LAOSTom

JanssenPeriod 1

General Information

• Laos is a country in Southeast Asia.

• It is about 91,430 square miles, which is just a little bigger than the state of Utah.

• There are about 6.8 million people there.

The Laos Flag

Laos Capital• The capital city of

Laos is Vientiane.• The Golden Stupa in

Vientiane is a national symbol of Laos.

Geography• Laos is known for its

mountains and rivers.

History

• Some of the land that is now Laos was owned by the Siamese, the Japanese, and the French.

• In the 1960’s and 1970’s, Laos was involved in the second Indochina war and there was some bombing there.

• The country’s government and people have gone through many changes since then.

Government

• It is Communist State.• The Executive Branch includes:– A President– A Chairman– A Council for Ministers– An 11 member Politburo– A 55 member Central Committee

President Choummaly Sayasone

More Government

• The Legislative Branch includes:– A 115 seat National Assembly

• The Judicial Branch includes:– District and Provincial Courts– A National Supreme Court

• There is only one legal political party. It is called Lao People’s Revolutionary Party or LPRP.

Religion

• The main religion is Buddhism.• Animism is common in the mountain tribes.

This pie chart is from OMF International’s Website.

www.omf.org

Buddha statue in Laos

Main Exports

• Gold and copper• Electricity• Wood• Clothes• Coffee• Agriculture

Main Imports

• Fuel• Food• Machinery• Cars

Currency

• The official language is Lao.• They teach English and French

in schools.

Language

Laos uses kip for money. About 8,500 kip is the same as one dollar.

The biggest bill in Laos is 50000 kip, which is worth about $6. Kip comes in bills of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000.

Food• Sticky rice is eaten

with hands.• A very popular meal

is called Larb. It is a mixture of meat, greens, and spices.

• Salads are common too.

Clothing

• Some people in Laos wear traditional clothing for special occasions.

Animals

• There used to be many elephants in the wild. Now there are just a few hundred left.

• Common animals in Laos are the Asian golden cat, the leopard cat, the lesser panda, several monkeys and the lesser mouse deer.

Plants• There are lots of forests in Laos, but some are

getting cut down.• The main crops that they grow there are rice

and coffee beans. The weather and the river help the soil.

• There are some plants there that seem unusual to us.

The Durian Fruit

Weather• Laos has a tropical monsoon climate.• The rainy season is from May to October.• The dry season is from November to April.

March, April, and May are usually hot.

Natives of Laos

• Laos is a very poor country.• More people work in the country

than in the city.• They are known for being open,

friendly, and respectful people.• The life expectancy is only 56

years there.

Culture

• Laos culture has a lot to do with Buddhism.• They value dancing, singing, and musical

instruments.