# Laos

> country in Southeast Asia

**Wikidata**: [Q819](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q819)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laos)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/laos

## Summary

Laos is a country in Asia [1]. It was established on January 1, 1949 . The population was 6.9 million in 2017 [2]. The country covers an area of 237,000 square kilometers . Laos operates on Indochina Time, which is UTC+07:00, with the primary time zone identifier being Asia/Vientiane [3].

## Summary
Laos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, officially known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic. It is a sovereign state with a population of approximately 7.4 million people and covers an area of 236,800 square kilometers. Laos is a member of the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and its capital is Vientiane.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name**: Lao People's Democratic Republic (ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ)
- **Population**: 7,431,172 (2022)
- **Area**: 236,800 square kilometers
- **Capital**: Vientiane
- **Official Language**: Lao
- **Currency**: Lao kip (LAK)
- **Time Zone**: UTC+07:00 (Asia/Vientiane)
- **Demonym**: Laotian
- **Government**: People's Republic, Communist state
- **Member of**: United Nations (since 1955), ASEAN (since 1997)
- **Highest Point**: Phou Bia (2,819 meters)
- **Lowest Point**: Mekong River (70 meters)
- **Literacy Rate**: 87.1% (2021)
- **Life Expectancy**: 69 years (2022)
- **GDP (Nominal)**: $15.724 billion (2022)
- **Human Development Index**: 0.607 (2021)

## FAQs
- **What is the official name of Laos?** The official name of Laos is the Lao People's Democratic Republic (ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ).
- **What is the capital of Laos?** The capital of Laos is Vientiane.
- **What is the official language of Laos?** The official language of Laos is Lao.
- **What is the currency of Laos?** The currency of Laos is the Lao kip (LAK).
- **What is the population of Laos?** The population of Laos is approximately 7.4 million people.
- **What is the area of Laos?** Laos covers an area of 236,800 square kilometers.
- **What is the highest point in Laos?** The highest point in Laos is Phou Bia, which stands at 2,819 meters.
- **What is the lowest point in Laos?** The lowest point in Laos is the Mekong River, which is at 70 meters.
- **What is the literacy rate in Laos?** The literacy rate in Laos is 87.1% (2021).
- **What is the life expectancy in Laos?** The life expectancy in Laos is 69 years (2022).
- **What is the GDP of Laos?** The GDP of Laos is $15.724 billion (2022).
- **What is the Human Development Index of Laos?** The Human Development Index of Laos is 0.607 (2021).
- **What organizations is Laos a member of?** Laos is a member of the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
- **What is the government type of Laos?** Laos is a people's republic and a communist state.
- **What is the demonym for people from Laos?** The demonym for people from Laos is Laotian.

## Why It Matters
Laos plays a significant role in Southeast Asia as a member of the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Its unique cultural heritage, including traditional Lao culture and the preservation of ancient temples, contributes to the region's cultural diversity. Laos is also known for its stunning natural landscapes, including the Mekong River and the Bolaven Plateau, which attract tourists from around the world. The country's economy is primarily based on agriculture, with rice being the main crop, and it has been working towards economic development and modernization. Laos's strategic location and rich cultural heritage make it an important player in the region's political and economic landscape.

## Notable For
- **Landlocked Country**: Laos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar.
- **UNESCO World Heritage Sites**: Laos is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Plain of Jars and the Luang Prabang.
- **Cultural Heritage**: Laos is known for its rich cultural heritage, including traditional Lao culture, ancient temples, and the preservation of traditional arts and crafts.
- **Natural Landscapes**: Laos is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes, including the Mekong River, the Bolaven Plateau, and the Kuang Si Falls.
- **Economic Development**: Laos has been working towards economic development and modernization, with a focus on agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure development.
- **ASEAN Membership**: Laos is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which promotes economic cooperation and regional integration in Southeast Asia.

## Body
### Geography
Laos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. It covers an area of 236,800 square kilometers and is known for its stunning natural landscapes, including the Mekong River, the Bolaven Plateau, and the Kuang Si Falls. The highest point in Laos is Phou Bia, which stands at 2,819 meters, while the lowest point is the Mekong River, which is at 70 meters.

### Demographics
Laos has a population of approximately 7.4 million people, with the official language being Lao. The literacy rate in Laos is 87.1% (2021), and the life expectancy is 69 years (2022). The country is home to various ethnic groups, including the Lao, Hmong, and Khmu people.

### Government and Politics
Laos is a people's republic and a communist state, with the official name being the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The government is led by the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, who is currently Thongloun Sisoulith. Laos is a member of the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

### Economy
The economy of Laos is primarily based on agriculture, with rice being the main crop. The GDP of Laos is $15.724 billion (2022), and the country has been working towards economic development and modernization. The currency of Laos is the Lao kip (LAK).

### Culture and Society
Laos is known for its rich cultural heritage, including traditional Lao culture, ancient temples, and the preservation of traditional arts and crafts. The country is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Plain of Jars and the Luang Prabang. The official motto of Laos is "Peace, independence, democracy, unity, and prosperity."

### Education and Health
The literacy rate in Laos is 87.1% (2021), and the life expectancy is 69 years (2022). The country has been working towards improving education and healthcare, with a focus on rural development and the empowerment of women.

### Tourism
Laos is a popular tourist destination, known for its stunning natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and unique traditions. The country attracts tourists from around the world, with popular destinations including the Plain of Jars, the Luang Prabang, and the Mekong River.

### International Relations
Laos maintains diplomatic relations with various countries, including Australia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the Soviet Union, Indonesia, Brunei, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, the United States, Russia, China, Japan, Bangladesh, India, and Georgia. The country is also a member of the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

## References

1. [Source](https://en.nhandan.vn/politics/external-relations/item/4452902-president-tran-dai-quang-receives-lao-vice-president-phankham-viphavanh.html)
2. [Source](https://www.workwithdata.com/place/lao-pdr)
3. BnF authorities
4. [Source](https://data.iana.org/time-zones/tzdb-2021e/asia)
5. [Interpol](https://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/World)
6. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Member-countries/Asia-South-Pacific/LAOS)
7. [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons](https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/member-states/)
8. [Source](https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/lao-peoples-democratic-republic)
9. [Source](http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/ListeMS_Indicators.asp)
10. [Source](https://public.wmo.int/en/members/lao-peoples-democratic-republic)
11. [Source](https://www.who.int/choice/demography/by_country/en/)
12. [Source](https://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/about-us/wco-members/list-of-members-with-membership-date.pdf)
13. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parties_to_the_Treaty_on_the_Non-Proliferation_of_Nuclear_Weapons)
14. [Source](https://www.ncnk.org/sites/default/files/content/resources/publications/NCNK_Issue_Brief_DPRK_Diplomatic_Relations.pdf)
15. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
16. [Source](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/)
17. MusicBrainz
18. [Human Development Report. 2022](https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/human-development-index#/indicies/HDI)
19. World Bank Open Data
20. [World Bank Open Data](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL)
21. [Source](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI)
22. [Source](https://laosis.lsb.gov.la/majorIndicators.do?paramGrpId=all)
23. The World Factbook
24. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
25. The National Terminology Database for Irish
26. [Source](https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2017)
27. [Source](http://chartsbin.com/view/edr)
28. [Source](https://www.tourismlaos.org/)
29. [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
30. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=DEMO_DS)
31. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=3372)
32. BabelNet
33. [World Plugs](http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm)
34. WikiUMLS: Aligning UMLS to Wikipedia via Cross-lingual Neural Ranking
35. [Source](https://countrycodebase.com/undp/)
36. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
37. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=239)
38. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
39. [Gazetteer](https://github.com/EnvironmentOntology/gaz/blob/master/src/ontology/gaz_countries.csv)
40. [Source](https://uis.unesco.org/en/country/la)
41. [Source](https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/laos/)
42. [Source](https://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo/Laos;4169081.html)
43. iNaturalist
44. [Source](https://www.cabi.org/cabthesaurus/mtwdk.exe?k=default&l=60&w=45987&s=5&t=2)
45. FactGrid
46. 2020 Democracy Index
47. 2021 Democracy Index
48. [Source](http://lod.gesis.org/thesoz/concept_10042323)
49. [Source](http://metadata.un.org/thesaurus/1003624)
50. KBpedia