|
|
Advertisements:
GovernmentCountry name
Conventional long form
Lao People's Democratic Republic Conventional short form LaosLocal long form Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao Local short form Pathet Lao (unofficial)Government type
Communist state
Capital
Name Vientiane (Viangchan)
Geographic coordinates 17 58 N, 102 36 E Time difference UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions
16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 capital city* (nakhon luang, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhouang Independence
19 July 1949 (from France)
Constitution
Promulgated 14 August 1991; amended in 2003 Legal system
Civil law system similar in form to the French system International law organization participation
Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state
President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006) Head of government Prime Minister THONGSING Thammavong (since 24 December 2010); First Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001) Cabinet Ministers appointed by president, approved by National Assembly Elections President and vice president elected by National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held on 30 April 2011 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for five-year term Election results CHOUMMALI Saignason elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA; THONGSING Thammavong elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA% Legislative branch
Unicameral National Assembly (132 seats; members elected by popular vote from a list of candidates selected by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to serve five-year terms) Elections Last held on 30 April 2011 (next to be held in 2016) Election results Percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 128, independents 4 Judicial branch
People's Supreme Court, People's Provincial and Municipal Courts, People's District Courts, and Military Courts Note The president of the People's Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National Assembly Standing Committee Political parties and leaders
Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other parties proscribed Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
International organization participation
ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the us
Chief of mission Ambassador SENG Soukhathivong
Chancery 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 Telephone [1] (202) 332-6416FAX [1] (202) 332-4923 Diplomatic representation from the us
Chief of mission Ambassador Karen B. STEWART
Embassy 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam, Vientiane Mailing address American Embassy Vientiane, APO AP 96546 Telephone [856] 21-26-7000FAX [856] 21-26-7190 Flag description
Three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band; the red bands recall the blood shed for liberation; the blue band represents the Mekong River and prosperity; the white disk symbolizes the full moon against the Mekong River, but also signifies the unity of the people under the Pathet Lao, as well as the country's bright future National symbol(s)
Elephant
National anthem
Name
"Pheng Xat Lao" (Hymn of the Lao People) Lyrics/music SISANA Sisane/THONGDY Sounthonevichit Note Music adopted 1945, lyrics adopted 1975; the anthem's lyrics were changed following the 1975 Communist revolution that overthrew the monarchy
Comments
Add a new comment: |
Advertisement
Members area
Laos (Vientiane):
 
GPS points from Laos (Vientiane)
|
||||||||
Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.