Laos – Find Countries and Cities

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According to localcollegeexplorer, Laos is a small landlocked country located in Southeast Asia, bordered by Thailand to the west, Cambodia to the south, Vietnam to the east, and Myanmar and China to the north. With a population of roughly 7 million people and an area of approximately 91,000 square miles, Laos is one of the least-populated countries in Asia. It has a rich history that dates back thousands of years and was once part of several powerful empires including those of the Khmer, Siam (Thailand), and Vietnam. The earliest records of Laos’ history come from Chinese sources dating back to 111 BC when it was known as Lan Xang or “million elephants” due to its abundance of wild elephants. During this period it was ruled by various local dynasties until it was unified under King Fa Ngum in 1353 who established the first Lao kingdom known as Lan Xang Hom Khao (Kingdom of a Million Elephants Under White Parasol). After centuries of rule by local kings, Lan Xang fell into decline in 1707 after which it was divided into three independent states: Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Champasak. These three states were then conquered by Siam (Thailand) during the 19th century before being incorporated into French Indochina in 1893. During their rule over Laos from 1893-1953 France invested heavily in infrastructure development such as roads and railways which helped modernize the country. Following World War II independence movements began gaining traction throughout French Indochina leading to full independence for Laos on July 19th 1949 with Vientiane being declared its capital city. The 1950s saw a period of political instability with an attempted coup taking place in 1960 followed by civil war which lasted until 1975 when Communist forces gained control over most parts of Laos leading to its transformation into a socialist state. This period also saw increased isolation from foreign countries as well as restrictions on freedom including censorship and limits on travel within and outside Laos. In recent years however there have been positive developments with economic growth increasing steadily since 1986 due largely to foreign investment into sectors such as hydropower energy production, construction, tourism and manufacturing leading to improved living standards for many Laotians. The government has also relaxed some controls on freedom allowing for greater access to information via television broadcasts from neighbouring countries such as Thailand as well as increased access to education opportunities for all citizens regardless of background or ethnicity. In 2010, Laos was a Southeast Asian country with a population of approximately 6 million people. It was bordered by Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and China and situated in the heart of the Mekong River Basin region. The capital city was Vientiane which is also the largest city in Laos. Laos had a single-party socialist republic system of government with an elected president and parliament. In 2010, Choummaly Sayasone was the President while Bouasone Bouphavanh served as Prime Minister until December when he resigned and was succeeded by Thongsing Thammavong. The economy of Laos in 2010 was largely driven by agriculture as it accounted for around two-thirds of employment opportunities in the country. Other important industries included mining, forestry, fishing and construction which made up a significant portion of export revenues. Other important exports included textiles, coffee and sugarcane products. Laos also benefited from extensive foreign aid from countries such as United States, European Union and Japan which helped to fund development projects such as infrastructure building and social welfare programs for vulnerable populations. In addition, Laos had strong ties with regional organizations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which it joined in 1997 along with Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia among others. Despite its economic progress in 2010 there were still issues facing Laos such as high levels of poverty due to low wages and unemployment levels that were estimated at around 20%. Additionally, there were still large numbers of refugees from Cambodia living in Laos who did not have access to many basic rights or services due to their lack of citizenship status. The country also had a high rate of HIV/AIDS prevalence, although the government had introduced a number of initiatives to tackle this issue. Overall, in 2010 Laos was a country that was making progress in terms of economic development and social welfare. Despite this progress, there were still many challenges the country faced such as poverty and refugee issues. It was hoped that with continued foreign aid and investment, the country could continue to make further progress in the coming years. Check ethnicityology for Laos in 2018.

Laos Guide

January 31, 2021 findjobdescriptions

Laos – country information Country name Laos Official name Lao People’s Democratic Republic Capital Vientiane Continent Asia Area 236,800 km2 Population 6,580,800 (2013) Foundation of a state 7/19/1949 The highest mountains Phou Bia 2820 m Longest rivers Mekong 4500 km (in the country 1350 km) State system a republic with a one political party system and a unicameral parliament The biggest cities Vientiane (capital) 525,000, Savannakhét 140,000, Louangphrabang 90,000 Official language Laotian Ethnicity/National Composition groups Lao 68%, Mon-Khmer 16.5%, Tai…