Outline of Laos
Encyclopedia
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, is a landlocked sovereign country located in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. Laos borders Burma (Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
) and China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
to the northwest, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
to the east, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
to the south, and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
to the west. Laos traces its history to the Kingdom of Lan Xang
Lan Xang
The Lao kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Kao was established in 1354 by Fa Ngum.Exiled as an infant to Cambodia, Prince Fa Ngum of Xieng Dong Xieng Thong married a daughter of the Khmer king. In 1349 he set out from Angkor at the head of a 10,000-man army to establish his own country...
or Land of a Million Elephants, which existed from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century. After a period as a French protectorate
French colonial empires
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
, it gained independence in 1949. A long civil war ended officially when the communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Pathet Lao
Pathet Lao
The Pathet Lao was a communist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The group was ultimately successful in assuming political power after the Laotian Civil War. The Pathet Lao were always closely associated with Vietnamese communists...
movement came to power in 1975 but the protesting between factions continued for several years.
Private enterprise has increased since the late 1990s when economic reforms including rapid business licensing were introduced. Laos is still ranked among the lowest countries in terms of economic and political freedom. The economy of Laos
Economy of Laos
The economy of Laos is rapidly growing, as it began to decentralise control and encouraged private enterprise in 1986. It opened a stock exchange in 2011, and has become a rising regional player in its role as a hydroelectric power supplier to neighbors such as China, Vietnam and Thailand. Although...
grew at 7.2% in 2006, 35th fastest in the world. Eighty percent of the employed practice subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families. The typical subsistence farm has a range of crops and animals needed by the family to eat and clothe themselves during the year. Planting decisions are made with an eye...
. The country's ethnic make-up is diverse, with around 70% belonging to the largest ethnic group, the Lao
Lao people
The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...
.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Laos:
General reference
- PronunciationInternational Phonetic AlphabetThe International Phonetic Alphabet "The acronym 'IPA' strictly refers [...] to the 'International Phonetic Association'. But it is now such a common practice to use the acronym also to refer to the alphabet itself that resistance seems pedantic...
: - Common English country name: LaosLaosLaos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
- Official English country name: The Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Adjectives: LaoLaoLao or Laotian may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Laos, a country in Southeast Asia* Lao people * The Lao language* Lao script, the writing system used to write the Lao language* Lao cuisine...
, Laotian - Demonym(s):
- EtymologyEtymologyEtymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
: Name of Laos - International rankings of LaosInternational rankings of Laos- International rankings :...
- ISO country codes: LA, LAO, 418
- ISO region codes: See ISO 3166-2:LAISO 3166-2:LAISO 3166-2:LA is the entry for Laos in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.Currently for Laos, ISO 3166-2 codes are defined...
- InternetInternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
country code top-level domainCountry code top-level domainA country code top-level domain is an Internet top-level domain generally used or reserved for a country, a sovereign state, or a dependent territory....
: .la.la.la is the Internet country code top-level domain for Laos.- History :The LA Names Corporation, based in Guernsey, has gained the rights to market .la registrations, and they had used the registry services of Afilias and, formerly, the registrar services of DreamHost. However, DreamHost has...
Geography of Laos
- Laos is: a landlocked country
- Location:
- Northern HemisphereNorthern HemisphereThe Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
and Eastern HemisphereEastern HemisphereThe Eastern Hemisphere, also Eastern hemisphere or eastern hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that is east of the Prime Meridian and west of 180° longitude. It is also used to refer to Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia, vis-à-vis the Western Hemisphere, which includes... - EurasiaEurasiaEurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
- AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
- South East Asia
- IndochinaIndochinaThe Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
- Indochina
- South East Asia
- Asia
- Time zoneTime zoneA time zone is a region on Earth that has a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes. In order for the same clock time to always correspond to the same portion of the day as the Earth rotates , different places on the Earth need to have different clock times...
: UTC+07 - Extreme points of Laos
- High: Phou BiaPhou BiaPhou Bia is the highest mountain in Laos and is located in the Annamese Cordillera, in the Phou Ane Plateau in Xiangkhouang Province.It is in a restricted military area near the abandoned Long Chen air base, and for this reason sees extremely few outside visitors. Unexploded ordnance further...
2817 m (9,242 ft) - Low: MekongMekongThe Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
70 m (230 ft)
- High: Phou Bia
- Land boundaries: 5,083 km
- Northern Hemisphere
-
Vietnam 2,130 km
Thailand 1,754 km
Cambodia 541 km
Mainland China 423 km
Myanmar 235 km
- Coastline: none
- Population of Laos: 5,859,000 - 106th most populous country
- Area of Laos: 236,800 km2
- Atlas of Laos
Environment of Laos
- Climate of Laos
- Environmental issues in Laos
- Ecoregions in Laos
- Renewable energy in Laos
- Geology of Laos
- Protected areas of Laos
- Biosphere reserves in Laos
- National parks of Laos
- Wildlife of LaosWildlife of LaosAn incomplete list of flora and fauna of Laos.-Fauna:*Agile gibbon *Amida ladybird beetles *Asian elephant *Banteng *Bengal monitor...
- Flora of Laos
- Fauna of Laos
- Birds of Laos
- Mammals of Laos
Natural geographic features of Laos
- Glaciers of Laos
- Islands of Laos
- Lakes of Laos
- Mountains of Laos
- Volcanoes in Laos
- Rivers of Laos
- Waterfalls of Laos
- Valleys of Laos
- World Heritage Sites in Laos: None
Administrative divisions of Laos
- Provinces of LaosProvinces of LaosLaos is divided into provinces and 1 prefecture plus the Vientiane Capital city municipality...
- Districts of LaosDistricts of LaosLaos is divided into 16 provinces and 1 prefecture plus capital city municipality . Furthermore, 1 so-called special administrative zone existed between 1994 and 2006, when it was re-merged into its surrounding provinces...
- Districts of Laos
Municipalities of Laos
- Capital of Laos: Vientiane
- Cities of Laos
Government and politics of Laos
- Main article: Government of Laos and Politics of LaosPolitics of LaosThe politics of Laos takes place in the framework of a single-party socialist republic. The only legal political party is the Lao People's Revolutionary Party . The head of state is President Choummaly Sayasone, who also is secretary-general of the LPRP. The head of government is Prime Minister...
- Form of governmentForm of governmentA form of government, or form of state governance, refers to the set of political institutions by which a government of a state is organized. Synonyms include "regime type" and "system of government".-Empirical and conceptual problems:...
: - Capital of Laos: Vientiane
- Elections in LaosElections in LaosElections in Laos gives information on election and election results in Laos.Laos elects a legislature nationally and the public also participates in the election of village heads. The National Assembly has 115 members, elected for five year terms. Laos is a single-party state...
- (specific elections)
- Political parties in Laos
- Political scandals of Laos
- Taxation in Laos
Executive branch of the government of Laos
- Head of stateHead of StateA head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
: President of LaosPresident of LaosThe President of Laos is the head of state of the People's Democratic Republic of Laos.The office of the President was created in 1975, after the takeover of the country by the Pathet Lao, which abolished the monarchy. A member of the deposed royal family, Prince Souphanouvong, was the first...
, - Head of governmentHead of governmentHead of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
: Prime Minister of LaosPrime Minister of LaosThe Prime Minister of Laos is the head of government of the People's Democratic Republic of Laos.-Prime Ministers:-Trivia:Between December 1959 to December 1960, Laos had 6 different Prime Ministers, after being ousted by 6 different political coups....
, - Cabinet of Laos
Legislative branch of the government of Laos
- Parliament of Laos (bicameral)
- Upper houseUpper houseAn upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
: Senate of Laos - Lower houseLower houseA lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
: House of Commons of Laos
- Upper house
Judicial branch of the government of Laos
- Supreme Court of Laos
Foreign relations of Laos
- Diplomatic missions in Laos
- Diplomatic missions of Laos
- Laos-Vietnam relations
International organization membership
The Lao People's Democratic Republic is a member of:- Asian Development BankAsian Development BankThe Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...
(ADB) - Asia-Pacific TelecommunityAsia-Pacific Telecommunity-Introduction:The Asia Pacific Telecommunity was founded on the joint initiatives of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the International Telecommunication Union ....
(APT) - Association of Southeast Asian NationsAssociation of Southeast Asian NationsThe Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated ASEAN rarely ), is a geo-political and economic organization of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has...
(ASEAN) - Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF)
- Colombo PlanColombo PlanThe Colombo Plan is a regional organization that embodies the concept of collective inter-governmental effort to strengthen economic and social development of member countries in the Asia-Pacific Region...
(CP) - East Asia SummitEast Asia SummitThe East Asia Summit is a forum held annually by leaders of, initially, 16 countries in the East Asian region. Membership will expand to 18 countries including the United States and Russia at the Sixth EAS in 2011. EAS meetings are held after annual ASEAN leaders’ meetings...
(EAS) - Food and Agriculture OrganizationFood and Agriculture OrganizationThe Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
(FAO) - Group of 77Group of 77The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to promote its members' collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations. There were 77 founding members of the organization, but the organization has...
(G77) - International Bank for Reconstruction and DevelopmentInternational Bank for Reconstruction and DevelopmentThe International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of five institutions that compose the World Bank Group. The IBRD is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by World War II. Now, its mission has expanded to fight...
(IBRD) - International Civil Aviation OrganizationInternational Civil Aviation OrganizationThe International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
(ICAO) - International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)
- International Development AssociationInternational Development AssociationThe International Development Association , is the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. It complements the World Bank's other lending arm — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development — which serves middle-income countries with capital investment and...
(IDA) - International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent SocietiesInternational Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent SocietiesThe International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...
(IFRCS) - International Finance CorporationInternational Finance CorporationThe International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....
(IFC) - International Fund for Agricultural DevelopmentInternational Fund for Agricultural DevelopmentThe International Fund for Agricultural Development , a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries...
(IFAD) - International Labour OrganizationInternational Labour OrganizationThe International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
(ILO) - International Monetary FundInternational Monetary FundThe International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
(IMF) - International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) - International Organization for StandardizationInternational Organization for StandardizationThe International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...
(ISO) (subscriber) - International Red Cross and Red Crescent MovementInternational Red Cross and Red Crescent MovementThe International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
(ICRM)
- International Telecommunication UnionInternational Telecommunication UnionThe International Telecommunication Union is the specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for information and communication technologies...
(ITU) - Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
- Multilateral Investment Guarantee AgencyMultilateral Investment Guarantee AgencyThe Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency is a member organization of the World Bank Group that offers political risk insurance. It was established to promote foreign direct investment into developing countries. MIGA was founded in 1988 with a capital base of $1 billion and is headquartered in...
(MIGA) - Nonaligned Movement (NAM)
- Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF)
- Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
- Permanent Court of ArbitrationPermanent Court of ArbitrationThe Permanent Court of Arbitration , is an international organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands.-History:The court was established in 1899 as one of the acts of the first Hague Peace Conference, which makes it the oldest institution for international dispute resolution.The creation of...
(PCA) - United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
(UN) - United Nations Conference on Trade and DevelopmentUnited Nations Conference on Trade and DevelopmentThe United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
(UNCTAD) - United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- United Nations Industrial Development OrganizationUnited Nations Industrial Development OrganizationThe United Nations Industrial Development Organization , French/Spanish acronym ONUDI, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system, headquartered in Vienna, Austria...
(UNIDO) - Universal Postal UnionUniversal Postal UnionThe Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
(UPU) - World Customs OrganizationWorld Customs OrganizationThe World Customs Organization is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. With its worldwide membership, the WCO is recognized as the voice of the global customs community...
(WCO) - World Federation of Trade UnionsWorld Federation of Trade UnionsThe World Federation of Trade Unions was established in 1945 to replace the International Federation of Trade Unions. Its mission was to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations...
(WFTU) - World Health OrganizationWorld Health OrganizationThe World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
(WHO) - World Intellectual Property OrganizationWorld Intellectual Property OrganizationThe World Intellectual Property Organization is one of the 17 specialized agencies of the United Nations. WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world"....
(WIPO) - World Meteorological OrganizationWorld Meteorological OrganizationThe World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
(WMO) - World Tourism OrganizationWorld Tourism OrganizationThe World Tourism Organization , based in Madrid, Spain, is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism rankings. The World Tourism Organization is a significant global body, concerned with the collection and collation of statistical information...
(UNWTO) - World Trade OrganizationWorld Trade OrganizationThe World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
(WTO) (observer)
Law and order in Laos
- Capital punishment in Laos
- Constitution of LaosConstitution of Laos-Previous constitutions:Laos' first, French-written and monarchical constitution was promulgated on May 11, 1947 and declared it to be an independent state within the French Union. The revised constitution of May 11, 1957 omitted reference to the French Union, though close educational, health and...
- Crime in Laos
- Human rights in LaosHuman rights in LaosThe situation of human rights in Laos has often been and remains being recognized as a cause for concern.The Constitution that was promulgated in 1991 contains most key safeguards for human rights. For example, in Article 8 it makes it clear that Laos is a multiethnic state and is committed to...
- LGBT rights in LaosLGBT rights in LaosWhile homosexuality is legal in Laos, it is very difficult to assess the current state of acceptance and violence that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens face, because the government does not allow those whom are not associated with the government to conduct polls on human rights...
- Freedom of religion in LaosFreedom of religion in LaosThe Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the Government restricted this right in practice. Some government officials committed abuses of citizens' religious freedom....
- LGBT rights in Laos
- Law enforcement in Laos
Military of Laos
- Command
- Commander-in-chiefCommander-in-ChiefA commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
:- Ministry of Defence of Laos
- Commander-in-chief
- Forces
- Army of Laos
- NavyNavyA navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
of Laos: None - Air Force of Laos
- Special forces of Laos
- Military history of LaosMilitary history of Laos-Early history:Historically, Laos was subject to the will of its stronger neighbors, enforced by military means. By force of circumstances in warding off repeated foreign invasions, Laotians developed battle skills using elephants and compiled a history full of warlike deeds...
- Military ranks of Laos
History of Laos
- Main article: History of LaosHistory of Laos-Earliest known history and the founding of Lan Xang:The earliest Laos legal document is known as "the laws of Khun Borom" , still preserved in manuscript form.This set of memoriter laws is written in a type of indigenous blank verse, and reflects the state of proto-Lao society as early...
, Timeline of the history of Laos, and Current events of Laos
- Economic history of Laos
- Military history of LaosMilitary history of Laos-Early history:Historically, Laos was subject to the will of its stronger neighbors, enforced by military means. By force of circumstances in warding off repeated foreign invasions, Laotians developed battle skills using elephants and compiled a history full of warlike deeds...
Culture of Laos
- Architecture of Laos
- Cuisine of LaosCuisine of LaosLao cuisine is the cuisine of Laos, which is distinct from other Southeast Asian cuisines. Laos shares borders with neighboring countries and as a result, Lao cuisine has strongly influenced the neighboring cuisine of Northeastern Thailand and some Lao culinary influences have also reached...
- Ethnic minorities in Laos
- Festivals in Laos
- Humor in Laos
- Languages of Laos
- Media in Laos
- National symbols of Laos
- Coat of arms of LaosCoat of arms of LaosThe national emblem of Laos shows the national shrine Pha That Luang. A dam is pictured which as a symbol of power generation at the reservoir Nam Ngun, an asphalt street is also pictured, as well as a stylized watered field. In the lower part is a section of a gear wheel...
- Flag of LaosFlag of LaosThe flag of Laos was adopted on December 2, 1975. The flag had previously been used by the short-lived Lao Issara government of 1945-46, then by the Pathet Lao.-Description and symbolism:...
- National anthem of Laos
- Coat of arms of Laos
- Lao peopleLao peopleThe Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...
- Prostitution in Laos
- Public holidays in Laos
- Records of Laos
- Religion in LaosReligion in LaosLaos is an area of and contains a population of 6.4 million. Almost all ethnic or "lowland" Lao are followers of Theravada Buddhism; however, lowland Lao constitute only 40-50 percent of the population. The remainder of the population belongs to at least 48 distinct ethnic minority groups...
- Buddhism in LaosBuddhism in LaosBuddhism is the primary religion of Laos. The Buddhism practiced in Laos is of the Theravada tradition. Lao Buddhism is a unique version of Theravada Buddhism and is at the basis of Lao culture...
- Christianity in LaosChristianity in LaosChristianity is a minority religion in Laos. Christians in Laos number 150,000, divided approximately equally between Protestant and Catholics. There are three major Churches in Laos: the Lao Evangelical Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Roman Catholic Church...
- Hinduism in Laos
- Islam in LaosIslam in LaosMuslims are a small minority in this Buddhist majority country and constitute about 0.01% of the population. Muslims are visible in the capital, Vientiane, that also has a Jama Masjid....
- Judaism in Laos
- Sikhism in Laos
- Buddhism in Laos
- World Heritage Sites in Laos: None
Art in Laos
- Art in Laos
- Cinema of Laos
- Literature of Laos
- Music of LaosMusic of LaosLaos is dominated by the Lao but includes minorities of Hmong, Mien, Kmhmu, among many others. The most distinctive Lao musical instrument is a bamboo mouth organ called a khene. The instrument was supposedly invented by a woman trying to imitate the calls of the garawek bird. The woman took the...
- Television in Laos
- Theatre in Laos
Economy and infrastructure of Laos
- Economic rank, by nominal GDP (2007): 141st (one hundred and forty first)
- Agriculture in LaosAgriculture in LaosAt least 5 million hectares of Laos's total land area of 23,680,000 hectares are suitable for cultivation. However, just 17 percent of the land area is actually cultivated, less than 4 percent of the total area...
- Banking in Laos
- National Bank of Laos
- Communications in LaosCommunications in LaosTelephones - main lines in use:25,000 Telephones - mobile cellular:850,000Telephone system:service to general public is poor but improving, with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate...
- Internet in LaosInternet in LaosInternet in Laos launched in 1997, and now, Laos is on speed of 10 Mbps and highest wireless internet technology is 3G. In 2011 there are about 527,400 internet users in Laos....
- Internet in Laos
- Companies of Laos
- Currency of LaosCurrencyIn economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
: KipLao kipThe kip "Currency Lao Kip") is the currency of Laos since 1952. One kip is divided into 100 att . The official name is: ເງີນກີບລາວ, lit. Other languages say: ; code: LAK; sign: ' or ', encoded .-Free Lao Kip:...
- ISO 4217ISO 4217ISO 4217 is a standard published by the International Standards Organization, which delineates currency designators, country codes , and references to minor units in three tables:* Table A.1 – Current currency & funds code list...
: LAK
- ISO 4217
- Economic history of Laos
- Energy in Laos
- Energy policy of Laos
- Oil industry in Laos
- Mining in Laos
- Laos Stock Exchange
- Tourism in LaosTourism in LaosTourism is the fastest growing industry in Laos. It is governed by a ministry-level government agency, the Lao National Tourism Administration, located in Vientiane.-Vientiane:Refer to main article Vientiane.* Buddha Park* Haw Phra Kaew...
- Transport in Laos
- Airports in Laos
- Rail transport in Laos
- Roads in Laos
- Water supply and sanitation in Laos
See also
- Index of Laos-related articles
- List of international rankings
- List of Laos-related topics
- Member state of the United Nations
- Outline of AsiaOutline of AsiaThe following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Asia:Asia – world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
- Outline of geographyOutline of geographyThe following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to geography:Geography – science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth.- Geography is :...