Portal:Laos

Portal topics: Activities; Culture; Geography; Health; History; Mathematics; Nature; People; Philosophy; Religion; Society; Technology; Random portal

Portal:Laos/Intro

Laos (/ˈlɑːoʊs/ ^ⓘ, /ˈlaʊs/, /ˈlɑːɒs/, or /ˈleɪɒs/; Lao: ລາວ, Lao pronunciation: [láːw], Lāo), or commonly referred to its colloquial name of Muang Lao (Lao: ເມືອງລາວ, Muang Lao), is a landlocked country in the heart of the Indochinese peninsula of Mainland Southeast Asia, bordered by Myanmar (Burma) and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southwest, and Thailand to the west and southwest.

It traces its historic and cultural identity to the kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Khao (Kingdom of a Million Elephants Under the White Parasol), which existed for four centuries as one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia. Due to Lan Xang's central geographical location in Southeast Asia, the kingdom was able to become a popular hub for overland trade, becoming wealthy economically as well as culturally. After a period of internal conflict, Lan Xang broke off into three separate kingdoms — Luang Phrabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. In 1893, it became a French protectorate, with the three territories uniting to form what is now known as the country of Laos. It briefly gained freedom in 1945 after Japanese occupation, but was recolonised by France until it won autonomy in 1949. Laos became independent in 1953 under King Sisavang Vong.

The capital city is Vientiane. Other large cities include Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and Pakse. The official language is Lao. Laos is a multi-ethnic country with the politically and culturally dominant Lao people making up approximately 60 percent of the population, mostly in the lowlands. Mon-Khmer groups, the Hmong, and other indigenous hill tribes, accounting for 40 percent of the population, live in the foothills and mountains.

Laos' ambitious strategies for development are based on generating electricity from its rivers and selling the power to its neighbors, namely Thailand, China, and Vietnam, as well as its initiative to become a 'land-linked' nation, shown by the planning of four new railways connecting Laos to those same countries. This, along with growth of the mining sector, Laos has been referred to as one of East Asia and Pacific's fastest growing economies by the World Bank, with annual GDP growth averaging 7% for the past decade. It is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), East Asia Summit and La Francophonie. Laos became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2013.

Selected article - show another

Front view of the Patuxai in Vientiane

Patuxai (Lao: ປະຕູໄຊ, pronounced [pā.tùː sáj] ; literally Victory Gate or Gate of Triumph, formerly the Anousavary or Anosavari Monument, known by the French as Monument Aux Morts) is a war monument in Downtown Vientiane, Laos, built between 1957 and 1968. The Patuxai was dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France. In romanizing the name from the Laotian language, it is variously transliterated as Patuxai, Patuxay, Patousai and Patusai. It is also called Patuxai Arch or the Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane as it resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. However, it is typically Laotian in design, decorated with mythological creatures such as the kinnari (half-female, half-bird). (Full article...)

List of selected articles

General images - load new batch

The following are images from various Laos-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Plain of Jars, Xiangkhouang (from History of Laos)
Image 2Market in Luang Prabang, c. 1900 CE
Image 3Emerald Buddha (from History of Laos)
Image 4Lao sculpted wood Buddhas posed "calling for rain" (from Culture of Laos)
Image 5Ruins in Vientiane, depicted by Louis Delaporte during the Mekong Expedition led by Francis Garnier (c. 1867) (from History of Laos)
Image 6Ornate lintel Wat Phu, Champasak (from Culture of Laos)
Image 7Territories abandoned by Siam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, depicted as a map of Thailand's territorial losses. The Franco-Siamese crisis resulted in the cession of Laos to France in 1893. (from History of Laos)
Image 8French warships bombarding the Siamese fort at Paknam (from History of Laos)
Image 9Lao princess wearing gold embroidery (from Culture of Laos)
Image 10Kra-Dai (Tai-Kadai) migration route according to James R. Chamberlain (2016). (from History of Laos)
Image 11Monks gathered at evening prayer (from Culture of Laos)
Image 12Lao women in traditional Luang Prabang sinh (from Culture of Laos)
Image 13Bronze Buddha sculptures, Wat Mai, Luang Prabang (from Culture of Laos)
Image 14Traditional mor lam (from Culture of Laos)
Image 15Ancient human fossil remains from Tam Pa Ling cave (from History of Laos)
Image 16Historic Indosphere cultural influence zone of Greater India for transmission of elements of Indian elements such as the honorific titles, naming of people, naming of places, mottos of organisations and educational institutes as well as adoption of Hinduism, Buddhism, Indian architecture, martial arts, Indian music and dance, traditional Indian clothing, and Indian cuisine, a process which has been also aided by the ongoing historic expansion of Indian diaspora. (from History of Laos)
Image 17Lao monk woodworking temple details (from Culture of Laos)
Image 18Mor lam performance-the men are playing the khene and wearing pha sarong (from Culture of Laos)
Image 19Baci Soukhuan (from Culture of Laos)
Image 20That Luang, Vientiane (from Culture of Laos)
Image 21Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang (from Culture of Laos)
Image 22A soldier of the Black Flag Army, 1885 (from History of Laos)
Image 23Lao sticky rice and papaya salad (from Culture of Laos)
Image 24Luang Prabang, Wat Mai, gilded wood bas relief scenes from the Prince Vessantara Jataka. (from Culture of Laos)
Image 25Monks gathering morning alms (from Culture of Laos)
Image 26Traditional spirit house (from Culture of Laos)
Image 27Lao actors wearing Khon Masks (from Culture of Laos)
Image 28Akha girl in traditional dress (from Culture of Laos)
Image 29Auguste Pavie, First Governor-General of the French Protectorate of Laos
Image 30Morning on the Mekong River (from Culture of Laos)
Image 31Map showing linguistic family tree overlaid on a geographic distribution map of Tai-Kadai family. This map only shows general pattern of the migration of Tai-speaking tribes, not specific routes, which would have snaked along the rivers and over the lower passes. (from History of Laos)
Image 32The mainland of Southeast Asia at the end of the 13th century (from History of Laos)
Image 33Lower terrace of the Wat Phu mountain complex, Champasak
Image 34Southeast Asia in the 18th century showing the kingdoms of Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Champasak and the principality of Phuan (Xieng Khuang) (from History of Laos)
Image 35Lao Loum girls dancing in traditional sinh (from Culture of Laos)
Image 36Brao couple farming (from Culture of Laos)
Image 37Lan Xang's zone of influence and neighbours, c. 1540 (from History of Laos)

edit

Related portals

Southeast Asia

Other Countries

Selected biography - show another

Kham Ouane Boupha (born December 5, 1932, in Luang Prabang) is a Laotian soldier and politician. Appointed to command Phongsali Province in the Kingdom of Laos in 1957 or 1958 while he was in his mid-twenties, he would maintain that base throughout the impending Laotian Civil War. During that war, in April 1963, he would defect from government service to head the pro-communist Patriotic Neutralists movement. At the end of the war, as the Communists succeeded in gaining power through the Provisional Government of the National Union, Kham Ouane Boupha was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense on April 9, 1974. He was promoted to become Minister of Defense on May 12, 1975 and served as such for many years, even while he was also Minister of Justice. He retired from cabinet rank in 2006, becoming a minister in the Office of the Prime Minister. (Full article...)

List of selected biographies
Photisarath Anouvong Setthathirath Sourigna Vongsa Phetsarath Ratanavongsa Souvanna Phouma Fa Ngum Nang Keo Phimpha Sisavang Vong Sombath Somphone Sourith Don Sasorith Kouprasith Abhay Sourith Don Sasorith Phoumi Nosavan Deuane Sunnalath Alexandra Bounxouei Channapha Khamvongsa Douangdeuane Bounyavong Daoviang Butnakho Nakhon Noi Souvanna Phouma Sisavang Vatthana Souphanouvong