Brief History

People have lived in the Laos area for at least 10,000 years. The first settlers of Laos were the Lao people from Yunnan, China. Fa Ngum founded the first Lao kingdom, called Lan Xang, which means “the Kingdom of a Million Elephants.” In the late 18th century, the Siamese people took over Laos. Then in the late 19th century, French colonists took control of the area. During World War II, Laos was occupied by Japan. After the war, Laos became involved in the French-Indochina War. In 1954, Laos gained independence from France, but the country continued to have internal struggles and conflicts. Laos also became entangled in the Vietnam War, which lasted from 1964 to 1975.

National Flag

The national flag of Laos was first adopted on October 12, 1945, and re-adopted on December 2, 1975. It is a horizontal triband of red-blue-red with a white circle in the center.

Geography

Laos is a landlocked country on the Indochinese peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Laos is a very mountainous country with dense forests.

World Land Mass Ranking: 84th

Highest Mountain: Mount Bia, 2,818 m (9,245 ft).

Longest River: Mekong River, 4,350 km (2,703 mi).

Main Languages

Lao

Laos Population: 7.6 million (as of 2023)

Capital City: Vientiane

Capital City Population: 721,000 (as of 2023)

Climate

Laos has a tropical climate. The country’s high humidity and rainfall mainly comes from the southeast monsoon. Laos has two seasons: a rainy season from May to mid-Ocober and a dry season from mid-October to April.

Key People

Bryan Thao Worra

Mai Neng Moua

Kaysone Phomvihane

Mee Moua

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  Cuisine

  Like other Southeast Asian countries, the Lao diet is based on rice. Sticky rice is a staple of Lao cuisine, and Laos has the highest sticky rice consumption per capita in the world. Many things are served with sticky rice including dips, parboiled vegetables, salad, soups, fish, and meat. Larb (a meat-based salad flavored with mint leaves, chili, fish sauce, and lime), is the national dish of Laos.

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  Sports

  Like many other countries, football is the most popular sport in Laos. The Laos national football team was established in 1954, but they haven’t competed in any international competitions. The national sport of Laos is called Sepak Takraw, which is a kind of kick volleyball that originated in Malaysia in the 15th century.

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  Culture

  There are many different ethnic populations in Laos, and over 90 distinct native languages. Laos is one of the poorest countries in the world, and most families live and farm in rural communities near the river. The largest religion in Laos is Theravada Buddhism, followed by Animism. Literature, weaving, sculpture, woodworking, architecture, music, and dance are all important parts of Lao culture.