Laos is a small landlocked country in the Indochinese Peninsula and sparsely populated. The country covers 236,800 square kilometers. It shares the borders with China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.

Laos is within tropics between latitudes 14 and 23 degrees and longitudes 100 and 108 degrees. Two main physical features, rivers and mountains, cover 70 percent of the country.

The official language is Lao. The Lao language is monosyllabic and tonal. The polysyllabic words are occasionally found particularly in literary writing of Sanskrit in Pali origins. English and French are widely spoken, but it is very helpful, if one develops some knowledge to the Lao language.

Buddhism plays an important role in the life of the Lao people and has given them a deserved reputation for friendliness, gentleness, kindness, gaiety and wisdom

Country Fact*:

Full country name: Lao People’s Democratic Republic Area: 236,800 sq km Population: 6,521,998 Capital city: Vientiane People: Ethnic Groups: Lao 48%, tribal Thai 14%, Sino-Tibetan (including the H’mong and Yao) 13%, Mon-Khmer 25%, Vietnamese and Chinese 1% Language: Lao, French, English, various ethnic languages Religion: Buddhist, animist, other Government: People’s Supreme Assembly, President of the Republic, Council of Ministers Business Hours: GMT + 7 hours Morning : 08.00 - 11.30 Afternoon : 13.00 - 16.30 Except Saturday and Sunday Major industries: copper, tin, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement Major trading partners: Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Europe, China, Canada and others Internet domain: .la International dialling code: +856

Major Tourist Cities/Areas Information:

	Lluang Prabang		Vientiane

Luang Prabang is surely a jewel in Indochina, and a well known UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. Once the capital of former kings and an important post along river trade lines it became a site of interest for guest from all over the world. The ancient royal city is surrounded by misty mountains at the junction of the Mekong and the small Khan river.

The centre of town is located on a peninsula on an altitude of 300 meter above see level. Here we find ancient buildings, the royal palace, monasteries and temples. In the middle of the small city is Mount Phousi with stunning views of the surrounding temples and hills.

Luang Prabang is a provincial city where time still seems to stand still. As part of the UNESCO reconstruction plan, new buildings have been limited and old houses and streets receive reconstruction to keep Luang Prabang magical place...

Life in Vientiane, modest capital of Laos, flows along as languidly as does the Mekong River on the banks of which the city is situated. Resembling more a sprawling series of villages than an inter-connected urban metropolis, Vientiane is a sleepy place dotted with a mix of Laotian temples and French colonial buildings, most of them crumbling into decay. Paddy fields still dot the outlying suburbs and even intrude into the city centre in places. Downtown is characterised by narrow lanes that run off the main streets, where bakeries sell croissants alongside vendors touting noodle soup and sticky rice.

Most of the city's places of interest are concentrated in a small area in the commercial district, easy to explore on foot, between the bamboo and thatched beer gardens on the riverbank and Talaat Sao, the morning market. There are some fine Wats (temples) to visit, like Wat Si Saket, one of the city's oldest, surrounded by a lush tranquil garden. Other grand buildings are the unfinished Patuxai monument, resembling the Arc de Triomphe, and the new Chinese-financed cultural centre. The Lao Revolutionary Museum is worth a visit simply because it is a now rare example of a communist propaganda collection, while the Kaysone Phomvihane Museum is dedicated to Laos' post-war leader.

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