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Laos is located in south-east Asia between Vietnam and Thailand. The country occupies a total area of 236,800 sq km of which 230,800 sq km is on land. It is landlocked by a 5,083 km long boundary.
One of the world's poorest nations, Laos has had a Communist centrally planned economy with government ownership and control of productive enterprises of any size. In recent years, however, the government has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise. Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure; that is, it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, limited external and internal telecommunications, and electricity available in only a limited area. Subsistence agriculture is the main occupation, accounting for over 60% of GDP and providing about 85-90% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend for its survival on foreign aid from the IMF and other international sources; aid from the former USSR and Eastern Europe has been cut sharply.
Laos is a landlocked country in South-east Asia. China is to its north, Vietnam to its east, Cambodia (Kampuchea) to its south, Thailand to the west and Burma to the north-west.
Landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand.
Tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Lao (official) French, English
Savannakhet, Luang Prabang, Pakse
Places to Visit
Savannakhet, Luang Prabang, Pakse, Vientiane
Vientiane International Air Port (Watty)
ISD codes & International time