Laos

I

Introduction

Laos, officially Lao People’s Democratic Republic, independent state in South East Asia, bounded on the north by China and Vietnam, on the east by Vietnam, on the south by Cambodia, on the west by Thailand, and on the north-west by Myanmar (Burma). Laos is South East Asia’s only landlocked nation. The total area is 236,800 sq km (91,430 sq mi). The capital and largest city of Laos is Vientiane.

II

Land and Resources

Laos is distinguished topographically by a very mountainous area, extending north and south throughout most of the country, and a small area of lowland on the southern and south-western borders. The mountainous area, which covers about nine-tenths of the entire country, can be divided into a northern section of heavily forested mountain ranges and plateaux cut by deep, narrow valleys and gorges, and a southern section containing more sparsely forested limestone terraces. The maximum elevation is Phou Bia in the north, 2,820 m (9,252 ft) above sea level. In the south, heights reach about 1,980 m (6,500 ft).

A

Rivers and Lakes

The Mekong River, the principal river of Laos, enters in the north-west from Thailand, flows south along the Laos-Thailand border, and enters Cambodia in the south-west. The tributaries of the Mekong River in Laos rise in the mountains and flow through deep valleys.

B

Climate

The climate of Laos is tropical, but wide variations in temperature occur in the different areas, chiefly because of variations in elevation. The main climatic features are determined by the monsoons. The wet summer season prevails from about May to October, with rainfall averaging about 1,778 mm (70 in), and a dry, cool season extends from about November to February; the remainder of the year is hot and humid. At Vientiane, temperatures in April, the warmest month, average 28.9° C (84° F); in January temperatures average 21.7° C (71° F).