Laos, A Land Of Boundless Beauty

Laos, A Land Of Boundless Beauty

Laos is not too far from Bangladesh! Although the name of the country is unknown to many. Laos is said to be the oldest land in Southeast Asia. An ancient human skull was recovered from a Tamil Pang cave in the mountains of Anami in northern Laos. Which is at least 46,000 years old! Let's take a look at some wonderful facts about Laos.

Laos is a communist country. It belongs to Indochina. It is one of the poorest countries in Asia. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Communist government has not yet adapted to the international political situation. Neighboring China could not become a friend. Why didn't China adopt Mao Zedong's country? Laos is a landlocked country with no connection to the oceans. Myanmar and China to the northwest of this country in Southeast Asia. Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west. Most of the country's history has been under the influence of neighboring countries. That is why Laos is in crisis of their national identity. They are dominated by Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, China and Thailand.

Today, Laos is a country whose original inhabitants are mainly from southern China. After the eleventh century, a part of the country became part of the Khmer Empire. In 1345 the first native government was established. According to historians, the name of the country was then 'Lan Zheng'. In English, it stands for 'Land of Million Elephants'. That is the land of the elephant. The people of the North-East did not submit then. In the name of the country (Lan Zheng) dynasty in power in Laos.

The Lan Zheng dynasty recognized Buddhism as the state religion. In doing so, the Khmer extended a hand of friendship to them. In 1583, King Zheng Setathirat declared Vientiane their capital. His reign was the golden age of the Lan Zheng Dynasty. Burma seized power in a military coup. The Burmese did not last long. However, due to the conflict of power, the people of Laos were divided into three parts in the seventeenth century. These became states under the influence of Vietnam, Thai and Chinese. As the Thai influence gradually increased, at one point the Vietnamese invaded Thailand.

There is a long dispute between the two countries over this. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, Thailand became concerned about its own country. Through a treaty, they handed over part of their influence to France. The transfer was completed between 1893 and 1906. At one point it served as a buffer state between the British and French colonies. France changed its capital. It was occupied by Japan during World War II. A few days later, the country declared independence. It was not long before France regained control of the country. In 1950, Laos was added to the list of their allies under the short-term autonomy. Until 1954, France had full control over it. At that time the country gained the status of a monarchical republic from France. The country gained full independence in the same year under the Geneva Accords.

69 percent of the country's people belong to the Lao community. They are the most influential in the country politically and socio-economically. Since they come from southern China, the Chinese language is very influential. About 82% of people speak Chinese-influenced Lao language. There are several isolated tribes living in the country. Among them are Mong, Yao, Tibetan and Burmese. Most of their living areas are remote and isolated. They live especially in hilly areas. A small number of Vietnamese and Thai peoples have merged with the urban population. Buddhism is widely practiced in the country. Their relationship with minorities and tribal believers is not good at all. There are some Christians and Muslims in the capital Vientiane. The activities of Christian missionaries are also noticeable here.

Laos is a landlocked country. Hilly terrain. Most of it is covered with dense forest. In the forest are Indochinese tigers, Asiatic elephants. The only habitat of these animals is the dense forests of Laos. Some more animal species have been discovered in Laos in recent years. The amount of flat land is very small. There are high plateaus. The Mekong River is flowing crookedly. Large area in the west, this river flows as a boundary with Thailand.

Laos is a tropical country. There are effects of monsoon winds. May to November monsoon season. Dry weather prevails from December to April. According to local tradition, the seasons are monsoon, winter and summer. 21 percent of the country's land area has been declared a reserve for biodiversity. The government has ambitious plans centered around protected areas. Tourist spots will be developed. If implemented, it will become one of the most attractive tourist destinations in South Asia. Laos is one of the four countries in the 'Golden Triangle' notorious for opium production. However, the rate of opium production has decreased recently.

The country's president is Chaumali Sayasan. He is elected president by the elected parliament. He is also the leader of the ruling Lao Revolutionary Party. It is the only legitimate political party. There is no chance of any other political party making its debut. The communication system of the country is absolutely fragile. There is no rail communication. There is a city-centric communication system. The villages remain completely isolated. You have to go from one village to another. The state of telecommunication is also the same. The amount of power generation is low. The government has only been able to provide electricity to the cities.