LA is the abbreviation for Laos, the 82nd largest country in the world. Officially the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Laos is a country located in Asia, bordering 5 countries – Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Vientiane is the capital city of Laos. Top 10 biggest cities are Vientiane (population: 196,720), Pakse (population: 88,321), Thakhek (population: 85,011), Savannakhet (population: 66,542), Luang Prabang (population: 47,367), Xam Nua (population: 38,981), Muang Phônsavan (population: 37,496), Muang Xay (population: 25,011), Vang Vieng (population: 25,010), and Pakxan (population: 21,956).
Country Profile
- Capital: Vientiane
- Language: Lao
- Area: 237,955 km2
- Population: 6,758,342
- Currency: Kip (₭) (LAK)
- Time zone: UTC+7
- Calling code: 856
- ISO 2-Letter Abbreviation: LA
- UN 3-Letter Abbreviation: LAO
- Internet TLD: .la
- State Government Website: http://laopdr.gov.la
List of Laos Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Laos are LA which stands for Laos and LAK which means Kip (Laos currency). In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Laos, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
Geography
Laos is an inland state made up of mountains, high plateaus and jungle. In total, the mountain landscape makes up about 70 per cent of the country’s area. The Mekong River flows from north to south in the country. The majority of the population lives in the fertile areas around the river. The southern part of the country consists mainly of lowlands and plains. Compared to the area, Laos has Asia’s largest forest reserves.
Undone toned land mines and bombs from the Vietnam War pose a major environmental threat in Laos. The undisturbed explosive charges require both wildlife and human life each year. In addition, deforestation and pig farming pose major environmental problems for the country as this leads to soil erosion and poor soil quality.
History
Laotian people settled and created small kingdoms in the areas around the Mekong River in the 8th century. However, the first total Laotian kingdom, Lan Xang, was first created in the 1300s. The kingdom served as a sound kingdom (independent kingdom partly under the control of another kingdom) for periods, to other major kingdoms in Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. In 1893, Laos became part of French Indochina. When the area was occupied by Japan during World War II, a liberation movement began to emerge. In 1954, Laos was internationally recognized as an independent monarchy.
From 1953 to 1975, Laos was drawn into the Vietnam War. The country was used as a kind of main road between North and South Vietnam for the communist North Vietnamese forces. To stop the Vietnamese forces, Laos was bombed very hard by the US military.
In 1975, the Laotian king was forced to abdicate, and the Communist Party took power. The country was renamed the “Lao People’s Democratic Republic,” and the Communist Party has been the only allowed political party since. Despite riots, at times including acts of terrorism, against the communist regime, the communist regime has persisted.
Society and politics
Laos has been a communist one-party state since 1975. The supreme executive is the president. He is also the commander-in-chief of the military, appoints the government and ratifies laws. Criticism of the political system in Laos is prohibited. The few regime-critical protests that have taken place in recent times have been brutally turned down.
The Laotian society is characterized by a strained relationship between the largest ethnic group, the Laotians, and the country’s many minorities. A small group of Hmong people have, among other things, been fighting guerrilla war against the regime since 1975. The regime has responded by bombing hmong areas, and around a third of the Hmong people have had to flee.
The infrastructure and health care system in Laos is poorly developed, which in particular makes the life situation outside the major cities very difficult. In addition, malnutrition and lack of clean drinking water are very widespread in the countryside. The position of women in society depends on the ethnic group to which they belong. In the southern areas of Laos, women generally have a somewhat higher position in society than in the north. Laos is relatively tolerant when it comes to LHBTI +, but same-sex marriage is not allowed.
Economics and Commerce
Laos is one of the poorest countries in Asia. The country is rich in natural resources such as forests, minerals and hydropower. However, lack of infrastructure, capital and educated manpower has led to poor utilization of natural resources. After the socialist planning economy was gradually replaced by the market economy in the 1990s, the country has experienced some economic growth. Among other things, this has led to the expansion of the industrial and service sectors. The largest industrial investments have occurred around the largest cities. This has helped to increase the economic differences between town and village.
The main industry in Laos is agriculture. This industry employs over 70 percent of the population. Other important industries are the textile industry, mining and tourism. The Lao economy is still dependent on foreign aid and loans.
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