Sabai-dee and Welcome to Vientiane, Laos
Laos In Brief
The ancient kingdom of the Million Elephants, which became the Lao People Democratic Republic in 1975 is now open to tourism. Laos still remains one of the least explored, most enigmatic countries in the world. While the country has abundant natural and cultural attractions, it is the people that make this destination so special and spending time in Laos is as much about soaking up the unique atmosphere as sightseeing in the traditional sense.
Lovely Luang Prabang and the capital Vientiane are the most popular destinations in Laos, but trekking areas in the north and the laid-back south are emerging as areas to keep visitors in the country for longer. It's an enchanting land that demands you slow your pace to match its own, and even the shortest visit might add tranquillity to your travels. A visit to Laos is a visit to another world, an older Asia and will enlighten your senses every step of the way.
Travellers who have made it to Laos tend to agree that this country is the highlight of South-East Asia.
Geography
Located in the center of Indochina, Laos shares borders with China to the North, Myanmar to Northwest, Thailand to the West, Cambodia to the South and Vietnam to the East. It is the only Southeast Asian country without direct access to the sea stretching North to South 1,700 kilometer. Laos encompasses a total of 236,800 square kilometers with the terrain characterized by three distinct regions – mountains, plateaus and plains. The mountains and plateaus make up 70% of the total area. The plain region consists of large and small plain areas distributed along the Mekong River. The Mekong River is the main geographical feature in the west and, in fact, forms a natural border with Thailand in some areas. The Mekong flows through nearly 1,900 kilometers of Laos’ territory and shapes much of the lifestyle of the people of Laos. In the South, the Mekong reaches a breadth of 20 kilometers, creating an area with thousands of islands.
Climate
Laos enjoys a tropical climate with two distinct seasons. The wet season is from the beginning of May to end of September, and the dry season is from October through April. The yearly average temperature is about 28 degrees Celsius raising to a maximum of 38 degrees Celsius during April and May. In Vientiane, a minimum temperature of 19 degrees Celsius is to be expected during January. In mountainous areas, however, temperature drops to as low as 14-15 degrees Celsius during the winter months, and during cold nights, can easily reach the freezing point. The average precipitation is highest in Southern Laos where the Annamite Mountains receive over 3,000 mm annually. In Vientaine rainfall is about 1,500-2,000mm., and in the Northern provinces only 1,000 – 1,500 mm. The months of November to March are cool months and rainfall is lower than other periods.
Weather in Vientiane
Vientiane
Language The official language used in Laos is Lao language. However, the usage of the language can differ from northe and south. English, French and Russian are spoken in business or by some senior government officials. Many shopkeepers can understand basic English and French.
Religion
Buddhism first appeared in Laos during the eighth century A.D. as shown by both the Buddah image and the stone inscription found at Ban Talat near Vientiane, now exhibited at the Museum of Ho Prakeo. After the foundation of the unified Kingdom of Lane Xang, King FaNgum (14th century) declared Buddhism as the state religion and urged the people to abandon animism or other beliefs such as the cult of spirits. His policy meant to develop the Lao culture based on a common faith: the Theravada Buddhism. Today Theravada Buddhism is the professed religion of about 90% of Lao people. Buddhism is an inherent feature of daily life and casts a strong influence on Lao society. Lao woman can be seen each morning giving alms to monks, earing merit to lessen the number of their rebirth. Lao men are expected to become a monk for at least a short time in their lives. Traditionally they spent three months during the rainy season in a Vat, a Buddhist temple. But nowadays most men curtail their stay to one or two weeks.
Population
It was estimated that, the population of Laos was 5.2 million and is growing at an annual 2.4%. The average population density is 21 per square kilometers, giving Lao the lowest population density in Asia. Around 85% of the population are farmers and live in rural areas. Over 70% (2,220,547) are engaged in productive work, and 936,870 are unemployed, a classification which includes students (69.4%), domestic workers (12.6%), the aged (14.6%). There are 576,758 people at work in towns, and 2,580,659 work in the countryside. There are 3 main ethnic categories: Lao Loum (low landers), Lao Thueng (lower mountain dwellers), and Lao Soong (high landers).
Government Lao People’s Democratic Republic was proclaimed in 1975. The regime has one unique ruling party. The executive power is controlled by the president (who currently is Mr. Choummaly Sayasone) and elected by the national assembly for a 5 year period. The president is assisted by the prime minister who, in turn, is in charge of the ministry council. The legislative power, guarantor of the constitution, belongs to the national assembly, which is composed of 115 members elected by the people for a 5 years mandate.
Economy
The national resources of Laos are limited but still largely underexploited. Agriculture is the major source of income. 80% of the country's workforce is involved in subsistence agriculture, which makes up about half of the GDP, with glutinous rice the country's main agricultural produce. Also grown for local use are maize, cassava, pulses, groundnuts, fruits, sugar cane, and tobacco, while main exports include timber and wood products, garments, coffee, and tin, mainly to France, Germany, Thailand and Vietnam. Laos also has, largely untapped, reserves of tin, lead and zinc, as well as iron ore, coal and timber. The industrial sector is still small but expanding rapidly thanks to Laos competitive labor costs. Laos also sells electricity to Thailand.
Map of Laos 
For more information about Laos please visit Lao Tourism Administration
www.tourismlaos.org
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