According to abbreviationfinder, Vientiane is the capital and most important city of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Also known as Vientiane, it is considered one of the quietest cities in the world. It is located in the central west of the country, on a plain next to the Mekong River, almost on the border with Thailand. Its population is 200,000 residents.

History

King Setthathirath intervened in the ancient kingdom of Lao and Lan Xan and made Vientiane the capital in 1560. The kingdom was divided in two and Vientiane remained the capital now of Lan Xan.

In 1779 Phraya Chakri conquered the capital and made it a vassal of Siam. In one of the many attempts to conquer the area, in 1827 the city was almost destroyed but later it was rebuilt and began to progress economically. King Anouvong attempted a rebellion but was unsuccessful.

In 1893 Vientiane became the protectorate of France and 6 years later it became the capital of French Laos.

Finally in 1946 Vientiane was again named capital but now of a new independent state.

Geography

Vientiane is the capital and most important city of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Also called Vientiane, it is located in the west-central part of the country just where its territory begins to expand. It is also located in the prefecture of the same name. Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia

Location

Vientiane is located in the west-central part of the country, almost on the border with Thailand. It is the most important city in Laos and is located on a plain next to the Mekong River.

Climate

The climate can be considered tropical although there are variations in temperatures between the summer and winter months. In Vientiane the average is 22ºC in December and 29ºC in April.

From May to October is the rainy season in which the annual average rainfall is 1,800 mm.

Hydrology

The city is washed by the waters of the Mekong River

Administrative divition

Vientiane is made up of five districts:

• Chantabuly
• Hadxaifong
• Sikhottabong
• Sisattanak

Population

The population of Vientiane is basically made up of Laotians although of different ethnicities such as the Theung or the Sung. We also find Thais living in the capital but they are a minority. See population of Laos.

Economic development

The trade in its raw materials is what drives the economy mainly. They export wood, lacquer, textiles or leather.

Its most prominent industries have to do with food, footwear and construction materials.

Mineral resources are centered on gypsum, tin, gold, or precious stones.

They have an important airport.

Tourist attractions

The city of Vientiane, which is the capital of the country, is considered one of the quietest cities in the world. Suffice it to say that it only houses 200 thousand residents.

Among the monuments that cannot be missed here we find the That Luang Stupa as well as the Vat Sri Saketel monastery, considered the oldest temple in the city since it dates from the year 1818. If you want to continue practicing religious tourism then you cannot miss the Vat Ho Pra Keo Royal Oratory, which today functions as a religious museum. Inside this place is the image of Buddha, Pra Bang.

Continuing with this route, you can travel about 25 kilometers south of Vientiane to visit the Buddha Park. It is also recommended to visit the Patuxai which is the monumental triumphal arch of the city. Likewise, the visitor can dare to visit one of the most revered sanctuaries in the country, which is the 45-meter high Buddhist stupa known as Pha That Luang.

The former royal residence is also highly regarded among visitors.

It is also very traditional to visit the many markets that the city has and where you can find practically everything, such as Talàat Sâo.

Culture

Crafts

The goldsmith, textiles and baskets are manufactured major craft exhibitions in the city.

In addition to those already mentioned, tribal crafts, jewelry and various sculptures by local artists are also popular in Vientiane.

Religion

The Buddhism Theravada represents the majority religion of the population, but there are some very minority cults are officially banned. Some of them are the Phii or the sayasat.

Holidays and traditions

The festivals that take place throughout the year in Vientiane are closely linked to religious celebrations or the harvest season.

The Laotian Buddhist calendar is your system for locating yourself in time by setting your year 1 to 638 BC on the Christian calendar.

In the month of April, the Pii Mai is celebrated, a festival in which the Buddha figures are washed and then everyone splashes water in the streets.

The Visaka Bu-Saa festival, in the month of May, commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha.

Finally, it is worth highlighting the Full Moon or That Luang party, which takes place in the capital in November, and for a week the fireworks are the protagonists.

Heritage

• Pha That Luang Temple, 16th century.
• Former Royal Residence.
• National Museum of Laos
• Buddha Park
• Great stupa That Dam
• Vat Si Muang, here is a famous stone column that indicates the place, where the city of Vientiane was founded.
• The Buddhist Temples Vat Sok Pa Luang, and Vat Si Saket
• Patuxai, a monumental triumphal arch built in commemoration of independence.

Laos is Asia’s forgotten land. A land with ancient temples, lush primeval forests and barren mountain areas populated only by ethnic groups who have lived isolated here for hundreds of years. Barefoot monks walk around the villages every morning with their food bowls and receive gifts from the people. A trip to Laos is a trip back in time. Not much has changed since 1975, when the Communists took power, and before that one can not directly say that development was particularly rapid.

See Laos

Population: 6.9 million

Capital: Vientiane

Language: Lao and various minority languages

the country’s elephants are celebrated at the annual elephant festival? The prize for this year’s elephant is also presented here.

Laos New Year’s celebration is called Songkran? It is a three-day festival celebrated from 13 to 15 April.

Nature, wildlife and climate in Laos

Laos stretches over 1000 km from the mountainous areas in the north to the low-lying river areas in the south. Large parts of Laos’ mountains and plateaus are covered by pristine rainforest, and the primary agricultural area is located along the banks of the Mekong River in the south. The climate is very varied. The northern parts are cold, while the southern ones have a tropical climate. From May to October, the monsoons ravage and there is plenty of rain. The dry season runs from November to April. At the end of the dry season, the temperature can reach up to 40 °, while the coldest period falls in December and January. Then the temperature often falls below zero in the mountain areas. Ancient rainforest covers half of Laos and offers a fantastic environment for special animal species such as the Indochinese tiger, the Asian elephant, the giant gaurox,

The history of Laos

Today’s Laos consisted for many centuries of a series of smaller, warring kingdoms, of which Lang Xang, meaning “Land of Millions of Elephants”, was the most powerful. The country was briefly conquered by Thailand , which was forced to hand it over to France and French Indochina in the late 19th century. Around the time of World War II, Japan was also engaged for a short period, before Laos received its declaration of independence from France in 1954. Thereafter, internal battles between communists, monarchists and the right flank dominated. The Communists have won and ruled Laos since 1975, something that has not directly meant a peaceful existence for the people of Laos. In the 1980s, Laos was occupied by neighboring Vietnam, and during the Vietnam War, the country was so heavily bombed by the Americans that it became the most bombed country in history. Most Laotians live off agriculture, and especially on rice, coffee and tobacco. The main religion is Buddhism, while the peoples of the mountain areas still worship spirits, just as they have done for hundreds of years.

Traveling in Laos

A trip in Laos is a bit awkward, or exotic if you prefer, because the country has no railway and only parts of the road network are available throughout the year. The Mekong River and its tributaries are the country’s most important transport routes and a cruise on the Mekong River is therefore a perfect form of travel that takes the traveler far and wide around Laos. Of course, there is also the opportunity to take advantage of the country road, and there are lots of exciting places to visit. Many of Lao’s most important temples are located in the sleepy capital Vientiane, one of the world’s smallest capitals. Before the early 1990s, motorized vehicles were a rare sight on the streets, and cyclists and pedestrians still characterize the streetscape of the small capital. A fixed point on any trip to Laos is the mysterious stone pot plain. No one has so far been able to explain why hundreds of huge stone pots, carved out of solid stone, are scattered over a high, remote plain east of Luang Prabang. The pots weigh up to six tons and are believed to be 2,000 years old. Luang Prabang is an ancient royal city surrounded by mountains with beautiful waterfalls. UNESCO has honored the city with a place on its World Heritage List because of its beautiful, old colonial buildings, and its many Buddhist temples. The Pak Ou Caves, 25 km from Luang Prabang, are home to some of Lao’s most important cultural treasures. Thousands of ancient Buddha figures from all over the country have been collected over the centuries, and are today placed in deep caves on the shores of the Mekong. Laos is the land of spectacular nature experiences. Here you will find, among other things, Southeast Asia’s largest waterfall Kone Phapheng. Visit thedressexplorer for Attractions in Laos.

Climate Laos

Below you will find information about Lao’s climate and weather. See temperatures for the capital Vientiane and the world heritage city of Luang Prabang.

	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	CHRISTMAS	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
Vientiane
Daytime temperature	29	30	33	34	33	31	31	31	31	31	30	28
Night temperature	17	19	23	23	24	25	25	25	24	23	20	17
Precipitation (mm)	51	14	25	78	209	260	259	354	399	50	14	1
Luang Prabang
Daytime temperature	28	32	34	36	35	34	32	32	33	32	29	27
Night temperature	14	15	17	21	23	24	24	23	23	21	18	15
Precipitation (mm)	16	17	30	109	163	155	230	290	166	78	30	13

Laos has a tropical climate with two seasons – the rainy season lasts from May – Sept, and the dry season between Oct – Apr. At the end of the dry season, it is warmest, with temperatures above 30 ºC. However, the temperature varies in the country, some areas get up to 40 ºC while it can be around 15 ºC at higher altitudes. From November to March, there is usually less precipitation, and the temperature is more comfortable.