Laos is a landlocked country in the center of Indochina. It shares borders with China and Burma to the north, Cambodia to the south, Thailand to the west and Vietname to the east.
Approximately 70% of its total area (236,800 square kilometers) comprises of mountain and plateaux areas.
Mekong river (one of the longest rivers in the world) forms a natural border with Thailand. It flows through almost 1,900 kilometers of the territory of Laos.
It was estimated that, in 1999, the
population of Laos was 4.8 million. Around 85% of the
population are farmers and live in rural areas. There
are 3 main ethnic categories: Lao Loum (low landers),
Lao Thueng (lower mountain dwellers), and Lao Song
(high landers). The great majority of Lao are Buddhist.
Laos has a warm and tropical climate
with two seasons: the rainy season from the beginning of
May to the end of September and the dry season from
October to April. The average temperature 29 degree
centigrade. Maximum temperature can reach up to 40
degree centigrade. Temperatures can drop to as low as 15
degrees or even lower in mountains. Generally, tourists
are recommended to visit Laos during the months of
November to March because these are cool months and
rainfall is lower than other periods.
The official language used in Laos is
Lao language. However, the usage of the language can
differ from north and south. English, French and Russian
are spoken in business or by some senior government
officials. Many shopkeepers can understand basic English
and French.
Laos uses 220 volt (50 Hz) electricity
for use with either two-pronged round or flat plugs. It
is not recommended to drink directly from taps since it
is not very clean. However, purified water is available
throughout the country.
Lao national currency is Kip. There has
been some devaluation of Lao Kip in the past few years.
There are exchange booths available throughout town.
Major credit cards are also accepted in large shops. You
can also withdraw cash by using your credit cards, but
it has to be done at a bank, since there is no automatic
teller machine in Laos just yet.
Public phones are available in
Vientiane and other major cities. You can also go to Lao
Telecom office to call and fax overseas. Phone cards are
widely available in most convenient stores. There are a
number of Internet cafes in Vientiane and major cities.
So you can be sure that you can always keep in touch
with your family and friends.
