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| TAT KUANG SI, NEAR LUANG PRABANG, LAO |
Land-locked Lao is about the size of Great Britain. Over 70% of the country is covered by mountains and plateaus. Northern Lao is made up of steep-sloped mountain ranges and the highest peak is 2820 meters high. Southern Lao is mostly fertile plains, where the majority of Lao agriculture takes place. The Annamite mountain range, 1500-2500 meters high, separates Lao from Vietnam. The Mekong River separates Lao from Thailand. The mighty Mekong River, with its source on the Tibetan Plateau, flows through Lao, bringing fertile soil to the rice, vegetable, and fruit fields in southern Lao. The Mekong River, as well as its many tributaries, also supplies the Lao people with a vital part of their diet, fish. 4% of the total surface area of Lao is arable land, compared to 30% of the total surface area of Thailand. 1% of the total surface area of Lao is irrigated, compared to 10% of the total surface area of Thailand.
SOUTHEAST ASIA POPULATION AREA DENSITY
COUNTRY (2011) (SQ. KM.) (POP/AREA)
LAOS 6.5 MILLION 236,800 28
CAMBODIA 15.0 MILLION 181,035 84
MALAYSIA 28.0 MILLION 329,847 86
MYANMAR 62.0 MILLION 676,578 92
THAILAND 64.0 MILLION 513,120 125
VIETNAM 89.0 MILLION 331,210 270
PHILIPPINES 96.0 MILLION 300,000 320
This table shows that Lao is the least populated and least dense, of all the Southeast Asian countries. 80% of the Lao people work in agriculture and live in rural areas. Lao is one of the United Nations Least Developed Countries, with the goal of getting off this list by 2020. Being land-locked, and having no ports or rail links, Lao struggles to trade with the world economies. There are plans for a railway connecting China and Thailand, with the rails traveling thru northern Lao. There are also plans for a railway connecting Thailand with Vietnam, with the rails traveling thru central Lao. Lao is a member of ASEAN (an economic group of Asian countries), ASEM (an economic group of Asian and European countries), and will join WTO in 2013. Lao mining and hydropower are the driving force of the Lao economy.
SOUTHEAST ASIA ECONOMIC VALUE ECONOMIC
COUNTRY GDP IN USD (2011) GROWTH RATE (2011)
LAO 8 BILLION 8.3 %
CAMBODIA 13 BILLION 6.1 %
MALAYSIA 279 BILLION 5.2 %
MYANMAR 52 BILLION 5.5 %
THAILAND 346 BILLION 6.2 %
VIETNAM 123 BILLION 5.9 %
PHILIPPINES 213 BILLION 3.7 %
For comparison purposes, nearby Indonesia has a GDP of 846 billion, and China has a GDP of 7 trillion. Lao may have a small economy and a small population, but it has joined the ‘modern’ world. WIFI is available across the country, as well as cell phone use. There is electricity available in the cities and towns. There are banks, yet few ATM machines. Lao is advancing rapidly, yet still embraces a lifestyle from generations past. 60% of the Lao people practice Theravada Buddhism, a relatively small branch of Buddhism, found also in Thailand, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. 40% of the Lao people practice Animism, a belief in the existence of spirits that animate the world for good or bad. I am moving to Lao to experience a slower-paced lifestyle, without the materialism. I want to live in the moment, and have time to spend with the community members, to laugh, to love, and to share our lives!
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| NAM SONG AND LIMESTONE CLIFFS NEAR VANG VIENG, LAO |
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