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975, a one-party socialist state aligned with the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991.

As one of the five active remaining communist one-party socialist republics, espousing Marxism–Leninism, Laos has been governed by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, under which non-governmental organisations have routinely characterised the country's human rights record as poor, citing repeated abuses such as torture, restrictions on civil liberties and persecution of minorities.[17] The country's political system has been described as authoritarian by Freedom House.[18] Despite the challenges, Laos has transitioned toward market-oriented reforms, marking a new phase of development.[19][20]

Laos's development strategy emphasizes regional connectivity through infrastructure development. The 2021 completion of the Laos-China Railway, connecting Vientiane to Kunming, has increased trade and tourism accessibility.[21][22] The country participates in the Greater Mekong Subregion economic cooperation program, focusing on cross-border infrastructure and energy projects.[23] The World Bank has recognized Laos as one of Southeast Asia and Pacific's fastest growing economies, with annual GDP growth averaging 7.4% since 2009, driven by expanding tourism, energy exports, and foreign investment. While classified as a least developed country by the United Nations, Laos is a member of ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement, East Asia Summit, La Francophonie, and the World Trade Organization.[24]

  1. ^ "The Languages spoken in Laos". Studycountry. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Results of Population and Housing Census 2015" (PDF). Lao Statistics Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference globalReligion was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Laos". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Library Guides: Southeast Asian Region Countries Law: Lao PDR". Library Guides at University of Melbourne. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Laos". The World Factbook (2025 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 September 2022. (Archived 2022 edition.)
  8. ^ a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2024 Edition. (Laos)". International Monetary Fund. 20 October 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Gini Index". World Bank. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  10. ^ "Human Development Report 2023/24". United Nations Development Programme. 13 March 2024. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Laos". Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2016 – via The Free Dictionary.
  12. ^ "Laos - definition of Laos in English from the Oxford dictionary". 9 November 2015. Archived from the original on 9 November 2015.
  13. ^ Oxford Dictionaries (American English)
  14. ^ "About Laos: Geography". Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum. Government of Laos. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016.
  15. ^ Vongvilay, Xayaphone; Shin, Jai-Eok; Kang, Young-Hwan; Kim, E-Doo; Choi, Joong-Hyun (1 May 2015). "The Influence of French Colonial Rule on Lao Architecture with a Focus on Residential Buildings". Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering. 14 (2): 279–286. doi:10.3130/jaabe.14.279. ISSN 1346-7581.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ "Laos 2017/2018". amnesty.org. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  18. ^ "Laos: Freedom in the World 2022 Country Report". Freedom House. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  19. ^ Lao PDR: Accelerating Structural Transformation for Inclusive Growth - Country Diagnostic Study. Asian Development Bank. 10 November 2017. doi:10.22617/tcs179052-2. ISBN 978-92-9257-993-7.
  20. ^ Bird, Kelly; Hill, Hal (June 2010). "Tiny, Poor, Land-locked, Indebted, but Growing: Lessons for Late Reforming Transition Economies from Laos". Oxford Development Studies. 38 (2): 117–143. doi:10.1080/13600811003753776. hdl:1885/52194. ISSN 1360-0818.
  21. ^ Osaka City University, Japan; Yan, Xuchong (18 September 2024). "A Study on the China-Laos Railway's Economic and Strategic Significance". Souphanouvong University Journal Multidisciplinary Research and Development. 10 (1): 115–123. doi:10.69692/SUJMRD1001115.
  22. ^ Zhang, Zongshi; Zeng, Wenge (15 December 2023). "What Would Be Necessary to Construct a Rule Framework for Sustainability in the New Western Land–Sea Corridor? An Analysis Based on Green International Rule of Law". Sustainability. 15 (24): 16888. Bibcode:2023Sust...1516888Z. doi:10.3390/su152416888. ISSN 2071-1050.
  23. ^ Verbiest, Jean-Pierre A. (2013). "Regional Cooperation and Integration in the Mekong Region". Asian Economic Policy Review. 8 (1): 148–164. doi:10.1111/aepr.12015. ISSN 1748-3131.
  24. ^ "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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