Population size: 7,530,693

- https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/laos-population

Lao people comprise four main ethno-linguistic families: Lao-Tai, Mon-Khmer, Hmong-Iu
Mien, and China-Tibetan.
- https://laos.opendevelopmentmekong.net/en/topics/ethnic-minorities-and-indigenous-
people/

Official language is Lao

- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lao-language#:~:text=Lao%20language%2C%20al
so%20called%20Laotian,Tai%20dialects%20of%20northeastern%20Thailand.

multilingual country with 86 recorded languages [french & english]

- https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-languages-are-spoken-in-laos.html

one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, Malnutrition has also been a persistent
problem in Laos and can lead to cognitive difficulties, delayed development and high
mortality rate, 17% of the country is considered malnourished.inadequate and unevenly
distributed in Laos, with most of the health care facilities located in urban areas.
Communicable diseases (e.g., influenza), cardiovascular diseases, injuries, accidents,
violence, cancers, and respiratory diseases are the major health problems and causes of
death.
- https://www.britannica.com/place/Laos/Health-and-welfare

Living in Laos can be both a relaxing and, at times, infuriating experience. While the people
of Laos generally have quite a laid-back attitude to life, widespread government corruption
can make many of the simple things you take for granted in other countries hard to come by.
- https://www.internations.org/laos-expats/guide/living-short

Laos is among the least developed and poorest countries in Asia, but significant economic
growth in the past decade has benefited the country. Lack of political and economic freedom
as well as its weak property rights have direct consequences on business.
- https://www.usaid.gov/laos/economic-growth-and-trade
- https://www.borgenmagazine.com/why-is-laos-poor/

Exports were Thailand, China, Vietnam, Japan and India and for imports they were Thailand,
China, Vietnam, Japan and Singapore.
- https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/Country/LAO/Year/2019/TradeFlow/EXPI
MP

Agriculture and trade are the mainstay of the economy.

- https://www.britannica.com/place/Laos/Services
Crucial minerals previously exploited include copper, gold, iron and silver, while other
minerals for commodities are coal, gypsum, lead, potash, sapphire, tin and zinc. The biggest
exports from Laos by value are electrical energy, gold, natural rubber, refined copper and
alloys, and copper ores or concentrates.
- https://laos.opendevelopmentmekong.net/topics/environment-and-natural-resources/
- https://www.worldstopexports.com/top-10-exports-from-laos/

Laos is a one-party socialist republic with the prime minister serving as the head of the
government. It is governed by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.
- https://landportal.org/node/43534#:~:text=%22Laos%20is%20a%20one%2Dparty,ha
ve%20significant%20influence%20in%20Laos.
- https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-type-of-government-does-laos-have.html

Has around 30,000 active-duty troops including the Riverine Force, the Air Force of 4,000
personnel, and Self-Defence Militia Forces.
- https://cove.army.gov.au/article/kyr-laos-military#:~:text=Strategic%20Cooperation-,M
ilitary%20Capability,and%20Self%2DDefence%20Militia%20Forces.

Laos never went through political and military turbulence for it had a prolonged period of
foreign dominance and interference of almost 200 years by feudalists and colonists.
- http://www.nids.mod.go.jp/english/publication/joint_research/series16/pdf/chapter02.p
df