About Lao PDR
The Lao People's Democratic Republic, (Lao PDR) forms a land bridge between its neighbours, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.
After years of war and diplomatic isolation, Laos is slowly moving towards regional integration. However, it faces serious challenges of poverty and food security, especially amongst the subsistence farming communities which form the bulk of the population.
Casualties, caused by scattered unexploded ordnance are an added burden. Cross-border trafficking of Lao youths and ethnic minority women, particularly to Thailand for financial and sexual exploitation is on the rise.
HIV/AIDS rates are low, however the country’s gradual integration into the world, also carries the threat that migration and increased travel might pose.
The government’s opium eradication program has contributed to even greater poverty for highland ethnic groups, traditionally engaged in opium poppy cultivation as a way out of poverty.
Lao PDR is the poorest and Least Developed Country in Southeast Asia. It ranks as a low income, highly indebted poor country. It relies heavily on donor assistance. 73.2% of the population earn under $2 per day.
Estimated per capita income in 2005 was US$382. Social indicators are amongst the poorest in the region, with an estimated average life expectancy in 2005 of 54.7 years.
Lao PDR’s total land area, much of which is mountainous and densely forested, is approximately 237,000 square kilometres. The Mekong River, almost half the length of which flows through Laos, forms most of the border with Thailand. Most main towns (including Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse and Savannakhet) are along the Mekong.
The population of Lao PDR is approximately 6 million people, with an estimated annual growth rate of 2.4 per cent, one of the highest in East Asia. Population density is 23 people per square kilometre, one of the lowest in East Asia. The population is diverse, consisting of approximately 131 ethnic groups. The strong media influence from Thailand threatens the cultural fabric of Lao society. The youth are abandoning traditional cultural practices to the promises of modern-day prosperity.
The official language is Lao, a tonal language structurally similar to Thai. Before 1975, French was the predominant foreign language spoken. Between 1975 and 1989, many Lao studied Russian or other Soviet bloc languages. Among younger Lao, English is now the most widely-spoken second language.
Theravada Buddhism, the dominant religion of Lao P.D.R., is followed by approximately 60 per cent of the population, especially amongst so-called lowland Lao. Animism is still widely practiced among a number of minority groups, especially up-country. Laos has a tropical monsoon climate, with a wet season from May to September/October. Temperatures are coolest during December and January and highest in April and May.