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AsiaSE > Laos > Introduction
| L A
O S |
| Once part of the former French colony
of Indo-China, the Republic of Laos lies tucked away between Thailand, Cambodia, China,
Vietnam and Myanmar. It’s a landlocked country, sparsely populated, underdeveloped -
but with a rich cultural heritage very much its own. For a long time, the country’s
doors remained closed to foreign visitors, mainly because of the hard-line socialist
stance of the government. |
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| The capital, Vientiane, is the most
westernised city in the country- the rest of Laos is still a traditional economy, with the
bulk of the population living in rural areas and subsisting on agriculture. If you are
keen on going off the beaten path, and like to go where few men have been before, it
promises a rewarding trip. |
F A C
T B O X |
| Country Name |
Lao People’s Democratic Republic |
| Area |
236,000 sq km |
| Poulation |
4.75 million |
| Capital City |
Vientiane |
| People |
Lao Loum (lowland Lao- 50%), Lao Theung
(lower mountain dwellers- 30%), 10-20% Lao Sung (Hmong Orien hill tribes), 10-20% tribal
Thais |
| Religion |
85% Buddhist, 15% animist; some spirit cults |
| Language |
Lao and Lao dialects, French |
| Prime Minister |
Khamtai Siphandon |
| Government: |
Socialist Republic |
| President: |
Nouhak Phoumsavan |
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