Laos
Asia Β· Capital: Vientiane
How it is run: Laos is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Laos is home to 7.9 million people in South-Eastern Asia, where people speak Lao.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
7.9 million people
That is about 972 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
236,800 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 33 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
31st most people in Asia
22nd largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Lao
π° Money
Lao kip (β)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
69.2 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$2,325
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
40.3% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
29.8% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+856
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.la
π§ People here are called
Laotian
π·οΈ Name at home
ΰΊͺΰΊΰΊΰΊ₯ΰΊ²ΰΊ§
Also written: Lao People's Democratic Republic, Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao.
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Laos is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Laos
French
Laos
Arabic
ΩΨ§ΩΨ³
Chinese
θζ
Japanese
γ©γͺγΉ
Russian
ΠΠ°ΠΎΡ
Portuguese
Laos
German
Laos
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 185.9Γ as many people as Laos.
- Laos covers roughly 2,255 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Laos lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 3,937 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Laos lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
π·οΈ Official name
Lao People's Democratic Republic
ποΈ Capital
Vientiane
π Region
Asia Β· South-Eastern Asia
π€ Country code
LA
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Laos π
π§ Where on the map
18.0Β° N, 105.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+7 β when it is noon in London it is about 19:00 in Vientiane.
- Laos is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Because of where Laos sits, the school day there starts many hours before or after yours does.
- Laos lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Laos sits in South-Eastern Asia, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- Laos is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Laos has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Laos?
- If Laos spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Laos?
Vientiane
Which money do people spend in Laos?
Lao kip (β)
How many countries share a land border with Laos?
5 β Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vietnam.
Roughly how many people live in Laos?
7.9 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.