Laos

Lore & Background

The kingdom of Lan Xang existed from the 14th to 18th centuries and was a hub for overland trade through its territory. In 1707 it split into three kingdoms: Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. In 1893, these kingdoms were unified under French rule as part of French Indochina. Laos was under Japanese administration during World War II, gaining independence in 1945 before returning to French administration until achieving autonomy in 1949. It regained full independence in 1953 as the Kingdom of Laos, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong. A civil war from 1959 to 1975 saw the communist Pathet Lao (supported by China, North Vietnam, and the Soviet Union) oppose the Royal Lao Armed Forces (backed by the United States). It ended with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party's establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975.

In Their Own Story

Morning mist clings to the jagged limestone karsts of Vang Vieng as dawn paints the golden spires of a centuries-old stupa in hues of apricot and rose. An elderly monk in saffron robes moves silently along the riverbank, his bare feet tracing a path worn smooth by generations of pilgrims. The air hangs heavy with the scent of burning incense and damp earth, punctuated only by the gentle ripple of the Mekong and the distant, resonant crow of a rooster. Here, time does not race; it meanders like the river itself, carrying whispers of forgotten empires through a landscape that has witnessed endless cycles of rise and fall, yet remains anchored in an unchanging spiritual heartbeat.

Reader's Guide

Laos is divided into 17 provinces and one prefecture, which includes the capital city Vientiane. The climate is mostly tropical savanna and influenced by the monsoon pattern, with a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. The country is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, with a forested landscape consisting mostly of mountains, the highest of which is Phou Bia at 2,818 metres, and some plains and plateaus. The Mekong River forms part of the western boundary with Thailand. National parks like Nam Et-Phou Louey and Nakai-Nam Theun support endangered species such as the northern white-cheeked gibbon and the saola.

Did You Know?

• Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia.
• The highest point in Laos is Phou Bia at 2,818 metres.
• Laos has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Luang Prabang, Vat Phou, and the Plain of Jars.
• The kingdom of Lan Xang existed from the 14th to 18th centuries.
• Laos gained independence in 1945 but returned to French administration until achieving autonomy in 1949.