Laos: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:15, 31 May 2007

Revision as of 00:16, 31 May 2007

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{{Infobox Country or territory

|native_name = ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ <br/>''Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao''

|common_name = LaoesLaos

|image_flag = Flag of LaoesLaos.svg

|image_coat = Wappen laoeslaos sw.png

|symbol_type = Coat of arms

|image_map = LocationLaoesLocationLaos.svg

|national_motto = ສັນຕິພາບ ເອກະລາດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ເອກະພາບ ວັດທະນາຖາວອນ<br/>"Peace, Independence, Democracy, Unity and Prosperity"

|national_anthem = ''[[Pheng Xat Lao]]''

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}}

'''LaoesLaos''', officially the '''LaoeLao People's [[Democratic Republic]]''', is a [[landlocked]] [[socialist republic]] in [[southeast Asia]], bordered by [[Myanmar]] (Burma) and [[People's Republic of China|China]] to the northwest, [[Vietnam]] to the east, [[Cambodia]] to the south, and [[Thailand]] to the west. Laos traces its history to the Kingdom of [[Lan Xang]] or ''Land of a Million Elephants'', which existed from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century. After a period as a [[French colonial empires|French colony]], it gained independence in 1949. A long [[Secret War|civil war]] ended when the [[Communism|communist]] [[Pathet Lao]] came to power in 1975.

[[Private enterprise]] has increased since the mid-1980s, but development has been hampered by poor communications in the heavily forested and mountainous landscape.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/la.html#Econ CIA World Factbook 2006]</ref> Despite this, the [[economy of Laos]] grew at 7.2% in 2006,<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2003rank.html CIA World Factbook]</ref> [[List of countries by GDP (nominal) growth rate|35th]] fastest in the world. Eighty percent of the employed practice [[subsistence agriculture]].<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/la.html#Econ CIA World Factbook]</ref> The country's ethnic make-up is extremely diverse, with only around 70% belonging to the largest ethnic group, the [[Lao people|Lao]].<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/la.html#People CIA World Factbook], May 2007</ref>