Laos is a landlocked country bordered by Thailand, Burma, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. The Mekong river defines the Laotian border with Burma and Thailand for hundreds of kilometers.
Capital and largest city is Vientiane, while the UNESCO World Heritage Site town of Luang Prabang is a very picturesque small town surrounded by mountains.
Laos is a Buddhist country, with much of its area mountainous. The majority of its people are small scale farmers. The country is an increasingly popular tourist destination with the towns of Luang Prabang and Vientiane being the main attractions.
History of Laos
From the 10th century parts of Laos were under control of the neighboring Khmer empire. The ruins of a number of Khmer temples like the Wat Phou not far from the Cambodian border still remain today.
Patuxai Arch in Vientiane
In the 14th century, the Lan Xang (million elephants) Kingdom was founded by Prince Fa Ngum. At the height of its power the Kingdom expanded into present day Vietnam. King Setthathirath who ruled from 1548 until 1571 defended the Kingdom successfully against invasions from Burma and the Ayutthaya Kingdom. He build some of the country’s best known monuments, like the Wat Xieng Thong temple and the Pha That Luang. The Lan Xang Kingdom existed until 1707, after which it split up in three Kingdoms, Luang Prabang, Champasak and Vientiane.
During the second half of the 18th century parts of the Kingdom were conquered by the Burmese and by Siam (present day Thailand). It was reunited by the French in 1893 when they colonized the country. Laos regained its independence in 1953.