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Portal:Laos/Intro

Laos (/ˈlɑːoʊs/ ^ⓘ, /ˈlaʊs/, /ˈlɑːɒs/, or /ˈleɪɒs/; Lao: ລາວ, Lao pronunciation: [láːw], Lāo), or commonly referred to its colloquial name of Muang Lao (Lao: ເມືອງລາວ, Muang Lao), is a landlocked country in the heart of the Indochinese peninsula of Mainland Southeast Asia, bordered by Myanmar (Burma) and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southwest, and Thailand to the west and southwest.

It traces its historic and cultural identity to the kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Khao (Kingdom of a Million Elephants Under the White Parasol), which existed for four centuries as one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia. Due to Lan Xang's central geographical location in Southeast Asia, the kingdom was able to become a popular hub for overland trade, becoming wealthy economically as well as culturally. After a period of internal conflict, Lan Xang broke off into three separate kingdoms — Luang Phrabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. In 1893, it became a French protectorate, with the three territories uniting to form what is now known as the country of Laos. It briefly gained freedom in 1945 after Japanese occupation, but was recolonised by France until it won autonomy in 1949. Laos became independent in 1953 under King Sisavang Vong.

The capital city is Vientiane. Other large cities include Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and Pakse. The official language is Lao. Laos is a multi-ethnic country with the politically and culturally dominant Lao people making up approximately 60 percent of the population, mostly in the lowlands. Mon-Khmer groups, the Hmong, and other indigenous hill tribes, accounting for 40 percent of the population, live in the foothills and mountains.

Laos' ambitious strategies for development are based on generating electricity from its rivers and selling the power to its neighbors, namely Thailand, China, and Vietnam, as well as its initiative to become a 'land-linked' nation, shown by the planning of four new railways connecting Laos to those same countries. This, along with growth of the mining sector, Laos has been referred to as one of East Asia and Pacific's fastest growing economies by the World Bank, with annual GDP growth averaging 7% for the past decade. It is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), East Asia Summit and La Francophonie. Laos became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2013.

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Lao script or Akson Lao (Lao: ອັກສອນລາວ [ʔák.sɔ̌ːn láːw]) is the primary script used to write the Lao language and other minority languages in Laos. Its earlier form, the Tai Noi script, was also used to write the Isan language, but was replaced by the Thai script. It has 27 consonants (ພະຍັນຊະນະ [pʰā.ɲán.sā.nāʔ]), 7 consonantal ligatures (ພະຍັນຊະນະປະສົມ [pʰā.ɲán.sā.nāʔ pā.sǒm]), 33 vowels (ສະຫລະ/ສະຫຼະ [sā.láʔ]), and 4 tone marks (ວັນນະຍຸດ [wán.nā.ɲūt]).

The Lao abugida was adapted from the Khmer script, which itself was derived from the Pallava script, a variant of the Grantha script descended from the Brāhmī script, which was used in southern India and South East Asia during the 5th and 6th centuries AD. Akson Lao is a sister system to the Thai script, with which it shares many similarities and roots. However, Lao has fewer characters and is formed in a more curvilinear fashion than Thai. (Full article...)

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The following are images from various Laos-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Plain of Jars, Xiangkhouang (from History of Laos)
Image 2Lao women in traditional Luang Prabang sinh (from Culture of Laos)
Image 3Lao princess wearing gold embroidery (from Culture of Laos)
Image 4Monks gathered at evening prayer (from Culture of Laos)
Image 5Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang (from Culture of Laos)
Image 6Lao Loum girls dancing in traditional sinh (from Culture of Laos)
Image 7Lan Xang's zone of influence and neighbours, c. 1540 (from History of Laos)
Image 8Emerald Buddha (from History of Laos)
Image 9Brao couple farming (from Culture of Laos)
Image 10The mainland of Southeast Asia at the end of the 13th century (from History of Laos)
Image 11Territories abandoned by Siam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, depicted as a map of Thailand's territorial losses. The Franco-Siamese crisis resulted in the cession of Laos to France in 1893. (from History of Laos)
Image 12Akha girl in traditional dress (from Culture of Laos)
Image 13Traditional spirit house (from Culture of Laos)
Image 14Luang Prabang, Wat Mai, gilded wood bas relief scenes from the Prince Vessantara Jataka. (from Culture of Laos)
Image 15Ancient human fossil remains from Tam Pa Ling cave (from History of Laos)
Image 16Lao actors wearing Khon Masks (from Culture of Laos)
Image 17Traditional mor lam (from Culture of Laos)
Image 18Auguste Pavie, First Governor-General of the French Protectorate of Laos
Image 19Map showing linguistic family tree overlaid on a geographic distribution map of Tai-Kadai family. This map only shows general pattern of the migration of Tai-speaking tribes, not specific routes, which would have snaked along the rivers and over the lower passes. (from History of Laos)
Image 20Ruins in Vientiane, depicted by Louis Delaporte during the Mekong Expedition led by Francis Garnier (c. 1867) (from History of Laos)
Image 21Mor lam performance-the men are playing the khene and wearing pha sarong (from Culture of Laos)
Image 22Morning on the Mekong River (from Culture of Laos)
Image 23Bronze Buddha sculptures, Wat Mai, Luang Prabang (from Culture of Laos)
Image 24Baci Soukhuan (from Culture of Laos)
Image 25Lao monk woodworking temple details (from Culture of Laos)
Image 26Ornate lintel Wat Phu, Champasak (from Culture of Laos)
Image 27Lower terrace of the Wat Phu mountain complex, Champasak
Image 28Lao sticky rice and papaya salad (from Culture of Laos)
Image 29French warships bombarding the Siamese fort at Paknam (from History of Laos)
Image 30Lao sculpted wood Buddhas posed "calling for rain" (from Culture of Laos)
Image 31Historic Indosphere cultural influence zone of Greater India for transmission of elements of Indian elements such as the honorific titles, naming of people, naming of places, mottos of organisations and educational institutes as well as adoption of Hinduism, Buddhism, Indian architecture, martial arts, Indian music and dance, traditional Indian clothing, and Indian cuisine, a process which has been also aided by the ongoing historic expansion of Indian diaspora. (from History of Laos)
Image 32That Luang, Vientiane (from Culture of Laos)
Image 33A soldier of the Black Flag Army, 1885 (from History of Laos)
Image 34Kra-Dai (Tai-Kadai) migration route according to James R. Chamberlain (2016). (from History of Laos)
Image 35Monks gathering morning alms (from Culture of Laos)
Image 36Southeast Asia in the 18th century showing the kingdoms of Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Champasak and the principality of Phuan (Xieng Khuang) (from History of Laos)
Image 37Market in Luang Prabang, c. 1900 CE

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That Phanom, then part of Lan Xang, enhanced by Photisarath in 1539 during a pilgrimage

Photisarath (also spelled Phothisarath, Phothisarat, or Potisarat, Lao: ພະເຈົ້າໂພທິສະລາດ, 1501–1547), son of King Visoun of Lanxang, is considered to be the most devout of the Lao kings. He banned spirit worship and built temples upon the sites of spirit shrines. His elephant fell and crushed him while he sought to display his prowess to the diplomatic corps. His son Setthathirath returned from Chiang Mai to succeed him to the throne of Lan Xang.

Phothisarath was ruler (1520–47) of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang whose territorial expansion embroiled Laos in the warfare that swept mainland Southeast Asia in the latter half of the 16th century. King Chairachathirat of the Ayutthaya Kingdom invaded Vientiane with a large army in 1540, captured Muang Khouk and crossed the Mekong, but succumbed to a rout at the battle of Sala Kham, the remnants fleeing for their lives and leaving enormous casualties behind. Phothisarath himself allied himself with Burma, sent out 3 campaigns against the Ayutthaya Kingdom: the first to Phitsanulok in 1535, the second one to Vieng Prangarm in 1539, and third was sent in 1548 to Vieng Prab (now Sawangaburi) where he brought back 20,000 families to settle in the Lan Xang kingdom. (Full article...)

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Anouvong Setthathirath Sourigna Vongsa Phetsarath Ratanavongsa Souvanna Phouma Fa Ngum Nang Keo Phimpha Sisavang Vong Sombath Somphone Sourith Don Sasorith Kouprasith Abhay Sourith Don Sasorith Phoumi Nosavan Deuane Sunnalath Kham Ouane Boupha Alexandra Bounxouei Channapha Khamvongsa Douangdeuane Bounyavong Daoviang Butnakho Nakhon Noi Souvanna Phouma Sisavang Vatthana Souphanouvong