LAOS

HUMA MUSHTAQ
 CONTENTS

 HISTORY
 GEOGRAPHY
 GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
 FAMOUS PERSONALITIES
 FAMOUS PLACES
 FAMOUS FOOD
 CULTURE
 HISTORY

 Laos traces its history to the kingdom of Lan Xang (Million Elephants)
 founded in the 14th century by a Lao prince, FA NGUM
 Lan Xang became an important trade centre during Samsenthai's reign, but after his
death in 1421 it collapsed into warring factions for 100 years.
 Between 1964 and 1973, the U.S. dropped two million tons of bombs on Laos
 On 2 December 1975, after taking control of the country, the Pathet Lao government
under Kaysone Phomvihane renamed the country as the Lao People's Democratic
Republic
 GEOGRAPHY

 A landlocked nation in Southeast Asia occupying

the northwest portion of the Indochinese peninsula
 Laos is surrounded by China, Vietnam, Cambodia,
Thai land, and Burma.
 It is twice the size of Pennsylvania.
 Laos is a mountainous country, especially in the
north, where peaks rise above 9,000 ft (2,800 m).
 Dense forests cover the northern and eastern
areas.
 The Mekong River, which forms the boundary with
Burma and Thailand, flows through the country for
932 mi (1,500 km) of its course.
 GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

 The head of the government is prime minister who is now Thongloun Sisoulith.
 Government policies are determined by the party through the all powerful
nine members and the 49 member central committee.
 The important government decisions are vetted by the council of ministers.

Thongloun Sisoulith.
 FAMOUS PERSONALITIES

 Vong Phaophanit
 He was a Turner Prize finalist in 1993 and won the DAAD
Fellowship in Berlin in 1994.
 He has held exhibitions in Shanghai, Luang Prabang and Berlin.
 FAMOUS PERSONALITIES

 Mee Moua
 Mee Moua served as a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-
Labor Party as the first Hmong-American woman elected to a state
legislature, where she served from 2002 to 2011.
 Moua served as the president and executive director of Asian
Americans Advancing Justice until 2017.
 FAMOUS PLACES

Pha That Luang Wat Xieng Thong Mekong River

 FAMOUS FOOD

Sticky rice Green Papaya Salad Larb

 CULTURE

 Laos has at least 49 ethnic groups and each of them preserves their
own dialect, customs, culture and tradition.
 Among the lowland Lao, traditions of Buddhism and the boun
(festival)—historically associated with village life
 Most families in Laos are involved in farming. Members of households
work the land together, with a division of labour by gender.
 CULTURE

 The Laotians have a variety of regional and rural art forms, including weaving,
basketmaking, wood and ivory carving, silverwork, and goldwork.
 The rich culture of Laos is rooted in immense spirituality, as the predominant religion of
Theravada Buddhism has influences extending from lifestyle to art and architecture.
 Most villages have at least one temple
 temples sometimes serve as shelters for homeless and disadvantaged people.
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