15°N 106°E / 15°N 106°E / 15; 106
77-824: The Bolaven Plateau is an elevated region in southern Laos . Most of the plateau is located within Champasak Province of Laos, though the edges of the plateau are also located in Salavan , Sekong and Attapeu Provinces . It is located between the Annamite Range , along which runs Laos' eastern border with Vietnam, and the Mekong River to the west, at about 15°N 106°E / 15°N 106°E / 15; 106 . The plateau's elevation ranges approximately from 1,000 to 1,350 metres (3,280 to 4,430 ft) above sea level . The plateau
154-657: A Japanese puppet state and was re-colonised by France , until it won autonomy in 1949. It gained independence in 1953 as the Kingdom of Laos , with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong . A civil war began in 1959, which saw the communist Pathet Lao , supported by North Vietnam and the Soviet Union , fight against the Royal Lao Armed Forces , supported by the United States . After
231-633: A constitutional monarchy . The First Indochina War took place across French Indochina and eventually led to French defeat and the signing of a peace accord for Laos at the Geneva Conference of 1954 . In 1960, amidst a series of rebellions in the Kingdom of Laos , fighting broke out between the Royal Lao Army (RLA) and the communist North Vietnamese and Soviet Union -backed Pathet Lao guerillas. A second Provisional Government of National Unity formed by Prince Souvanna Phouma in 1962
308-566: A re-education camp . Between 20,000 and 62,000 Laotians died during the civil war. On 2 December 1975, after taking control of the country, the Pathet Lao government under Kaysone Phomvihane renamed the country as the Lao People's Democratic Republic and signed agreements giving Vietnam the right to station armed forces and to appoint advisers to assist in overseeing the country. The ties between Laos and Vietnam were formalised via
385-607: A "land-linked" nation, as evidenced by the construction of 4 railways connecting Laos and neighbours. Laos has been referred to as one of Southeast Asia and Pacific's fastest growing economies by the World Bank with annual GDP growth averaging 7.4% since 2009, while being classified as a least developed country by the United Nations . Laos is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement ,
462-498: A British observer as having been "transformed into slave-hunting raids on a large scale". In the 19th century, Luang Prabang was ransacked by the Chinese Black Flag Army . France rescued King Oun Kham and added Luang Phrabang to the protectorate of French Indochina . The Kingdom of Champasak and the territory of Vientiane were added to the protectorate. King Sisavangvong of Luang Phrabang became ruler of
539-500: A century. In 1520, Photisarath came to the throne and moved the capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane to avoid a Burmese invasion. Setthathirath became king in 1548, after his father was killed, and ordered the construction of That Luang . Settathirath disappeared in the mountains on his way back from a military expedition into Cambodia , and Lan Xang fell into more than 70 years of "instability", involving Burmese invasion and civil war. In 1637, when Sourigna Vongsa ascended
616-691: A comprehensive report that includes summaries of refugee claims, which was submitted to the UN in May 2006. The European Union , UNHCHR, and international groups have since spoken out about the forced repatriation. The Thai foreign ministry has said that it will halt deportation of Hmong refugees held in Detention Centres in Nong Khai , while talks are underway to resettle them in Australia, Canada,
693-545: A line of Lao kings that traced back to Khoun Boulom. He made Theravada Buddhism the state religion. His ministers, unable to tolerate his ruthlessness, forced him into exile to what is later the Thai province of Nan in 1373, where he died. Fa Ngum's eldest son, Oun Heuan, ascended to the throne under the name Samsenethai and reigned for 43 years. Lan Xang became a trade centre during Samsenthai's reign, and after his death in 1421 it collapsed into warring factions for nearly
770-429: A number of waterfalls. The Tad Lo Waterfalls that are approximately 58 miles from northeast Pakse are a common destination. The "lush vegetation" that surrounds the waterfall makes it a desired destination though the fall itself "drops only a few meters". In addition, one can go "beyond Paksong on the way to Pakse [where] another spectacular waterfall, Taat Fang (also known as Dong Hua Sao), tumbles 120 metres, making it
847-455: A rainy season from May to October, followed by a dry season from November to April. Local tradition holds that there are 3 seasons (rainy, cool and hot) as the latter 2 months of the climatologically defined dry season are hotter than the earlier 4 months. Laos is divided into 17 provinces ( khoueng ) and one prefecture ( kampheng nakhon ), which includes the capital city Vientiane ( Nakhon Louang Viangchan ). A province, Xaisomboun province ,
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#1732780455008924-610: A treaty signed in 1977, which has since provided direction for Lao foreign policy, and provides the basis for Vietnamese involvement at levels of Lao political and economic life. Laos was requested in 1979 by Vietnam to end relations with the People's Republic of China , leading to isolation in trade by China , the United States , and other countries. In 1979, there were 50,000 PAVN troops stationed in Laos and as many as 6,000 civilian Vietnamese officials including 1,000 directly attached to
1001-557: A unified Laos, and Vientiane once again became the capital. Laos produced tin , rubber, and coffee, and never accounted for more than 1% of French Indochina's exports. By 1940, around 600 French citizens lived in Laos. Under French rule, the Vietnamese were encouraged to migrate to Laos, which was seen by the French colonists as a rational solution to a labour shortage within the confines of an Indochina-wide colonial space. By 1943,
1078-408: A wide variety of fruit and vegetables, as well as cash crops such as cardamom". However, it was the French introduction of the production of coffee that has proved most useful to the region. During colonization, the French introduced the production of “high quality stock of both Arabica and Robusta strains. Production declined during the war years, but is now experiencing a renaissance”. The climate of
1155-520: Is 1 of 4 in the opium poppy growing region known as the " Golden Triangle ". According to the October 2007 UNODC fact book Opium Poppy Cultivation in South East Asia , the poppy cultivation area was 15 square kilometres (5.8 sq mi), down from 18 square kilometres (6.9 sq mi) in 2006. The climate is mostly tropical savanna and influenced by the monsoon pattern. There is
1232-806: Is a multinational state and is committed to equality between ethnic groups. The constitution contains provisions for gender equality , freedom of religion , freedom of speech , and freedom of press and assembly. On 25 September 2009, Laos ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights , 9 years after signing the treaty. The stated policy objectives of the Lao government and international donors remain focused upon achieving sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction. An organisation raised concerns in relation to freedom of expression, prison conditions, restrictions on freedom of religions, protection of refugees and asylum-seekers, and
1309-496: Is an industry, and the government hopes to attract foreign investment to develop the deposits of coal , gold , bauxite , tin , copper , and other metals. The mining industry of Laos has received attention with foreign direct investments. More than 540 mineral deposits of gold, copper, zinc , lead and other minerals have been identified, explored and mined. The country's water resources and mountainous terrain enable it to produce and export quantities of hydroelectric energy. Of
1386-498: Is crossed by several rivers and has many scenic waterfalls. The name Bolaven makes reference to the Laven ethnic group which has historically dominated the region. However, domestic migrations by the Lao ethnic group (which comprises approximately 50 to 60 percent of the population of Laos) has resulted in widespread interethnic marriage, thus modifying the ethnic composition of the region. The Bolaven Plateau has had an important role in
1463-615: Is not extensive literature on these particular revolutionary revolts in the Bolaven Plateau, one can see that the native communities desired to rid the region of the extensive and overpowering influence of their colonizers. The Bolaven Plateau greatly suffered during the Vietnam War. The Bolaven Plateau was one of “the most heavily-bombed theatres of the Second Indochina War , US bombardment became unbearable in
1540-525: Is presumably in the Central Highlands of Vietnam . Nowadays, most Alak live in scattered villages of between ten and sixty houses, traditionally built in a circular pattern around a communal house. Houses are normally built on stilts about a metre high. The main diet and trading staple is rice , farmed with the slash-and-burn method, although small game, fish, and various plants and mushrooms provide additional food. Religious beliefs involve
1617-491: Is south of 14°), and longitudes 100° and 108°E . Its forested landscape consists mostly of mountains, the highest of which is Phou Bia at 2,818 metres (9,245 ft), with some plains and plateaus. The Mekong River forms a part of the western boundary with Thailand, where the mountains of the Annamite Range form most of the eastern border with Vietnam and the Luang Prabang Range the northwestern border with
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#17327804550081694-697: The ASEAN , East Asia Summit , La Francophonie , and the World Trade Organization . The word Laos was coined by the French , who united the 3 Lao kingdoms in French Indochina in 1893. The name of the country is spelled the same as the plural of the most common ethnic group, the Lao people . In English, the "s" in the name of the country is pronounced, and not silent. A human skull
1771-674: The Ho Chi Minh Trail to attack US forces in South Vietnam . Between 1964 and 1973, the US dropped 2 million tons of bombs on Laos, nearly equal to the 2.1 million tons of bombs the US dropped on Europe and Asia during all of World War II, making Laos the most heavily bombed country in history relative to the size of its population; The New York Times notes this was "nearly a ton for every person in Laos". Some 80 million bombs failed to explode and remain scattered throughout
1848-465: The Lao People's Democratic Republic ( LPDR ), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia . It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and southwest. Its capital and most populous city is Vientiane . Laos traces its historic and cultural identity to Lan Xang , a kingdom which existed from
1925-716: The Obama administration in the US declared Laos was no longer a Marxist–Leninist state and lifted bans on Laotian companies receiving financing from the US Export-Import Bank . In 2016, China was the biggest foreign investor in the Laotian economy, having invested US$ 5.395 billion since 1989, according to the Laos Ministry of Planning and Investment's 1989–2014 report. Thailand (invested US$ 4.489 billion) and Vietnam (invested US$ 3.108 billion) are
2002-628: The Thai highlands . There are 2 plateaus, the Xiangkhoang in the north and the Bolaven Plateau at the southern end. Laos can be considered to consist of 3 geographical areas: north, central, and south. Laos had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.59/10, ranking it 98th globally out of 172 countries. In 1993, the Laos government set aside 21% of the nation's land area for habitat conservation preservation. The country
2079-672: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), with the support of the US government , instituted the Comprehensive Plan of Action , a programme to stem the tide of Indochinese refugees from Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Under the plan, refugee status was evaluated through a screening process. Recognised asylum seekers were given resettlement opportunities, while the remaining refugees were to be repatriated under guarantee of safety. After talks with
2156-604: The Vietnam War ended in 1975, the Lao People's Revolutionary Party established a one-party socialist republic espousing Marxism-Leninism , ending the civil war and monarchy, and beginning a period of alignment with the Soviet Union until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Laos's strategies for development are based on generating electricity from rivers and selling the power to its neighbours, namely Thailand, China and Vietnam, and its initiative to become
2233-426: The 13th century to the 18th century. Because of its geographical location, the kingdom became a hub for overland trade. After a period of internal conflict, Lan Xang broke into the Kingdom of Luang Phrabang , the Kingdom of Vientiane and the Kingdom of Champasak . In 1893, the 3 kingdoms were united under a French protectorate . Laos was occupied by Japan during World War II and regained independence in 1945 as
2310-473: The 36th hungriest nation in the world out of the list of the 52 nations with the worst hunger situation(s). In 2019, the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights conducted an official visit to Laos and found that the country's top-down approach to economic growth and poverty alleviation "is all too often counterproductive, leading to impoverishment and jeopardising the rights of
2387-436: The 4th millennium BC. Burial jars and other kinds of sepulchers suggest a society in which bronze objects appeared around 1500 BC, and iron tools were known from 700 BC. The proto-historic period is characterised by contact with Chinese and Indian civilisations. According to linguistic and other historical evidence, Tai-speaking tribes migrated southwestward to the territories of Laos and Thailand from Guangxi sometime between
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2464-511: The 8th and 10th centuries. Laos traces its history to the kingdom of Lan Xang ('million elephants'), which was founded in the 13th century by a Lao prince, Fa Ngum , whose father had his family exiled from the Khmer Empire . Fa Ngum, with 10,000 Khmer troops, conquered some Lao principalities in the Mekong river basin, culminating in the capture of Vientiane . Ngum was descended from
2541-444: The Bolaven Plateau often focuses on two primary economic contributors to the region: agricultural production and tourism. Both contribute greatly to the plateau’s revenue. The French first began farming and other agricultural techniques in the Bolaven Plateau including the production of coffee, rubber, and bananas in the early 20th century. Since the French's initial influence, "the plateau remained an important agricultural area growing
2618-647: The French Union, while educational, health and technical ties with the former colonial power persisted. The 1957 document was abrogated in December 1975, when a communist people's republic was proclaimed. A constitution was adopted in 1991 and enshrined a "leading role" for the LPRP. The foreign relations of Laos after the takeover by the Pathet Lao in December 1975 were characterised by a hostile posture toward
2695-405: The Lao coffee harvest generates about 15–20,000 tons a year, 80% of which is Robusta ." Tourism has taken a hold in the Bolaven Plateau because of the unique aspects of the region that have triggered great intrigue. The most popular places visited by tourists are the waterfalls in the region, the villages of the ethnic minorities, and other geopolitical areas of interest. The Bolaven Province has
2772-611: The Netherlands and the United States. Plans to resettle additional Hmong refugees in the United States were stalled by provisions of President George W. Bush 's Patriot Act and Real ID Act , under which Hmong veterans of the Secret War, who fought on the side of the United States, are classified as terrorists because of their historical involvement in armed conflict. In The Economist 's Democracy Index 2016 Laos
2849-467: The Plateau with its cooler temperatures and abundant rainfall makes it the perfect place for coffee production. Most farming families that make up a variety of the aforementioned minority groups are highly dependent on the coffee industry as their source of income. Coffee in Laos is "cultivated almost exclusively on the Bolaven Plateau in Champasak Province in the southern part of the country... Currently,
2926-457: The Siamese in 1826 . The rebellion failed, and Vientiane was ransacked. Anouvong was taken to Bangkok as a prisoner, where he died. In a time period where the acquisition of humans was a priority over the ownership of land, the warfare of pre-modern Southeast Asia revolved around the seizing of people and resources from its enemies. A Siamese military campaign in Laos in 1876 was described by
3003-683: The UNHCR and the Thai government, Laos agreed to repatriate the 60,000 Lao refugees living in Thailand, including several thousand Hmong people. Some of the Lao refugees were willing to return voluntarily. Pressure to resettle the refugees grew as the Thai government worked to close its remaining refugee camps. While some Hmong people returned to Laos voluntarily, with development assistance from UNHCR, allegations of forced repatriation surfaced. Of those Hmong who did return to Laos, some escaped back to Thailand, describing discrimination and brutal treatment at
3080-656: The United States were normalised in November 2004 through Congress approved legislation. Laos was admitted into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in July 1997 and acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2016. In 2005, it attended the inaugural East Asia Summit . Some Hmong groups fought as CIA -backed units on the royalist side in the Laotian Civil War . After the Pathet Lao took over
3157-633: The United States initiated a bombing campaign against the PAVN positions, supported regular and irregular anti-communist forces in Laos, and supported incursions into Laos by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam . Aerial bombardments against the PAVN/ Pathet Lao forces were carried out by the United States to prevent the collapse of the Kingdom of Laos central government, and to deny the use of
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3234-534: The United States, fled the camp to live elsewhere within Thailand where a sizeable Hmong population has been present since the 19th century. In 2004 and 2005, thousands of Hmong fled from the jungles of Laos to a temporary refugee camp in the Thai province of Phetchabun . Lending further support to earlier claims that the government of Laos was persecuting the Hmong, filmmaker Rebecca Sommer documented first-hand accounts in her documentary, Hunted Like Animals , and in
3311-699: The Vientiane Plain, Savannakhet region , and the Bolaven Plateau , which was derailed by the Japanese invasion of Indochina. Otherwise, according to Martin Stuart-Fox , the Lao might well have lost control over their own country. During World War II in Laos , Vichy France , Thailand , Imperial Japan and Free France occupied Laos. On 9 March 1945, a nationalist group declared Laos once more independent, with Luang Prabang as its capital, and on 7 April 1945 2 battalions of Japanese troops occupied
3388-419: The Vietnamese population stood at nearly 40,000, forming the majority in some cities of Laos and having the right to elect its own leaders. As a result, 53% of the population of Vientiane, 85% of Thakhek , and 62% of Pakse were Vietnamese, with the exception of Luang Prabang where the population was predominantly Lao. As late as 1945, the French drew up a plan to move a number of Vietnamese to 3 areas, i.e.,
3465-537: The Vue Mai incident, debate over the Hmong's planned repatriation to Laos intensified, including in the United States, where it drew opposition from American conservatives and some human rights advocates. In a 23 October 1995 National Review article, Michael Johns labelled the Hmong's repatriation a Clinton administration "betrayal", describing the Hmong as a people "who have spilled their blood in defence of American geopolitical interests". In their opposition of
3542-519: The Wat Tham Krabok Hmong refused to leave and the Lao government refused to accept them, claiming they were involved in the illegal drug trade and were of non-Lao origin. Following threats of forcible removal by the Thai government, the United States, in a victory for the Hmong, agreed to accept 15,000 of the refugees in 2003. Several thousand Hmong people, fearing forced repatriation to Laos if they were not accepted for resettlement in
3619-649: The West, with the government of the Lao PDR aligning itself with the Soviet Bloc , maintaining ties with the Soviet Union and depending on the Soviets for most of its foreign assistance. Laos's emergence from international isolation has been marked through expanded relations with other countries including Russia , China , Thailand , Australia , Germany , Italy , Japan and Switzerland . Trade relations with
3696-665: The arable land area used for growing rice. Approximately 77% of Lao farm households are self-sufficient in rice. Laos may have the greatest number of rice varieties in the Greater Mekong Subregion. The Lao government has been working with the International Rice Research Institute of the Philippines to collect seed samples of each of the thousands of rice varieties found in Laos. Laos imports petroleum and gas. Metallurgy
3773-554: The city. The Japanese attempted to force Sisavang Vong (the king of Luang Phrabang) to declare Laotian independence, and on 8 April he instead declared an end to Laos's status as a French protectorate. The king then secretly sent Prince Kindavong to represent Laos to the Allied forces and Prince Sisavang as representative to the Japanese. When Japan surrendered, some Lao nationalists (including Prince Phetsarath ) declared Laotian independence, and by 1946, French troops had reoccupied
3850-776: The country and conferred autonomy on Laos. During the First Indochina War , the Indochinese Communist Party formed the Pathet Lao independence organisation. The Pathet Lao began a war against the French colonial forces with the aid of the Vietnamese independence organisation, the Viet Minh . In 1950, the French were forced to give Laos semi-autonomy as an "associated state" within the French Union . France remained in de facto control until 22 October 1953, when Laos gained full independence as
3927-555: The country in 1975, the conflict continued in isolated pockets. In 1977, a communist newspaper promised the party would hunt down the "American collaborators" and their families "to the last root". As many as 200,000 Hmong went into exile in Thailand , with some ending up in the US . Other Hmong fighters hid out in mountains in Xiangkhouang Province for years, with a remnant emerging from the jungle in 2003. In 1989,
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#17327804550084004-620: The country. Unexploded ordnance (UXO), including cluster munitions and mines, kill or maim approximately 50 Laotians every year. Due to the impact of cluster bombs during this war, Laos was an advocate of the Convention on Cluster Munitions to ban the weapons and was host to the First Meeting of States Parties to the convention in November 2010. In 1975, the Pathet Lao overthrew the royalist government, forcing King Savang Vatthana to abdicate on 2 December 1975. He later died in
4081-472: The deadline for the closure of Thai refugee camps approached, and under mounting political pressure, the United States agreed to resettle Hmong refugees who passed a screening process. Around 5,000 Hmong people who were not resettled at the time of the camp closures sought asylum at Wat Tham Krabok , a Buddhist monastery in central Thailand where more than 10,000 Hmong refugees had already been living. The Thai government attempted to repatriate these refugees, and
4158-440: The death penalty. Laos has been cited as an origin country for human trafficking. A number of citizens, primarily women and girls from ethnic groups and foreigners, have been victims of sex trafficking in Laos . The Lao economy depends on investment and trade with its neighbours, Thailand, Vietnam, and, especially in the north, China. Pakxe has experienced growth based on cross-border trade with Thailand and Vietnam. In 2009,
4235-410: The exports of timber, with an express aim to help control the country's high deforestation rates and boost the country's domestic wood production industry. On 3 December 2021, the 422-kilometre Boten-Vientiane railway , a flagship of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), was opened. Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia , and it lies mostly between latitudes 14° and 23°N (an area
4312-440: The greater history of Laos. The three most significant historical periods which have greatly affected the area are the French colonization of the region, the Phu Mi Bun Revolt , and the Vietnam War . Each event has had a significant effect upon the Plateau and given the area its own unique character and importance. In 1893, the French first annexed territories east of the Mekong River and later annexed minor extensions of land to
4389-411: The hands of Lao authorities. In 1993, Vue Mai, a former Hmong soldier and leader of the largest Hmong refugee camp in Thailand, who had been recruited by the US Embassy in Bangkok to return to Laos as proof of the repatriation programme's success, disappeared in Vientiane . According to the US Committee for Refugees, he was arrested by Lao security forces and was never seen again. Following
4466-481: The late ’60s. Controlling the Bolaven Plateau was considered strategically vital to both the Americans and North Vietnamese, as evidenced by the staggering amount of UXO (unexploded ordnance) still lying around”. Since there is a great deal of UXO lying around the Plateau, it is often dangerous to veer off unmarked paths. According to many accounts, the devastation caused by these bombings can still be seen in some areas, though most edifices have been rebuilt. In addition,
4543-407: The mere fact that the Plateau is one of the areas passed through on the Ho Chi Minh Trail (The trail does not pass through the plateau but, rather, just off the east edge of the plateau. During the war the plateau was accessible by vehicle via Paksong and Thateng and those roads were the only roads that led off the plateau.) still attracts tourists and brings further attention to the region. Thus,
4620-415: The ministries in Vientiane . The conflict between Hmong rebels and Laos continued in areas of Laos, including in Saysaboune Closed Military Zone, Xaisamboune Closed Military Zone near Vientiane Province and Xiangkhouang Province . From 1975 to 1996, the United States resettled some 250,000 Lao refugees from Thailand, including 130,000 Hmong. On 27 May 2016, the 8th Government of Laos banned
4697-594: The poor and marginalised." A product, Beerlao , was exported in 2017 to more than 20 countries worldwide. It is produced by the Lao Brewery Company . The tourism sector has grown from 80,000 international visitors in 1990, to 1.876 million in 2010, when tourism had been expected to rise to US$ 1.5857 billion by 2020. In 2010, 1 in every 11 jobs was in the tourism sector. Export earnings from international visitors and tourism goods are expected to generate 16% of total exports or US$ 270.3 million in 2010, growing in nominal terms to US$ 484.2 million (12.5% of
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#17327804550084774-417: The potential capacity of approximately 18,000 megawatts, around 8,000 megawatts have been committed for export to Thailand and Vietnam. As of 2021, Laos continues to rely on fossil fuels, coal in particular, in domestic electricity production. In 2018, the country ranked 139th on the Human Development Index (HDI), indicating medium development. According to the Global Hunger Index (2018), Laos ranks as
4851-565: The repatriation plans, Democratic and Republican Members of Congress challenged the Clinton administration's position that the government of Laos was not systematically violating Hmong human rights. US Representative Steve Gunderson , for instance, told a Hmong gathering: "I do not enjoy standing up and saying to my government that you are not telling the truth, but if that is necessary to defend truth and justice, I will do that." While some accusations of forced repatriation were denied, thousands of Hmong people refused to return to Laos. In 1996 as
4928-400: The resort". Tourists are also informed of the markets where they can go and observe the cultures of ethnic minorities and purchase items unique to each culture. The Bolaven Plateau is filled with cultural and geographical areas of interest. Whether it is a boat trip to one of the waterfalls that occupy the region, a tour of the area's coffee plantations, an elephant day trek, or visiting one of
5005-464: The second and third largest investors respectively. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of the GDP and provides 80% of employment. 4% of the country is arable land and 0.3% used as permanent crop land, the lowest percentage in the Greater Mekong Subregion . The irrigated areas account for 28% of the total area under cultivation which, in turn, represents 12% of all of the agricultural land in 2012. Rice dominates agriculture, with about 80% of
5082-475: The supreme leader. As of 22 March 2021 , the head of state is President Thongloun Sisoulith . He has been General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party , a position making him the de facto leader of Laos, since January 2021. Laos's first French-written and monarchical constitution was promulgated on 11 May 1947, and declared Laos an independent state within the French Union . The revised constitution of 11 May 1957 omitted reference to
5159-403: The tallest waterfall in Laos. Well-marked trails lead the physically fit 6 kilometres to the base of the falls":. Tourist attractions also include the villages of ethnic minorities who have grown accustomed to sharing their culture with visitors to the region. Travel guides inform visitors of nearby villages that can be visited: "Alak, Katu and Suay villages can be found within a few kilometres of
5236-569: The three aforementioned events are unique historical incidents which have directly affected the Bolaven Plateau. The predominant ethnic group in the Bolaven Plateau is the Laven , though other Mon-Khmer ethnic groups reside in the area including the Alak , Katu , Taoy , and Suay . According to CPA Media, "all of these people follow animist belief systems" with some groups practicing animal sacrifices. However, more recently, some of these minority communities have begun to adopt Buddhist beliefs because of their contact with Lao Loum . Literature on
5313-505: The throne, Lan Xang further expanded its frontiers. When he died without an heir, the kingdom split into 3 principalities. Between 1763 and 1769, Burmese armies overran northern Laos and annexed Luang Prabang , while Champasak eventually came under Siamese suzerainty . Chao Anouvong was installed as a vassal king of Vientiane by the Siamese. He encouraged a renaissance of Lao fine arts and literature and improved relations with Luang Phrabang. Under Vietnamese pressure, he rebelled against
5390-434: The total) in 2020. The European Council on Trade and Tourism awarded the country the "World Best Tourist Destination" designation for 2013 for architecture and history. Alak people The Alak or Hrlak are an Austroasiatic ethnic group of southern Laos , living mainly in Salavan Province . They speak the Alak language . a lot is known of their history, though as an Austroasiatic -speaking group, their origin
5467-525: The villages of the ethnic minorities, a journey to the Plateau has many opportunities for tourists. Researchers believe that a meteorite , about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) wide, struck Earth approximately 790,000 years ago, with its impact crater perhaps buried under Bolaven Plateau volcanic field, as its strewn tektites , known as the Australasian strewnfield are found across Asia, Australia, and Antarctica. Laos in ASEAN (dark grey) – [ Legend ] Laos , officially
5544-569: The west of the Mekong in 1904 and 1907. For the Bolaven Plateau, the period of French colonization in Laos is most significant because of the agricultural techniques acquired from the French by the inhabitants. According to the Historical Dictionary, "the French planted coffee and experimented with rubber, and the plateau has remained an important agricultural area growing a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, as well as cash crops". It
5621-517: Was classified as an "authoritarian regime", ranking lowest of the 9 ASEAN nations included in the study. Civil society advocates, human rights defenders, political and religious dissidents, and Hmong refugees have disappeared at the hands of Lao military and security forces. Ostensibly, the Constitution of Laos that was promulgated in 1991 and amended in 2003 contains safeguards for human rights. For example, Article 8 makes it clear that Laos
5698-550: Was established on 13 December 2013. Provinces are divided into districts ( muang ) and then villages ( ban ). An "urban" village is essentially a [town]. The Lao PDR is one of the world's socialist states openly endorsing communism . The only legal political party is the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). With the one-party state status of Laos, the General Secretary ( party leader ) holds ultimate power and authority over state and government and serves as
5775-567: Was not until the French introduced farming to the region in the early 20th century that the residents of the Bolaven Plateau made the area an agricultural sector. The second period that helps define the history of the Plateau is the Phu Mi Bun Revolt . The revolt erupted in 1901 and was not suppressed until 1907. It was a “major rebellion by local Lao Theung tribes (the Alak , Nyaheun and Laven ) against French domination". Though there
5852-659: Was recovered in 2009 from the Tam Pa Ling Cave in the Annamite Mountains in northern Laos; the skull is at least 46,000 years old, making it the oldest modern human fossil found to date in Southeast Asia. Stone artifacts including Hoabinhian types have been found at sites dating to the Pleistocene in northern Laos. Archaeological evidence suggests an agriculturist society developed during
5929-530: Was unsuccessful, and the situation turned into civil war between the Royal Laotian government and the Pathet Lao. The Pathet Lao were backed militarily by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the Viet Cong . Laos was a part of the Vietnam War since parts of Laos were invaded and occupied by North Vietnam since 1958 for use as a supply route for its war against South Vietnam . In response,
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