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CultureGrams
Kids Edition
(Lao People’s Democratic Republic)
2014
Laos
Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
About two-thirds of the population is Buddhist.
Sepak takraw, the national game, is played by trying to keep a rattan (a bamboo-like plant) ball in the air without
using the hands.
Hundreds of millions of cluster bombs were dropped on Laos during the Vietnam War.
Khone Phapheng Falls are the largest falls in Southeast Asia.
The Plain of Jars dates back to the Iron Age and is a megalithic (large prehistoric stone) archaeological landscape
made up of thousands of stone jars. Each jar is large enough to hold a person, and the largest ones weigh more
than six tons! They are thought to be burial sites.
Laos is home to the world's longest poisonous snake, the king cobra.
Legend states that a seven-headed dragon lurks underneath an old Buddhist monument, the That Dam, in
Vientiane and protects the city.
When they sit on a mat on the floor to eat, the Lao cross or tuck their legs with their feet behind them to avoid
causing offense by pointing their feet at someone.
Women traditionally recover from childbirth by spending one month lying in a bed under which hot coals are
placed. The warm temperature is considered necessary to restore her health. The baby lies on a separate bed.
Laotian homes are usually shared by three generations of a family.
A groom typically gives a gift to his bride’s parents to thank them for raising her properly.
Flag
The flag of Laos, most recently adopted on 2 December 1975, has a blue stripe in the
middle to symbolize the Mekong River. The red stripes represent the land along the
river. The white circle signifies a full moon. Blue stands for wealth, and red symbolizes
the blood of heroes who have fought for freedom.
National Image
The dok champa (also known as frangipani) is the national flower of Laos. This
sweet-smelling flower is usually white and yellow. To the Lao people, it symbolizes
sincerity and joy. The flower is used in ceremonies and to welcome special guests.
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Land and Climate
Area (sq. mi.): 91,429
Area (sq. km.): 236,800
Laos covers 91,429 square miles (236,800 sq km), an area around the size of Romania
or slightly larger than the state of Minnesota. Much of the country is mountainous,
especially in the north and northeast. The Annam Highlands lie along the border with
Vietnam. To the west of these mountains are rivers and lowland areas good for farming.
Most of the rivers drain into the Mekong, which runs along the western side of the
country and helps form a natural border with Thailand. Many of Laos’s most important
cities lie along the Mekong’s banks, which made the river an important transportation
route until the late 1990s. Now, most goods are transported by road. Tropical
forests—home to elephants, tigers, and monkeys—cover much of Laos.
The country’s climate is influenced by the Pacific monsoon (rainy wind) season and
consists of a dry season from October to April and a rainy season from May to
September. Average temperatures range from 57 to 93°F (14–34°C). January is the
coolest month and April the warmest, when temperatures can peak at around 104°F
(40°C) before the rains come. The climate is cooler in the mountains in northern Laos.
Population
Population: 6,695,166
The population of Laos is more than 6 million. Nearly 80 percent of Lao are farmers
living in the countryside. The rest of the population lives in cities like Vientiane (the
capital), Savannakhet, Pakse, and Luang Prabang. There are dozens of ethnic groups
in Laos, but most of the population can be divided into three basic groups, depending
on where they live—the Lao Loum (lowland Lao), the Lao Teung (midland Lao), and the
Lao Soung (highland Lao). The Lao Loum comprise roughly two-thirds of the
population, with the other two making up about a third. Some ethnic Vietnamese and
Chinese also live in Laos, usually in cities.
Language
The official language of the country is Lao, which is used in government and schools.
Lao is a tonal language, meaning that the same word can have different meanings
depending on which of the language’s six tones are used. For example, depending on
tone, the word ma can mean “come,” “horse,” or “dog.” Lao is closely related to Thai, so
Lao and Thai people can generally understand each other. Various ethnic groups speak
their own languages and dialects (ways of pronouncing and speaking). Some older
adults speak French, because Laos was under French control during the colonial era.
Some young people are learning French now as more French people live and work
there. Learning English has become very popular in the cities, especially among
teenagers who hope to study or work in other countries or with foreign businesses in
Laos.
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Can You Say It in Lao?
Hello
Sabbai dii
(SAH-buy dee)
Good-bye
La gohn
(LAH gone)
Please
Guluna
(gah-LOO-nah)
Thank you
Khawp jai
(cop CHAI)
Yes
Tyau
(chow)
No
Bo
(bor)
Religion
Almost two-thirds of the population of Laos (mostly from the Lao Loum group) is Buddhist. Lao people practice a form of
Theravada Buddhism from Sri Lanka. But they also believe in phi (spirits) that inhabit all things and watch over the land.
Offerings of fruit and rice are regularly made to the local phi to bring luck and keep the peace. Buddhists attempt to
achieve nirvana (the perfect state of being) by having right views, right thought, right speech, right action, right
livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Buddhists value kindness, compassion, honesty,
moderation, and joy. Even non-religious Lao people sometimes go to the wat (temple), seek advice from the bikkhu
(priest), or dress in traditional costumes for festivals. Buddhist (sometimes mixed with Hindu) ceremonies and customs
are part of everyday life for most people.
Most of the non-Buddhist ethnic groups in Laos (about one-third of the population) are animists, who strongly believe
that all objects are inhabited by living spirits, which people should not disturb by acting badly or bad things will happen
to them. About 2 percent of the population is Christian, and less than 1 percent is Muslim.
Time Line
AD 1100
1100s
Laos is part of the Khmer Empire
1353
The kingdom of Lan Xang (“land of a million elephants”) is established
under King Fa Ngum
1600
1637
King Surinyavongsa comes to the throne, ruling for more than 50 years
1700s
Power struggles lead to the breakup of Lan Xang into three kingdoms,
later ruled by Siam (present-day Thailand)
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1800
1893
The French take control of the area east of the Mekong River and
create treaties to reunify the former Lao kingdoms
1897
The French create the country of Laos from several different territories
by defining its borders with neighboring China, Burma, and Siam
1900
1945
Japan occupies Laos during the second half of World War II, after
which France regains control of the area
1949
France acknowledges Laos as an independent state under the French
Union
1953
Laos gains full independence as a constitutional monarchy (a nation
with a king and a constitution), but royalist (supporters of the
monarchy) and communist groups inside the country compete for
control of different areas
1955
Laos is admitted to the United Nations
1960s and
1970s
The United States bombs Laos during the Vietnam War in an effort to
cut off supply lines to the North Vietnamese army
1962
Laos signs the Geneva Accords to keep the country independent and
out of the conflict in nearby Vietnam; fighting continues in Laos
between the communists, supported by North Vietnamese troops, and
the royalists, supported by the United States
1973
A cease-fire is negotiated in Laos, and the country is divided between
the communists and the royalists under a temporary government
1975
Communists take control of the country and force the king from power;
the Communist Party becomes the only legal party in the country
1989
Elections for the National Assembly are held for the first time since the
communist takeover
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1990s
The Lao government begins economic reforms and tries to get foreign
companies to invest in Laos
1991
A new constitution takes effect
1997
Laos becomes a member of the Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN)
2000
2001
The United Nations begins a three-year effort to feed 70,000 underfed
children in Laos
2004
Laos hosts the 10th ASEAN summit in Vientiane
2005
The foundation is laid for the Nam Theun 2 dam, which begins
providing hydroelectric power to Laos and Thailand in 2009
2006
Choummaly Sayasone becomes president
2009
Laos hosts the 25th South East Asian Games in Vientiane
2012
Development begins on the controversial Xayaburi dam, the first
hydropower project on the lower Mekong River; plans also get
underway for a railway linking Vientiane with Kunming, in southern
China
PRESENT
Lan Xang
Before the 14th century, a number of different peoples and kingdoms occupied the area now known as Laos. Although
these groups had probably lived in the area for hundreds of years, we don’t know much about them because there are
few remaining records. We know that a great warrior named Fa Ngum became king of the region in 1353. As king, Fa
Ngum united a number of small kingdoms to establish the kingdom of Lan Xang (which means “land of a million
elephants”) and made Buddhism the kingdom’s official religion. Under King Fa Ngum and his successors, Lan Xang
grew in size and power, at one point including not just present-day Laos but also parts of what are now Thailand,
Cambodia, Vietnam, and China. For many years, Lan Xang was a center for the study of Buddhism. The kingdom
lasted until the early part of the 18th century.
Foreign Rule and Independence
By 1713, the kingdom of Lan Xang had weakened so much that it split into three
separate kingdoms, all of which fell under the influence of Siam (now Thailand). In the
last part of the 18th century, Laos struggled with unstable governments and suffered
several invasions by its neighbors. By the 19th century, France had become interested
in the region. The French were looking for new colonies to help expand their empire,
and they negotiated treaties to reunify the country and agree on its borders with China,
Burma, and Siam. After the Japanese occupied Laos briefly during World War II, the
French returned and governed Laos until its independence in 1953.
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The Rise of Communism
A group called Pathet Lao (meaning “land of the Lao”), with help from North Vietnam,
gained in strength during the 1950s and eventually took control of many eastern parts
of the country. In 1962, the Geneva Accords were signed by 14 countries to keep Laos
independent and neutral. The Pathet Lao helped form a coalition government headed
by Prince Souvanna Phouma but withdrew from the government two years later. As war
worsened in neighboring Vietnam, the Pathet Lao gained more support from the North
Vietnamese Army to fight against the royalists (supporters of the monarchy) in Laos,
who were now being supplied and provided with air support by the United States. The
North Vietnamese also used Laos as a supply route to attack their enemies in South
Vietnam until the cease-fire negotiations of 1973. The communist Pathet Lao overthrew
the Lao monarchy in 1975 and took control of the country, renaming it the Lao People’s
Democratic Republic.
Laos during the Vietnam War
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, at the height of the Vietnam War, the United States bombed Lao territory in an
attempt to stop supplies and reinforcements from getting to North Vietnamese troops via the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which
ran from North Vietnam through Laos and into South Vietnam. Unfortunately, the U.S. bombing wasn’t limited to the Ho
Chi Minh Trail, the main supply route. Other parts of Laos were also bombed, leaving huge craters and unexploded
missiles in many rural (countryside) areas of Laos. The unexploded bombs are still a problem today. Deaths and
injuries from these weapons are common, and large areas of land remain too dangerous to farm. The U.S. government
today provides millions of dollars each year to help clean up unexploded bombs in Laos, but so much of the country is
affected that it will take many more years to finish the work.
Modern Laos
Since the 1990s, Laos’s government has worked to strengthen the country’s economy.
There have been many other improvements as well, but there is still a lot to do. Outside
the bigger cities, many Lao still live without electricity and access to clean drinking
water, and some are far away from the nearest road, school, or hospital.
Laos is rich in natural resources that can be used to bring income to the economy and
help develop the country. One recent example is the huge new dam (named Nam
Theun 2) built in Khammouane province, in southern Laos, spanning the Nam Theun
River. Most of the electricity generated by the dam is sold to Thailand, which has more
cities than Laos and uses more energy. Some electricity is kept for the local supply in
Laos, and the dam brings in much needed income for the country.
Development is underway for another dam, which is the first project of its kind on the
lower Mekong River. This project is more controversial than the Nam Theun 2, because
the Mekong is shared with Laos’s neighbors, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The
Mekong is a massive source of fresh fish for the whole region, and people are
concerned about what will happen once it is dammed. If completed (by 2020), it will
provide another big boost for development in Laos, and Thailand will buy most of the
power.
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Games and Sports
You’re probably familiar with many of the sports that are popular in Laos, such as
soccer, volleyball, basketball, and badminton. But there are some other Lao sports
you’ve probably never heard of, like sepak takraw. It’s similar to volleyball, but players
are not allowed to use their hands. Two teams of three players each hit the ball back
and forth over a net, using mainly their feet, but also arms, shoulders, and heads. It is a
very acrobatic sport, with players often turning somersaults to kick the ball over the net.
In general, Lao females play sports less often than males, but aerobics and badminton
are popular among women in some of the larger cities.
Holidays
Pi Mai, the Lao New Year holiday, is celebrated over three days in mid-April. Water plays a prominent part in the
celebration. It’s a symbol of renewal, or a new beginning. Houses and villages are thoroughly cleaned, and Buddha
images in temples are showered with water to bring luck. In the streets, people enjoy big water fights with hoses,
buckets, and water pistols. Since the holiday occurs during the hottest period of the year, no one minds getting soaked,
even with chilly, melted ice water. Even monks and grandparents don’t escape a soaking, although they are more
carefully and respectfully drenched. Many families hold parties with loud music, dancing, drinking, and eating.
Food
Lao food is hot and spicy and is usually served with sticky rice, which is steamed in a
bamboo basket and eaten by forming a small ball of rice and dipping it into the various
dishes and sauces that make up the meal. Lap (finely chopped meat or fish, mixed with
mint and basil leaves, onions, lemongrass, and spices) is a typical dish, as is tamak
hung, or papaya salad (grated green papaya with garlic, fish sauce, and chili peppers).
Other favorites include geng paa (a spicy fish soup), mok paa (fish cooked in a banana
leaf), ping gai (grilled chicken), and mok gai (chicken cooked in a banana leaf). Coffee
and tea are favorite drinks. Many Lao in the countryside depend on forest wildlife such
as frogs and mushrooms for part of their diet.
In Laos, people usually eat with their hands, but spoons are used for eating soup and
chopsticks are used for noodles. Meals are often served on a large dish or banana leaf
from which everyone eats, rather than each person having his or her own plate. In most
homes, the meal is served to diners sitting on a mat on the floor. No one eats until the
head of the family has started.
Schools
Adult Literacy: 73%
Laos aims to offer free education to kids between the ages of six and seventeen,
although parents usually have to pay some money to contribute to the running of the
school. Education includes a required five years in primary (elementary) school and six
years of secondary (high) school. However, many children attend school for only a few
years because parents need them to help work on family farms, or because the local
school might not be able to provide the full number of years, or sometimes because
secondary schools are just too far away. Girls in particular are often held out of school,
as parents often believe that educating them is less important than educating boys, and
girls are considered more useful for working at home. In rural (countryside) areas, there
aren’t always enough schools or qualified teachers. Even when there are enough
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schools and teachers, students sometimes lack books or other materials. Because of
problems like these, only about 80 percent of Lao youths aged 15 and older can read
and write, according to the national average, but this is much lower in some rural areas.
Life as a Kid
The Lao have large, close-knit families, with three generations often living together in
one house. If parents work outside the home, children are looked after by other family
members. Large families are particularly common in the countryside, where having
more children means that more hands are available for farming and other work.
Children are taught to honor their parents, and the youngest daughter usually lives with
and looks after her parents until they die. From an early age, young girls help their
mothers with chores, including fetching water, cooking, and looking after animals and
crops. Boys generally have fewer responsibilities but help with the heavy work, such as
preparing fields for planting and harvesting crops. However, all children are expected to
help look after their younger brothers and sisters, even when they are very young
themselves.
Children in the countryside tend to be poor, so they don’t usually have money to buy
toys. Instead, they have fun by swimming, fishing, climbing trees, collecting insects, or
making their own toys, such as kites or cars. Lots of boys enjoy playing soccer. In a
popular game played all over Laos, kids take off their shoes, put one shoe or a can on
the ground as a marker, then move back and toss the other shoes to see who can get
closest to it.
Government
Capital: Vientiane
Head of State: Pres. Choummaly Sayasone
Head of Government: PM Thongsing Thammavong
Although Laos has both a president and a prime minister, it is the communist Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP)
that decides what government policy will be. The LPRP is the only legal political party in the country and has to
approve all candidates. The country’s most powerful government officials belong to the 11-member Politburo (which
contains the president and prime minister) and a 50-member Central Committee. The 132-member National Assembly
is publicly elected every five years from a list of candidates. Each member represents 50,000 people, so as each new
assembly is elected, the number increases to reflect the growing population. The assembly discusses and debates
laws and government policies, but in reality has little power to oppose decisions. The voting age to elect assembly
members is 18. Laos adopted its constitution in 1991.
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Money and Economy
Currency: Kip
While the economy is rapidly growing, Laos remains a poor country, with many of its
rural (countryside) citizens barely able to grow enough food to feed their families. About
80 percent of the population works in agriculture. The main crop is rice, but fruit,
vegetables, tobacco, coffee, and other crops are also grown in Laos. The government
is working to increase industry in the country. Laos’s most important industries include
mining (copper, tin, gypsum, gold), timber (approximately half of Laos is forestland),
electric power generation, construction, and tourism. The Lao economy depends on
financial assistance and investment from other countries. The money used in Laos is
called the kip. However, money from the United States and Thailand is also widely
accepted.
Getting Around
In the countryside, people usually walk or ride bicycles or motorbikes to get where they
need to go. In the city, most people use cars and motorbikes. Public transportation
includes buses, jumbos (small motorized tricycles), tuk tuks (large motorized tricycles),
and lot song teow (pickup trucks with two rows of seats in the back). Buses also travel
from the capital, Vientiane, to smaller cities and towns. Laos has no railroad currently,
although plans are underway to build a rail link to China. The country’s roads are not
well developed, but new roads are being built to make the country better connected
with its neighbors, especially Vietnam and Thailand. The Mekong River is still used to
transport people and goods, though less so now than in the past. Vientiane has an
international airport, and Luang Prabang, in the north, now accepts international flights.
Lao Pop Music
For many years, the Lao government did not allow modern styles of music, but times
have changed. Today, hip-hop, pop, dance, and rock music are the most popular music
styles in Laos. There are often big concerts in Vientiane and other towns. Most of the
time, these concerts are free because companies use them as a way to advertise
products such as cell phones or soft drinks. Some concerts are organized to celebrate
a particular day, such as World Environment Day, and most of the national festivals
include concert stages as well. Talent contests are held regularly to find new stars. Lao
children are not shy about singing or dancing in public, so there are always plenty of
contestants. Karaoke is so popular that many buses play videos of Lao and Thai folk
songs to keep people entertained on long journeys. Because many rural (countryside)
Lao children can’t afford to buy CDs, they often listen to songs on the radio or
television. In cities, teenagers usually download music to their cell phones.
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Learn More
Contact the Embassy of Laos, 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008; phone (202) 332-6416; web site
www.laoembassy.com.
© 2014 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the law to
copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by any
means without strict written permission from ProQuest.
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