Laos

History

The history of Laos goes back to remote times, before the Christian era, as the enigmatic vestiges of the Plaine show it earthenware jars. About 5th century a. J. - C., an influence of the Khmer kingdoms primitive is felt and, through them, Hindu civilization then the Bouddhisme of civilization Dvaravati. The site of Vat Phu, in the south of the country, goes up at that time.

About the 12th century starts really the history of the country with the arrival of the Tai populations arriving of China of the South. In 1333 is founded the Lan Xang , country of the million elephants . Buddhism is established definitively. With the wire of the centuries, the kingdom is consolidated, and, after Luang Prabang, it is Vientiane which becomes capital in 1550, the kingdom of Chiang May is annexed, it is the apogee of Lane Xang. 17th and 18th centuries will be agitated, the kingdom is parcelled out, the provinces pass under Burmese domination , Chinese or, in 1798, Siamese. Vientiane is taken by the Siamese kingdom.

Laos passes then under the control of Siam (Thailand) which dominated the three kingdoms until the 19th century. In 1893, the action of the vice-consul of France in Luang Pragang, Auguste Pavia, as well as a blockade of the coasts obliged Siam to yield left bank of Mekong (Laos Eastern) then to sign treaties (1902, 1904) recognizing the protectorate of France on the oriental party of Lan-xang (Laos). It is finally integrated into the French Indochinese Union in 1899. As for the Western part of Lan-xang (known as " Issan" /nord-is), it is occupied by Siam…

In 1904 began the long reign of Sisavang Vong which lasted until in 1959.

During the Second world war, the Japan imposed its domination on the French Indo-China, including on Laos. France at the time being controlled by the Mode of Vichy, this domination was exerted in an indirect way, the French administrators remained in station and the Tricolor continued to float on Vientiane. In 1941, the Thailand, allied of Japan, forced only France to yield the territories to the west of the Mekong. Until 1945, Indo-China French was little touched by engagements, but, when the Japanese became aware that they were going to lose the war, they sought to prevent the return of the European colonial powers and supported the independence which was proclaimed on April 8th, 1945 by king Sisavang Vong (under the Japanese pressure). But, after the Japanese defeat, it is the return of the French, who give to the Laotians their autonomy in the French Union about 1946, and it is the national union lao (two linked remaining kingdoms, Champassak and Luang-Prabang…).

At the month of July 1962, a Gouvernement of national union was set up at Laos. The country remained however divided: in the south, the forces anticommunists and neutralists, with north, the Pathet Lao. At that time, the American policy in the area consisted in guaranteeing the Neutralité of Laos and the Kampuchea while actively defending the South Vietnam and the Thailand. In 1962, the president Kennedy concludes an agreement with Vietnam North, stipulating the withdrawal of the Armée popular Vietnamese and the American Armée with the country.

The United States withdrew itself but not North-Vietnam, and the Piste Ho Chi Minh, which crossed Laos, was used more and more to feed the effort of war in the South Vietnam.

In 1963, the Pathet Lao launched an offensive which gave him the control of most of the east and the North-East of the country. The United States gave up engaging of the regular forces but they intensified their clandestine activities in Laos. Teams of the Special Forces infiltrated in the south of the country; and the CIA undertook to arm the Laotian mountain tribes. During this time, the Bombardement S on the Ho Chi Minh track became extensive growing for results than mitigated more.

However, the Méos units equipped by the CIA could not play any military part any more after the loss of their base of Long Cheng in December 1971.

The communist rebellion does not disarm, constant by the Viet Minh against the staggering capacity supported by the United States. A cease-fire intervenes the February 22nd 1973 and, in 1975, the communist movement of the Pathet Lao shift the king Savang Vatthana and seizes the power. King Savang Vatthana and the Khamphoui queen abdicate the December 2nd 1975. The king, the queen and the heir to the throne die in a camp of internment. The Democratic Popular republic of Laos (RPDL) is created with a mode of sole party, causing the exile of approximately 300.000 people, that is to say 10% of the population. One period of co-operation with the the USSR is followed from 1988 of a will of relative opening to the modern economy. Young person wire of king Savang Vatthana, Sauryavong Savang, becomes regent of the kingdom and president of the royal family in exile in the name of the heir to the throne, the prince Soulivong Savang.

Policy

Subdivisions

Principal cities

Vientiane, capital
Luang Prabang
Savannakhet
Phonsavan
Pakxé
Vang Vieng

See: Cities of Laos

Geography

Economy

General information

A serious economic starting cannot be possible without the development of the infrastructures currently centered on the highway network and telecommunications. The whole of the network of infrastructures remains however modest: no the railroad, almost not of phone network, few roads.

Laos opened into 1986 with the “new economic mechanisms”. The Code of the Investments was promulgated in the tread in 1988, followed first Program of structural adjustment adopted in 1989 with the support of the the IMF and the the World Bank. The overseas investments remain modest and go on the trades of tourism (hotel trade, restoration, services) if one excludes the great projects like the hydroelectric stopping of Nam Theun 2, whose Électricité de France is one of the principal partners.

Macro-economic stability in terms of exchange and inflation seems to be maintained and Laos currently profits from the technical assistance of Asian development bank (ADB) to undertake the reforms of the banking environment. With an income per head of 300 dollars, Laos is one of the poorest countries of the world. The international assistance ensures a third of the national budget.

Agriculture

The agricultural sector is most important and accounts for 46,6% of the GDP (2004). Independent source of incomes of the country, it occupies 70 80% of the active population. The cultivable grounds (4%) are primarily dedicated to rice growing. The principal cultures are food (Riz, Maïs, starches), then the Café, the Arachide S (peanuts), the Coton and the Tabac. Laos is the 3rd world producer of Opium behind the Afghanistan and the Myanmar (Burma) close.

Agriculture on Brûlis remains very practiced in Laos. This technique consists in clearing (essartage) future the zones to be cultivated then to burn the residues during the dry season. However, the recent concentration of the population along the road axes accelerates rotation fallow-culture, which contributes to the erosion of the grounds. Indeed, this technique remains viable for low and dispersed population densities, but becomes problematic for the safeguarding of the grounds when the population density is such as times of Jachère become too short to fertilize the grounds.

Breeding

Buffalo S, Ox S, Pig S, Goat S, Sheep S and Poultry S.

Laos raises like cattle of the goats, the bulls, the buffaloes, etc

Tertiary sector

Tourism

737.208 tourists visited Laos in the year 2000 including approximately 33.000 Americans, 25.000 French, 10.000 Australian. The remainder of the tourists is primarily composed of nationals of the Member States of ASEAN.

Trade and overseas investments

In 2004, the Australia is the 4th investor of the country with 48 projects adding up 324 million dollars. The Japan and the China are also of large investors in Laos.

The country turns over gradually to the free trade and the private company since the liberalization of the laws on the overseas investments and the admission of Laos to ASEAN.

Japan is by far that which brings the economic aid most important (18 million dollars in 1999).

The leading vendor is the Thailand (64% of the imports).

The main customers are: Thailand (20%), France (8%), Japan (3%).

Media

Demography

Culture

Religion

Various religions cohabit in Laos, placed under the authority of the Front lao of national construction (FLEN), structure installation by the Communist government to control the religious activities and the traditions of the minority ethnos groups. The majority of the religious communities coexist in harmony. The majority of the Laotians are of confession Buddhist (Buddhism of the Small Vehicle, or Bouddhisme theravâda. The rites animists are however very widespread in the country, in particular at the minority ethnos groups, but were integrated in the Buddhist worship. Laos counts more than 5.000 pagodas and approximately 22.000 monks, of which 9.000 belong to the permanent clergy. He is necessary to add to it a total of approximately 450 nuns (generally of the widows). The majority of the Laotians are made monks in their life once, for one period which varies one week to the near total of their life. The Christians (catholic, Protestant and Mormon) account for approximately 2% of the population. FLEN distinguishes them inside the religious category “Church of Jesus Christ”. The Catholic church counts approximately 35.000 faithful, often of origin Vietnamese. There are three bishops in Laos, based in Vientiane, Pakse and Thakhek. The Protestants count as for them approximately 60.000 faithful, in particular in the ethnos groups Hmong, Yao and Khmères.

There exist other religious minorities, like the Islam, the Confucianisme, the Foi Baha' IE and the Bouddhisme mahâyâna. Very few Laotians are atheistic or agnostic. The Church of Jesus-Christ of the Saints of the Last Days account a thousand of members, especially present in the provinces of Vientiane and Bokhéo. The Témoins of Jéhovah try to be made recognize officially by the authorities of the country. The Buddhist sect Thammayudh, although incorporated in Buddhism lao in 1975, is still present in the country, in particular in Vientiane. There are approximately 400 practitioners of Islam in Laos, the majority being expatriates of the Middle East or Kampuchean ethnos group Cham. Two mosques are present at Vientiane, one Shiite and the other sunnite. Although recognizing the freedom of worship, guaranteed by the law the Laotian mode frames the practices and is shown rather reticent towards the not-Buddhists

Others

Defense: the army has a total staff complement of 29.000 men of which 25.500 are attached to the Army.

Navy, 500 men
Armored vehicles: 30 tanks
Fighters: 12

Codes

Laos has as codes:

according to the code ISO 3166-1 alpha-2: the
according to the list Signal level domain: .la
according to the standard ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 (code list country): LAO
according to the standard ISO 3166-1 (code list country), code alpha-2 the
according to the Code list country of the CIO: LAO
according to the international Code list of the number plates: LAO
according to the Code list countries used by NATO, alpha-3: the
according to the Code list countries used by NATO, code alpha-2: the

See too

References

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