LAOS

LAND OF THE MILLION ELEPHANTS

 GEOGRAPHICAL AREA
• Area in square miles (kilometers): 91,400 (236,800)
• Capital (population): Viangchan (vientiane)
(531,800)
• Environmental Concern: Unexploded ordnance,
deforestation, soil erosion, lack of access to
potable water
• Geographical Features: Mostly rugged mountains;
some plains and plateaus.
• Climate: Tropical Monsoon
 HISTORY AND POLITICS
• Laotian people migrated from South China
settled in the 13rd century when the area was
controlled by the Cambodian Empire.
• Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia were combined
into a new political entity, whcich the french
named INDOCHINA.
• France, Britain and Thailand effectively
controlled mainland Southeast Asia for several
decades.
• Before independence, Prince Souphanouvong
organized a Communist guerilla army.
• The Pathet Lao government was sustained
militarily and economically by the Soviet
Union and other East Bloc Nations for more
than 15 years.
• French administrators have fled Laos, leaving
leadership vacuum.
CURRENCY USED IN LAOS ..
 ECONOMY
• Currency ($ U.S Equivalent): 7600 kip= $1
• Per capita income\GDP: $2100 (2008 est.)
• GDP Growth Rate: 6.4%
• Inflation Rate: 7.6% (2008 est.)
• Unemployment Rate: 2.4%
• Natural Resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum,
tin, gold, gemstones
• Agriculture: rice, sweet patato, vegetables, coffee,
tabacco, sugarcane, cotton, livestock, etc.
• Industry: mining, timber, garments, electric power,
agricultural processing, construction.
• Exports: Wood products, garments and textiles,
electricity, coffee, tin.
• Imports: Machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel.
• Balance Of Trade: Exports: US$271 million (1999
est.). Imports: US$497 million (1999 est.).
CUISINE
 CUISINE
• Laotian cuisine is distinct from other
Southeast Asian cuisines.
• The staple food of Laotians is sticky rice.
Galangal, lemongrass and padaek (Laotian fish
sauce) are important ingredients.
• The most famous Laotian dish is Larb.
• Another Laotian staple dish is a spicy green
papaya salad dish known as tam mak hoong
 Population
• The Lao PDR differs from many other Asian countries in that it has an
extremely low population density of only 23.2 persons per square kilometer
(60 per square mile). Its population density is almost the same as the state
of Minnesota. In July of 2000 its population was estimated as 5,497,459

• The current population growth rate is a relatively high 2.5 percent. If this
rate were to continue, the country's population would double to over 10
million by the year 2028.

• The major cause of this high population growth is the high fertility rate of
Lao women. The Lao women on average currently have 5.21 children.
Thus, it is not uncommon to find families of 4 to 10 children, even in
urban areas.
• The ethnically diverse Lao PDR population is comprised of 3 major
ethnic groups: Lao Lum, lowland; Lao Theung, upland; and Lao
Sung, highland. Among prominent highland groups are the Hmong
and Yao. Thus, the Lao PDR is one of the most ethnically diverse
countries in Asia

• With the country's low population density and the need to import
labor (often Vietnamese guest workers ), the government has been
reluctant to adopt a strict birth control or family planning policy

• With such high fertility, the Lao PDR has a very young population.
Roughly 54.2 percent of the population is under the age of 20. With
poor health conditions, particularly in rural areas and related high
mortality rates, only 2.2 percent of the population is over 70 years
of age.
 INDUSTRY
FORESTRY AND LOGGING.
• The Lao PDR has extensive tropical forests containing many
valuable hardwoods such as teak. With a total ban on logging in
Thailand, there is considerable demand for Lao wood products
from other Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan.
Malaysia has projects for teak cultivation in southern Laos. The
Lao military is involved in timber exploitation.
• Deforestation and the need for sustainable forestry are major
environmental issues facing the Lao PDR and its agricultural/rural
sector. The Lao are very conscious that much of Thailand's
northeast was deforested as the result of expanded rice field
acreage. Also, upland agricultural production can result in serious
deforestation.
 MANUFACTURING.

• The following are the principal products manufactured in the Lao PDR:
oxygen-acetylene, battery acid, industrial alcohol, detergent powder, soap,
shoes made of animal skin, leather, medical drugs, fans, vaccines, plastic
goods, timber, lumber, plywood, flood lumber, rattan furniture, books,
fabrics, clothing, bricks, blocks, cement, tiles, chalk, lime, electric poles,
agricultural tools, tin plates, nails, electric wire, and barbed wire.
• For the economy, the most significant of these are clothing/fabrics and
rattan furniture. Except for fabrics and clothing, most of these
manufactured products are for local consumption.
• Laos' manufacturing export potential is currently limited by its status as a
"non-market economy" restricting its access to U.S. and other developed
country markets. Admission to the WTO and completion of a trade
agreement with the United States are essential to enable Laos to have
more secure access for its exports.
 MINING.
• The Lao PDR has an abundant supply of minerals.
Gypsum, for example, is exported to Vietnam.
Tin, coal, lignite, and limestone are also mined.
In the Vanvieng area, there is a major cement
works, established with the assistance of the
Chinese. Mining and quarrying, however,
represented only .051 percent of the GDP in
1999, and minerals are not yet a significant
export. The major problem in exploiting Lao
mineral resources is their inaccessibility.
 TOURISM
• In the Lao service economy, tourism has been a major growth area. Between 1991
and 1995, tourism grew approximately 60-fold, and from 1995 to 2000 it has more
than doubled. On a per capita basis, Laos has even more tourists than Thailand.

• The major tourist attractions of the country are its rich culture and many Buddhist
temples; Luang Prabang, the former royal capital in the north and a world cultural
heritage site; the majestic Mekong River which flows through the country; and
shopping for Lao textiles and handicrafts in Vientiane.

• Despite such economic contributions, tourism employs at most only 3 percent of

the non-farm workforce. Tourist facilities have improved significantly in recent
years. There are now large numbers of hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants in
major cities. Both Vientiane and Luang Prabang now offer some up-scale tourist
facilities.
 NATURAL RESOURCES
Division of land
• arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 40% (1993 est.)
• Irrigated land: 1,250 km² (1993 est.)
Natural resources: timber, hydropower,
gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Culture
• Laos has its own distinct culture. Through Theravada
Buddhism it has influences from India and has also
influences from China. These influences are reflected
throughout Laos in its language as well as in art, literature
and the performing arts.

• Lao way of life is very much influenced by the Buddhism as

can be seen through the way that Lao people live and
behave. They are taught to be patient and acceptance people.
Buddhism was the only thing that bound people together
and taught people to be good people and stay away from
doing wrong things in the past when the law enforcement
was not in place.
• An important festival in Laos is Boun Pha Vet celebrated
once a year. This is a two day Buddhist festival that involves
the entire community. Traditionally the Boun Pha Vet is held
in January or February depending on the moon cycle.
During the ceremony the monks give a sermon of all
chapters of the Maha Wetsandon Chadok, otherwise called
the Great Birth Sermon.

• Laotian music is dominated by its national instrument, the

khaen (a type of bamboo pipe). Bands typically include a
singer/rapper (mor lam) and a khaen player (mor khaen)
alongside fiddlers and other musicians. Lam saravane is the
most popular genre of Laotian music, but ethnic Lao in
Thailand have developed an internationally-best selling
form called mo lam sing.
• One significant archive of ancient Laotian culture is the
Plain of Jars in Xieng Khouang province.

• The primary language in Laos is Lao, however there are

other Laotian dialects spoken by the ethnic minority groups
living in Laos. The Lao language is a very polite language
with multiple tiers of politeness including common polite
particles such as "Jao" and "Doi".

• Laos has no copyright legislation, which is unusual

compared to most other countries.
 Education…
• The adult literacy rate exceeds two thirds.
• The male literacy rate exceeds the female
literacy rate.
• In 2004 the net primary enrollment rate was
at 84%.
• The National University of Laos is the Laos
state's public university.
• The total Literacy Rate Is 73% (2010 est.)
 Marriage…
Polygamy is officially a crime in Laos, though the
penalty is minor. The constitution and Family
Code bars the legal recognition of polygamous
marriages, stipulating that monogamy is to be
the principle key of contracting a marriage in
the country. While rare, there have been cases
of polygamy practiced within the Hmong
people.
Clothing…
• Laos Clothing, in its traditional form, consists of dresses
original to the Hmong community of Laos. Laos clothing
was a symbol of the individuality of the sub-group of
Hmong living in Laos. However with time the influence of
the outside world has limited the wearing of traditional
Laos clothing to special occasions only.

• The traditional clothing of Laos is different for men and

women. While men's clothing is simpler the clothing of
women of Laos is elaborate and decorated with embroidery
and designs. The men of Laos wear pants with a shirt and
vests. The women wear a sarong like cloth with a shirt or a
jacket.
• The use of colorful bands worn around the waist by both
men and women is a part of Laos clothing. Women also
wear large headdresses as a part of the traditional costume
of Laos. The modesty of the women's clothing of Laos
makes them much more beautiful and charming.

• The hand woven clothing of Laos was generally made of

hemp. The recent times have seen the use of artificial
material in the making of clothing. Various designs and
patterns give Laos clothing a wide range of different options
to choose from. The myriad colors of Laos clothing range
from common colors like black and white to vibrant and
bright colors like pink and green and blue.
• The Western influence on the people of Laos has also
affected the style of clothes they wear. People of Laos have
started wearing Western clothing for regular purposes. The
traditional Laos clothing has been limited to festive
occasions only.
 Religion
• Of the people of Laos 67% are Theravada Buddhist, 1.5% are
Christian, and 31.5% are other or unspecified according to the
2005 census.
• The proportion of Buddhists could be as high as 98%; that
religion remains one of the most important social forces in
Laos.
• Theravada Buddhism along with the common animism
practiced among the mountain tribes, coexists peacefully with
spirit worship.
• Christians are mostly restricted to the Vientiane area, and
Muslims to the Myanmar border region. Christian missionary
work is regulated by the government.
 BUSINESS ETIQUETTE
• Punctuality is appreciated
• Lightweight suits, shirt and tie should be worn
• English is not spoken by all officials and
knowledge of French is useful .
• Business cards should have a Laotian
translation on the reverse.
• Best time to visit is during the dry season,
from November to April.
 IMPORTANT FESTIVALS
• Bun Pha Vet
• Marha Puha (or Makka Bu-sao)
• Boun Khoun Khao
• Boun Pimai
• Haw Khao Padap Din
• Awk Phansao
• Boat Racing festival
• Laos national day
THANK YOU !

By –
Karan Miglani
Raghav seth
Dilasha Sethi
Sneha Sharma

B.B.A - B