Laos

Lao Fowkdemocratic Republic ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
Banner Emblem
Location o  Laos  (Green)
Time zone	UTC+7
ISO 3166 code	LA
Internet TLD	.la

Laos (pronounced /ˈlɑː.oʊs/ ^{(deprecatit template)}, /ˈlaʊ/, or /ˈleɪ.ɒs/), offeecially the Lao Fowkdemocratic Republic, is a landlocked kintra in Sootheast Asie, bordered bi Burma an Fowkrepublic o Cheenae tae the northwast, Vietnam tae the east, Cambodie tae the sooth an Thailand tae the wast.

Laos traces its history tae the Kinrick o Lan Xang or Land o a Million Elephants, which existit frae the 14t tae the 18t century. Efter a period as a French protectorate, it gained unthirldom in 1949. A lang ceevil war endit offeecially when the Communist Pathet Lao movement came tae pouer in 1975. The offeecial leid is Lao. Maist fowk are Buddhist wi a significant proportion o indigenous releegion as well. It is a member o the Association o Sootheast Asian Naitions (ASEAN), East Asie Summit an La Francophonie.

Etymology

In the Lao leid, the kintra's name is "Meuang Lao (ເມືອງລາວ)" which literally means "Lao Kintra." The French, who unitit the three separate Lao kinricks in French Indocheenae in 1893, spelled it wi a final silent "s," tae signify the unity o multiple Lao kinricks, hence "Laos". The Lao leid itsel haes nae final "s" soond, so Lao fowk pronoonce it as in their native tongue though some, especially those livin abroad, uise the pronunciation endin in "s".

Administrative diveesions

Province map

Main airticles: Provinces o Laos an Destricts o Laos

Laos is dividit intae 16 provinces (qwang) an ane prefecture (Nakhonluang ViengChan) which includes Vientiane Caipital (Na Kone Luang Vientiane). Provinces are further dividit intae districts (muang) an then veelages (baan). An 'urban' veelage is essentially a toun.