Laos is a nation on the mainland portion of Southeast Asia, which is known as Indochina. The people of Laos are called Laotians. After many years of control by Thailand and then France, Laos became independent in 1954. However, the fight for control of the country continued until 1975. Since then, Laos has enjoyed peace. The poor economy has been an ongoing problem. Vientiane is the capital and largest city.
Laos is landlocked, meaning that it is surrounded on all sides by land. Five countries border Laos: China to the north, Vietnam to the northeast and east, Cambodia to the south, Thailand to the west, and Myanmar to the northwest. The total area of Laos is about 91,429 square miles (236,800 square kilometers).
Much of the land consists of rugged mountains covered with forests. Deep river valleys cut between many of the mountains. In the north is Mount Bia, the country's highest peak at 9,245 feet (2,818 meters). The principal mountain range is the Annamese Cordillera, which runs along the eastern border with Vietnam.
The western border of Laos is formed mainly by the long Mekong River. The Mekong is one of the major rivers of Southeast Asia, and it is the center of economic life in Laos. The country's only lowlands lie along the eastern bank of the Mekong River. The fertile soil of these lowlands is good for farming rice. The river is also an important transportation route. The land in Laos generally slopes downhill from east to west. All the country's major rivers flow downward to join the Mekong River in the west.
Laos lies near the equator, so it has a tropical climate. It is quite warm for most of the year. The country receives heavy rain from May to October. However, long dry periods are common.
Laos is largely covered with forests. Teak, rosewood, and ebony trees are found in the south, along with bamboo and other grasses. In the north are mostly tropical rain forests filled with evergreens. The forests make a good home for many animals, including elephants, tigers, leopards, monkeys, bears, and deer. Laos also has a large variety of birds.
Laos has four main ethnic groups. About half the people are Lao Lum. The people of this group generally live in the cities and in the lowlands along the Mekong River. About a quarter of the people are Lao-Theung (also known as Mon-Khmer). They live mainly at higher elevations. The Lao-Theung were probably among the first settlers of Laos. The other two large ethnic groups are the Lao-Tai and the Lao-Soung.
The main religions in Laos are Buddhism and animism, or spirit worship. Many people in Laos practice both of these religions. The official language is Lao, which is related to the Thai spoken in nearby Thailand. English, French, and Vietnamese also are spoken in the cities of Laos.
Most of the people live near the rivers, especially the Mekong. The country's largest cities are Vientiane, Louangphrabang, and Savannakhét, which all lie along the Mekong River. However, only about a quarter of the people live in cities. The other three quarters of the population is rural.
Laos is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its economy is based mainly on agriculture and international aid. Rice is the chief crop. Other important food crops include sweet potatoes, corn, cassava, pineapples, melons, and other vegetables. Coffee, tobacco, and sugarcane are grown for export. The people also fish and raise pigs, water buffalo, and cattle. Laos cannot yet produce enough food for its people, so it must buy food from other countries.
The country's forests and rivers are valuable resources. Wood products are the top export. A large dam on the Mekong River produces electricity from waterpower. Laos sells much of this electricity to Thailand. The country's industries include clothing manufacturing and tin and gypsum mining.
People began living in Laos thousands of years ago. The Lao-Theung were perhaps among the earliest inhabitants. In the 8th century AD, the Lao-Lum established a powerful kingdom in southern China. They began moving southward into Laos in about the 9th century.
The first unified state in Laos dates back to the 14th century, with the founding of Lan Xang (“Kingdom of the Million Elephants”). This kingdom ruled much of what is now Thailand as well as Laos. In the 18th century, the area split into three separate kingdoms: Champassak in the south, Vien Chan in the center, and Luang Prabang in the north.This lack of unity made the kingdoms weak. Eventually, all three fell under the rule of Siam (now Thailand).
In the second half of the 19th century, France took control of the region of Indochina, which included Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. In 1945, during World War II, the Japanese drove the French out of Laos. However, French rule was restored in 1946. Laos was granted some self-rule in 1949.
In the 1950s a Laotian political movement called the Pathet Lao began to struggle for control of Laos. The Pathet Lao were Communists—that is, they favored a system in which the government owns all the country's businesses and distributes the wealth among the people. In the early 1950s, the Pathet Lao joined with a Communist group in Vietnam to fight France in the French Indochina War.
In 1954 the war ended and Laos became an independent nation ruled by the Laotian king. However, various Laotian groups including the Pathet Lao continued to fight for the control of Laos until 1975.
In the 1960s the Pathet Lao forces became involved in the Vietnam War. For nearly ten years, Laos suffered from very heavy bombing.
At the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, the Pathet Lao took control of Laos. The new government's rule was at first very harsh. In addition, the economy declined. About 10 percent of the people fled into neighboring Thailand. Beginning in the 1980s, the government began to change some of its policies, and conditions began to improve.
In 1994 a bridge over the Mekong River linked Laos with Thailand. This Friendship Bridge opened the way for more trade between the countries. In 1997 Laos joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a group that promotes economic cooperation among its member states. Population (2001 estimate), 5,636,000.
