In 2017, Laos suffered fiscal and monetary difficulties which resulted in low levels of foreign reserves. Since July, 2021 the United States has shared 2,908,440 safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses with the people of Laos - free of cost. [102][103], However, the government of Laos frequently breaches its own constitution and the rule of law, since the judiciary and judges are appointed by the ruling communist party. The Lao League is the top professional league for association football clubs in the country. Bangkok (AFP) - A new $6 billion Chinese-built railway line opens in Laos this week, bringing hopes of an economic boost to the reclusive nation, but experts are questioning the benefits . Today, French has a healthier status in Laos than the other Francophone nations of Asia and about 35% of all students in Laos receive their education in French, with the language being a required course in many schools. The capital of Laos is Vientiane, which was founded 13th century. [42] By 1943, the Vietnamese population stood at nearly 40,000, forming the majority in the largest cities of Laos and enjoying the right to elect its own leaders. Laos's first expressway, the VientianeBoten Expressway, parallels both Route 13 and the BotenVientiane railway; the first section from Vientiane to Vang Vieng was opened in 2020, with other sections under construction. Sticky rice is a staple food and has cultural and religious significance to the Lao people. Energy Efficiency Retrofitting of Buildings Challenges and Methods", Diller, Anthony; Edmondson, Jerry; Luo, Yongxian (2004). They were to have been released by October 2009, but their whereabouts remain unknown. According to linguistic and other historical evidence, Tai-speaking tribes migrated southwestward to the modern territories of Laos and Thailand from Guangxi sometime between the 8th and 10th centuries. In 2009, despite the fact that the government is still officially communist, the Obama administration in the US declared Laos was no longer a MarxistLeninist state and lifted bans on Laotian companies receiving financing from the US Export-Import Bank.[117][118]. Pakxe has also experienced growth based on cross-border trade with Thailand and Vietnam. Mon-Khmer groups, the Hmong, and other indigenous hill tribes live in the foothills and mountains. The politically and culturally dominant Lao people make up 53.2% of the population, mostly in the lowlands. Entitled The Rocket, the film appeared at the 2013 Melbourne International Film Festival and won three awards at the Berlin International Film Festival. Today, it remains the unofficial tourist capital. ", "Evaluation Synthesis of Rice in Lao PDR", "Starting an Asian Cinema: Laos Past and Present", "Good Good Morning, Luang Prabang and hello to Laos's film industry", "Q&A with director Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket)", "A tale of revenge in Laos challenges censors", "Fantastic Fest 2013 Review: Chanthaly is A Haunting Portrait of Modern Day Laos", "Laos Selects 'Dearest Sister' as First Foreign-Language Oscar Submission", "Cannes: Southeast Asia Is Ready for Its Big-Screen Close-up", "Laos: Crony scheme in control of press and civil society", "Social Discrimination in the Lao People's Democratic Republic", "Muay Lao, the forgotten art of kickboxing", "Laos Stumbles on Path to Sporting Glory", Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ASEANRepublic of Korea Commemorative Summit, Comprehensive Economic Partnership for East Asia, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, ASEANAustralia Development Cooperation Program, Outstanding Scientist and Technologist Award, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Assemble parlementaire de la Francophonie, Agence de Coopration Culturelle et Technique, Prix des cinq continents de la francophonie, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Laos&oldid=1142166912, French-speaking countries and territories, Member states of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, States and territories established in 1949, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Articles with failed verification from January 2021, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Pages using infobox country or infobox former country with the symbol caption or type parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2022, Articles containing potentially dated statements from March 2021, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2020, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2011, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2021, Pages using Sister project links with wikidata mismatch, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 21:55. Ngum was descended from a long line of Lao kings that traced back to Khoun Boulom. [35] Anouvong was taken to Bangkok as a prisoner, where he died. 900-1300 AD - Most of Laos is subordinate to the Khmer Empire at Angkor. [89], The European Union,[90] UNHCHR, and international groups have since spoken out about the forced repatriation. [54][55], The conflict between Hmong rebels and Laos continued in key areas of Laos, including in Saysaboune Closed Military Zone, Xaisamboune Closed Military Zone near Vientiane Province and Xiangkhouang Province. Cities []. Pr-histria. "Patuxai is a war monument in the centre of Vientiane, Laos, which was built between 1957 and 1968. With one-party state status of Laos, the General Secretary (party leader) holds ultimate power and authority over state and government and serves as the supreme leader. Laos is the only landlocked nation in Southeast Asia. After the Pathet Lao took over the country in 1975, the conflict continued in isolated pockets. Fa Ngum's eldest son, Oun Heuan, ascended to the throne under the name Samsenethai and reigned for 43years. [32], In 1520, Photisarath came to the throne and moved the capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane to avoid a Burmese invasion. Situated on a curve of the Mekong River, Laos's Capital has a recorded history that stretches back to around 1,000 AD. It was built in 1556, when the capital was moved from Luang Prabang to Vientiene, and took 6 years to complete. [80] Following the Vue Mai incident, debate over the Hmong's planned repatriation to Laos intensified greatly, especially in the United States, where it drew strong opposition from many American conservatives and some human rights advocates. However, villages far from major roads can be reached only through unpaved roads that may not be accessible year-round. Capital: Vientiane. [17][18], The word Laos was coined by the French, who united the three Lao kingdoms in French Indochina in 1893 and named the country as the plural of the dominant and most common ethnic group, the Lao people. The area was originally settled because of the fertility of the surrounding alluvial plains, and Vientiane became the capital city of Laos around the mid 16th century. Vientiane is the largest city with an area of 3,920km and the most populous in Laos with a population of 562,244. All newspapers are published by the government, including two foreign language papers: the English-language daily Vientiane Times and the French-language weekly Le Rnovateur. Amnesty International raised concerns about the ratification record of the Lao government on human rights standards and its lack of co-operation with the UN human rights mechanisms and legislative measuresboth impact negatively upon human rights. Political power is centralized in the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. Lao People's Democratic Republic or Laos (), is a country in southeast Asia. There are many traditions and rituals associated with rice production in different environments and among many ethnic groups. But around the 11th and 12th centuries, the Lao and Thai came from Southern China and overtook the area. Between 20,000 and 62,000 Laotians died during the civil war. History of Laos. Major religion Buddhism. An "urban" village is essentially a town.[58]. The country encompasses a total area of 237,955 square km and had a . The Lao National Tourism Administration, related government agencies and the private sector are working together to realise the vision put forth in the country's National Ecotourism Strategy and Action Plan. [46], Male life expectancy at birth was at 62.6 years and female life expectancy was at 66.7 years in 2017. The only legal political party is the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Vientiane is a city steeped in legend and history. The close ties between Laos and Vietnam were formalised via a treaty signed in 1977, which has since provided direction for Lao foreign policy, and provides the basis for Vietnamese involvement at all levels of Lao political and economic life. In an effort to halt the planned repatriation, the Republican-led USSenate and House of Representatives both appropriated funds for the remaining Thailand-based Hmong to be immediately resettled in the United States; Clinton, however, responded by promising a veto of the legislation. Vientiane has been the capital since 16th century. [43], During World War II in Laos, Vichy France, Thailand, Imperial Japan and Free France occupied Laos. Choose our custom designed, flexible and unique Laos Tour Packages. Supply of foreign exchange has in the past been limited in Laos, which imposed a de facto limit on repatriation of capital. The remainder, particularly in rural areas, speak ethnic minority languages. Laos is a landlocked country on the Indo-Chinese peninsula between Thailand and Vietnam. Vientiane suffered greatly during the conflict between the kingdom's army and Siamese forces in 1827. Vientiane prefecture, the capital and largest city, had about 683,000 residents in 2020. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}18N 105E / 18N 105E / 18; 105. [94] Plans to resettle additional Hmong refugees in the United States were stalled by provisions of President George W. Bush's Patriot Act and Real ID Act, under which Hmong veterans of the Secret War, who fought on the side of the United States, are classified as terrorists because of their historical involvement in armed conflict. [39] Laos never held any importance for France[40] other than as a buffer state between Thailand and the more economically important Annam and Tonkin. ", Barclay, Adam and Shrestha, Samjhana (AprilJune 2006). [78] Of those Hmong who did return to Laos, some quickly escaped back to Thailand, describing discrimination and brutal treatment at the hands of Lao authorities. [141] Laos's predominantly rural[142] population makes investing in sanitation difficult. Nearly three-quarters of Laos is covered in mountains and forested hills that are too steep to live on. Muay Lao is an ancient martial art practiced throughout Laos, but mainly in the capital of Vientiane. [155] Government expenditure on health is about four percent of GDP,[155] about US$18 (PPP) in 2006. [83] Around 5,000 Hmong people who were not resettled at the time of the camp closures sought asylum at Wat Tham Krabok, a Buddhist monastery in central Thailand where more than 10,000 Hmong refugees had already been living. 3. Vientiane was a Khmer (remember Cambodia?) A coup d'tat in 1960 in the Lao capital, Vientiane, deepened the country's political instability. ::", "Global Religious Landscape; Table: Religious Composition by Country", "Human Development Report 2009. Area 236,800 sq km (91,400 sq miles) Major languages Lao, French. [123] Approximately 77% of Lao farm households are self-sufficient in rice. [145] The Lao belong to the Tai linguistic group[146] who began migrating south from China in the first millennium CE. "Laos refuses to take back Thai-based Hmong refugees", Smith, Philip, Washington, D.C. (12 December 2014), Kyophilavong, Phouphet, et al. Compared to the hectic, bustling capitals in other South . Photo: Tango7174, CC BY-SA 4.0. [139]:3940, In 2004 the net primary enrollment rate was 84%. Mapcarta, the open map. Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. Giant Buddha Statue Plan Rankles Residents of Laos' Capital: Report. The Lao PDR is one of the world's few socialist states openly endorsing communism. Life expectancy 65 years (men), 68 years (women) Currency kip . In a 23 October 1995 National Review article, Michael Johns, the former Heritage Foundation foreign policy expert and Republican White House aide, labelled the Hmong's repatriation a Clinton administration "betrayal", describing the Hmong as a people "who have spilled their blood in defense of American geopolitical interests". [24], An ancient human skull was recovered in 2009 from the Tam Pa Ling Cave in the Annamite Mountains in northern Laos; the skull is at least 46,000 years old, making it the oldest modern human fossil found to date in Southeast Asia. According to the USCommittee for Refugees, he was arrested by Lao security forces and was never seen again. "Laos agrees to voluntary repatriation of refugees in Thailand", U.P.I., 5 June 1991. After talks with the UNHCR and the Thai government, Laos agreed to repatriate the 60,000 Lao refugees living in Thailand, including several thousand Hmong people. Export earnings from international visitors and tourism goods are expected to generate 16% of total exports or US$270.3million in 2010, growing in nominal terms to US$484.2million (12.5% of the total) in 2020. [108] In late February 2017, two of those imprisoned were finally released after 17 years. The Lao Securities Exchange (LSX) began operations in 2011 with two stocks listed, both state-owned - the Banque Pour l'CommerceExterieur (BCEL), and the power generation arm of . Additionally, the Khao San Pathet Lao, the country's official news agency, publishes English and French versions of its eponymous paper. A man who lost land and property to the Laos-China railway project near the capital said he has yet to receive any promised money. Zaisan Memorial,Ulan Bator,Mongolia. Bounchao Pichit, "Laos Cinema," in David Hanan, ed., General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Politburo of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, "Results of Population and Housing Census 2015", "Lao People's Democratic Republic's Constitution of 1991 with Amendments through 2003", https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2012/12/globalReligion-tables.pdf, "World Economic Outlook Database, April 2022", "Lao People's Democratic Republic and the WTO", "China train project runs roughshod over Laos", "Laos approves Xayaburi 'mega' dam on Mekong", "Laos Securities Exchange to start trading", "10 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Laos", "Anatomically modern human in Southeast Asia (Laos) by 46 ka", "Archaeological Investigations in northern Laos: New contributions to Southeast Asian prehistory", "History and Practice of Archaeology in Laos", Pittayaporn, Pittayawat (2014). Even the capital Vientiane feels like a relaxed riverfront town. [68] Laos also maintained a "special relationship" with Vietnam and formalised a 1977 treaty of friendship and cooperation that created tensions with China. [84] Following threats of forcible removal by the Thai government, the United States, in a significant victory for the Hmong, agreed to accept 15,000 of the refugees in 2003. Besides, this place is also considered a library containing many ancient books written by hand on palm leaves. [167] One production company's film that has succeeded to produce Lao feature films and gain international recognition is Lao New Wave Cinema's At the Horizon, directed by Anysay Keola, that was screened at the OzAsia Film Festival[168] and Lao Art Media's Chanthaly (Lao: ) directed by Mattie Do, which was screened at the 2013 Fantastic Fest. 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