Laos

In brief

Laos is a country in Southeast Asia. Its capital is Vientiane. With 7.9 million inhabitants in 2025, it ranks 102nd in the world by population, out of the 195 countries recognised by the UN. Its area is 236,800 km². Landlocked, it shares land borders with Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

GDP per capita stands at $2,325 (2025), 152nd in the world. Life expectancy at birth is 69.2 years (2024). 40% of the population lives in cities.

History of Laos

The kingdom of Lan Xang, the “kingdom of a million elephants”, was founded in 1353 by Fa Ngum. Divided in the 18th century, it came under Siamese influence and then became a French protectorate in 1893. Independent in 1953, Laos was drawn into the Vietnam War: from 1964 to 1973 the United States dropped more bombs on it than on Germany and Japan during the whole of the Second World War, and millions of unexploded bombs remain in the ground. The communist Pathet Lao took power in 1975.

Geography of Laos

The only landlocked country in South-East Asia, Laos is covered in mountains and forests. The Mekong runs along much of its border with Thailand. The Plain of Jars, in the north, is scattered with megalithic stone jars.

Map of Laos

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Flag of Laos

The flag of Laos is red, white and blue. Its official proportions are 2:3 (height to width).

• Red50%
• Blue42%
• White8%

Share of the flag’s surface taken by each colour.

What the flag stands for

Red, blue and red, with a white disc in the centre. Red evokes the blood shed for independence, blue prosperity and the Mekong; the white disc, often compared to the full moon over the river, symbolises national unity.

Sources: Wikipedia, articles “Laos” and “Flag of Laos”.

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Fact file

Economy and society