Laos Flag

Laos is a Southeast Asian country located at the heart of the Indochinese Peninsula. 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 capital and largest city of Laos is Vientiane.

The country has a rich history and culture that is closely tied to the Kingdom of Lan Xang, which flourished in the 14th to 18th centuries as a major regional power. After a period of internal conflict, Lan Xang split into three separate kingdoms: Luang Phrabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. In 1893, these three territories became a French protectorate and were united to form what is now known as Laos. The country gained independence in 1953, following a period of colonization by France and Japan.

Laos is a socialist state governed by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. It is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the East Asia Summit, and La Francophonie. The country is known for its strategy of generating electricity from its rivers and selling it to neighboring countries, as well as its initiative to become a “land-linked” nation through the construction of new railways connecting it to its neighbors. The economy of Laos has been growing rapidly in recent years, with annual GDP growth averaging 7.4% since 2009.

The majority of the population in Laos is made up of the politically and culturally dominant Lao people, who live mostly in the lowlands. There are also significant populations of Mon-Khmer groups, the Hmong, and other indigenous hill tribes living in the foothills and mountains. The country has a poor record on human rights, with non-governmental organizations citing frequent abuses such as torture, restrictions on civil liberties, and persecution of minorities.