Laos

Lao Fowk's Democratic Republic ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ(Lao) Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
Banner Emblem
Motto:ສັນຕິພາບ ເອກະລາດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ເອກະພາບ ວັດທະນາຖາວອນ (Scots:"Peace, unthirldom, democracy, unity an prosperity")
Anthem:"Pheng Xat Lao" (Inglis:"Lao Naitional Anthem")
Location oLaos(green) inASEAN(dark grey) — [Legend]
Caipital and largest city	Vientiane 17°58′N102°36′E
Offeecial leids	Lao
Spoken leids	Lao Hmong Khmu French
Ethnic groups (2005)	53.2%Lao 11%Khmu 9.2%Hmong 3.4% Phouthay 3.1%Tai 2.5% Makong 2.2%Katang 2.0%Lue 1.8%Akha 11.6% ithera
Releegion	Buddhism64.7% Laotian fowk releegion31.4% Christianity1.7% Islam0.8% Ither 1.3%
Demonym(s)	Laotian Lao
Govrenment	UnitarMarxist-Leninistane-pairtysocialistrepublic
•General Secretary o the Lao People's Revolutionary PartyandPreses	Thongloun Sisoulith
•Prime Meenister	Phankham Viphavanh
•Party Standing SecretaryandVice Preses	Bounthong Chitmany
•Vice Preses	Pany Yathotou
•Preses o the Naitional Assemmly	Saysomphone Phomvihane
Legislatur	Naitional Assemmly
Formation
•Kinrick o Lan Xang	1354–1707
• Faw o Lan Xang,Kinrick o Luang Phrabang,Kinrick o Vientiane,Kinrick o ChampasakanPrincipality o Phuan	1707–1778
• Vassal oThonburianSiam	1778–1893
•War o Succession	1826–1828
•French Indocheenae	1893–1949
• UnthirldomfraeFraunce	19 Julie 1949
• Declared Independence	22 October 1953
•Laotian ceevil war	9 November 1953 – 2 December 1975
•Lao Monarchyabolished	2 December 1975
•Current constitution	14 August 1991
•ASEAN Declaration	23 Julie 1997
Aurie
• Total	237,955 km2(91,875 sq mi) (82nt)
• Water (%)	2
Population
• 2016 estimate	6,758,353(104t)
• 2015 census	7,096,376 6,492,228
• Density	26.7/km2(69.2/sq mi) (177t)
GDP(PPP)	2017 estimate
• Total	$44.639 billion
• Per capita	$6,115
GDP(nominal)	2017 estimate
• Tot	$14.971 billion
• Per capita	$2,051
Gini(2008)	36.7 medium
HDI(2015)	0.586 medium·138th
Currency	Kip(LAK)
Time zone	ICT
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Drivin side	right
Cawin code	+856
ISO 3166 code	LA
Internet TLD	.la
Includinower 100 smawer ethnic groups.

Territorial Organization

Laos(pronounced/ˈlɑː.oʊs/^{(deprecatit template)},/ˈlaʊ/,or/ˈleɪ.ɒs/), offeecially theLao Fowkdemocratic Republic,is alandlockedkintra inSootheast Asie,bordered biBurmaanFowkrepublic o Cheenaetae the northwast,Vietnamtae the east,Cambodietae the sooth anThailandtae the wast.

Laos traces its history tae the Kinrick oLan XangorLand o a Million Elephants,which existit frae the 14t tae the 18t century. Efter a period as aFrench protectorate,it gained unthirldom in 1949. A langceevil warendit offeecially when the CommunistPathet Laomovement came tae pouer in 1975. The offeecial leid isLao.Maist fowk are Buddhist wi a significant proportion o indigenous releegion as well. It is a member o theAssociation o Sootheast Asian Naitions(ASEAN),East Asie SummitanLa Francophonie.

Etymology

In theLao leid,the kintra's name is "Meuang Lao (ເມືອງລາວ)" which literally means "Lao Kintra." The French, who unitit the three separate Lao kinricks inFrench Indocheenaein 1893, spelled it wi a final silent "s," tae signify the unity o multiple Lao kinricks, hyne "Laos". The Lao leid itsel haes nae final "s" soond, sae Lao fowk pronoonce it as in thair native tongue tho some, especially thae livin abroad, uise the pronunciation endin in "s".

Administrative diveesions

Province map

Main airticles:Provinces o LaosanDestricts o Laos

Laos is dividit intae 16provinces(qwang) an ane prefecture (Nakhonluang ViengChan) which includes Vientiane Caipital (Na Kone Luang Vientiane). Provinces are faur dividit intaedistricts(muang) an then veelages (baan). An 'urban' veelage is essentially a toun.