Laos is a small landlocked country in the Indochinese Peninsula and sparsely populated. The country covers 236,800 square kilometers. It shares the borders with China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.

Laos is within tropics between latitudes 14 and 23 degrees and longitudes 100 and 108 degrees. Two main physical features, rivers and mountains, cover 70 percent of the country.

The official language is Lao. The Lao language is monosyllabic and tonal. The polysyllabic words are occasionally found particularly in literary writing of Sanskrit in Pali origins. English and French are widely spoken, but it is very helpful, if one develops some knowledge to the Lao language.

GOVERNMENT

People’s Supreme Assembly, President of the Republic, Council of Ministers

FLAG

A red band at top and bottom, with a large blue band between, on which is centered a large white circle.

PEOPLE: LAO

Population: 4.8 million (1998)

Density: 16 inhabitants / sq. km

Ethnic Groups: Lao 48%, tribal Thai 14%, Sino-Tibetan (including the

H’mong and Yao) 13%, Mon-Khmer 25%, Vietnamese and Chinese 1%

LANGUAGE

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

English, French, German, Russian and others

GEOGRAPHY

Area: 236,800 sq km (91430 square miles)

Location: Indochina Peninsula

CAPITAL: Vientiane

TERRAIN

Rugged mountains, dense jungle and plateau, except along the Mekong Plain

CLIMATE

Tropical Monsoon with 2 main seasons – dry season (Oct-Apr), and Rainy Season (May-Sept)

NATURAL RESOURCES:

Tin, Timber, hydroelectric power, iron, coal, gold, copper, precious stones, potassium, phosphorite, gypsum, salt, petroleum

AGRICULTURE

Rice, corn, tobacco, coffee, cotton, beans, cardamon, benzoine, stick lac, fruits

INDUSTRY

Tin, gypsum, mining, lumber, textiles, beverages, bricks, tiles, pottery, cigarettes, and cement.

HANDICRAFTS

Carvings, silk, cotton, silver, pottery, jewelry, traditional musical instruments, wicherware, and etc.

Exports: Chiefly hydroelectricity, timber, coffee, tin, gypsum, cardamon, benzoin, trattan, plywood, garments

Market: Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Europe, China, Canada and others