Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam.
Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years, Lan Xang had ...
Longitude: 105
Your Location
Latitude: 39.04372
Longitude: -77.48749
Home country: United States
Distance to Laos:
13,666.831 km
Terrain:
Mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus.
Natural Resources:
Timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones.
Industries:
Mining (copper, tin, gold, gypsum); timber, electric power, agricultural processing, rubber, construction, garments, cement, tourism.
Population: 7,953,556
Most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia.
Area: 236,800 km2
about twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly larger than Utah
Landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand.
| Code | Language |
|---|---|
| lao | Lao |
Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages
| Code | Currency | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| LAK | Lao kip | ₭ |
Capital City: Vientiane
Local time: Thursday, December 11 at 10:42 pm (GMT+07:00)
Visiting Laos
You're in for a treat! Laos is a fascinating place to explore, especially from November to February. Here's what you could encounter:
- Rich cultural heritage and history
- Beautiful landscapes from mountains to rivers
- Peaceful and laid-back atmosphere
- Limited infrastructure in rural areas
- Unexploded ordnance from past conflicts
- Health concerns such as malaria and dengue fever
- 3MEDIUM RISK
Travel is usually safe, some areas are risky
- Lao cuisine features sticky rice, fish, and herbs.
- Popular dishes include laap and tam mak hoong (papaya salad).
- Fresh herbs and spices are widely used.
- Visit the temples of Luang Prabang
- Explore the Plain of Jars
- Cruise the Mekong River
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