Portal:Laos

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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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The Kingdom of Laos was the form of government in Laos from 1947 to 1975. Located in Southeast Asia at the heart of the Indochinese Peninsula, it was bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, North Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and southwest. The country was governed as a constitutional monarchy beginning with its independence on 22 October 1953. It survived until December 1975, when its last king, Sisavang Vatthana, surrendered the throne to the Pathet Lao during the civil war in Laos, who abolished the monarchy in favour of a Marxist–Leninist state called the Lao People's Democratic Republic, which has controlled Laos ever since.

Given self-rule with the new Constitution in 1947 as part of the French Union and a federation with the rest of French Indochina, the 1953 Franco-Lao Treaty finally established a sovereign, independent Laos, but did not stipulate who would rule the country. In the years that followed, three groups, led by the so-called Three Princes, contended for power: the neutralists under Prince Souvanna Phouma, the right-wing party under Prince Boun Oum of Champassak, and the left-wing, North Vietnamese-backed Pathet Lao under Prince Souphanouvong and future Prime Minister Kaysone Phomvihane. (Full article...)

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

Image 1Emerald Buddha (from History of Laos)
Image 2Auguste Pavie, First Governor-General of the French Protectorate of Laos
Image 3Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang (from Culture of Laos)
Image 4The mainland of Southeast Asia at the end of the 13th century (from History of Laos)
Image 5Akha girl in traditional dress (from Culture of Laos)
Image 6Luang Prabang, Wat Mai, gilded wood bas relief scenes from the Prince Vessantara Jataka. (from Culture of Laos)
Image 7Territories 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 8Monks gathered at evening prayer (from Culture of Laos)
Image 9Mor lam performance-the men are playing the khene and wearing pha sarong (from Culture of Laos)
Image 10Plain of Jars, Xiangkhouang (from History of Laos)
Image 11Lao sculpted wood Buddhas posed "calling for rain" (from Culture of Laos)
Image 12Lao actors wearing Khon Masks (from Culture of Laos)
Image 13Map 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 14Lan Xang's zone of influence and neighbours, c. 1540 (from History of Laos)
Image 15French warships bombarding the Siamese fort at Paknam (from History of Laos)
Image 16Bronze Buddha sculptures, Wat Mai, Luang Prabang (from Culture of Laos)
Image 17Baci Soukhuan (from Culture of Laos)
Image 18Market in Luang Prabang, c. 1900 CE
Image 19Traditional spirit house (from Culture of Laos)
Image 20Lao Loum girls dancing in traditional sinh (from Culture of Laos)
Image 21Ancient human fossil remains from Tam Pa Ling cave (from History of Laos)
Image 22Ruins in Vientiane, depicted by Louis Delaporte during the Mekong Expedition led by Francis Garnier (c. 1867) (from History of Laos)
Image 23Lower terrace of the Wat Phu mountain complex, Champasak
Image 24Lao princess wearing gold embroidery (from Culture of Laos)
Image 25Brao couple farming (from Culture of Laos)
Image 26Ornate lintel Wat Phu, Champasak (from Culture of Laos)
Image 27That Luang, Vientiane (from Culture of Laos)
Image 28Kra-Dai (Tai-Kadai) migration route according to James R. Chamberlain (2016). (from History of Laos)
Image 29Traditional mor lam (from Culture of Laos)
Image 30Morning on the Mekong River (from Culture of Laos)
Image 31Monks gathering morning alms (from Culture of Laos)
Image 32A soldier of the Black Flag Army, 1885 (from History of Laos)
Image 33Historic 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 34Southeast 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 35Lao women in traditional Luang Prabang sinh (from Culture of Laos)
Image 36Lao monk woodworking temple details (from Culture of Laos)
Image 37Lao sticky rice and papaya salad (from Culture of Laos)

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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