Laos

History

Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is a country in mainland Southeast Asia, and 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. Having a population of more than 7 million, Laos's capital and most populous city is Vientiane. Laos has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the town of Luang Prabang, the temple complex of Vat Phou, and the Plain of Jars. The 2021 completion of the Boten–Vientiane railway, Laotian section of the Laos–China Railway (LCR), connects Vientiane to Kunming. The kingdom of Lan Xang existed in what later is Laos from the 13th to 18th centuries and was a hub for overland trade through its location. In 1707, it split into three kingdoms: Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. In 1893, these kingdoms were unified under French protection as part of French Indochina. Laos was under Japanese administration during World War II, gaining independence in 1945 before returning to French administration until achieving autonomy in 1949. It regained full independence in 1953 as the Kingdom of Laos, with a constitutional... Summary adapted from the English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). The live article includes citations, maps, and updates.