1. LAOS Tom Janssen Period 1

2. General Information Laos is a country in Southeast Asia. It is about 91,430 square miles, which is just a little bigger than the state of Utah. There are about 6.8 million people there.

3. The Laos Flag

5. Government It is Communist State. The Executive Branch includes: A President A Chairman A Council for Ministers An 11 member Politburo A 55 member Central Committee President ChoummalySayasone

6. More Government The Legislative Branch includes: A 115 seat National Assembly The Judicial Branch includes: District and Provincial Courts A National Supreme Court There is only one legal political party. It is called Lao People’s Revolutionary Party or LPRP.

7. Religion Buddha statue in Laos The main religion is Buddhism. Animism is common in the mountain tribes. This pie chart is from OMF International’s Website.  www.omf.org

8. Main Exports Gold and copper Electricity Wood Clothes Coffee Agriculture

9. Main Imports Fuel Food Machinery Cars

10. Language The official language is Lao. They teach English and French in schools. Currency Laos uses kip for money. About 8,500 kip is the same as one dollar. The biggest bill in Laos is 50000 kip, which is worth about $6. Kip comes in bills of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000.

11. Food Sticky rice is eaten with hands. A very popular meal is called Larb. It is a mixture of meat, greens, and spices. Salads are common too.

12. Clothing Some people in Laos wear traditional clothing for special occasions.

13. Animals There used to be many elephants in the wild. Now there are just a few hundred left. Common animals in Laos are the Asian golden cat, the leopard cat, the lesser panda, several monkeys and the lesser mouse deer.

14. Plants There are lots of forests in Laos, but some are getting cut down. The main crops that they grow there are rice and coffee beans. The weather and the river help the soil. There are some plants there that seem unusual to us. The Durian Fruit 

15. Weather Laos has a tropical monsoon climate. The rainy season is from May to October. The dry season is from November to April. March, April, and May are usually hot.

16. Natives of Laos Laos is a very poor country. More people work in the country than in the city. They are known for being open, friendly, and respectful people. The life expectancy is only 56 years there.

17. Culture Laos culture has a lot to do with Buddhism. They value dancing, singing, and musical instruments.