Vientiane, Laos

Vientiane is the administrative, economic, and cultural capital of Laos, a Southeast Asian nation that borders Thailand and Cambodia. The city, which sits along the Mekong River, is the nation's largest commercial and transportation hub as well as the seat of the Laotian government, and it is also home to a number of culturally significant sites, including temples and other religious structures. Vientiane combines a modern, urban environment with a traditional, agrarian culture.

Landscape

Vientiane is located in Vientiane Prefecture, also called Vientiane Capital, in the north-central part of Laos, in the Mekong River Valley near the border of Thailand. The average elevation in the river valley is 150 meters (492 feet) above sea level. Many of the city's buildings are located along the Mekong River or one of its tributary streams. Most of Laos is composed of mountainous terrain with the exception of the lowlands found near the river valleys.

Laos has a tropical monsoon climate, which is divided into wet and dry seasons. The dry season lasts from November to May, with the coolest periods occurring in December and January, when the temperature can drop to around 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit). In March and April, which fall in the warm season, the temperature can reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The average temperature is around 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit). Vientiane receives approximately 1,700 millimeters (67 inches) of rainfall annually; the wettest months are July and August. Monsoons and hurricanes usually strike Vientiane in the summer.

The city of Vientiane occupies approximately 180 square kilometers (69.5 square miles) and is divided into five districts. It is a blend of urban and rural landscape, connected by approximately 792 kilometers (492 miles) of roads, 35 percent of which are paved. Many of the roads and buildings in Vientiane were constructed during the French occupation in the nineteenth century. French colonial architecture is common, especially among the city's government buildings, most of which are located along the Mekong River. Most of the streets in Vientiane are lined with trees; many of the houses in the city have small agricultural plots.

People

Vientiane had a population of 721,000 in 2023. The Laotian population is growing by 1.3 percent annually (2023 estimate). There are forty-nine ethnic groups recognized by the Laotian government, though there are an estimated 200 ethnic groups in total. As of 2015, just over half of the population (53.2 percent) was of the Lao ethnic group, a lowland Tai people native to Laos and northeastern Thailand. Other ethnic groups represented include the Khmou (11 percent), the Hmong (9.2 percent), Phouthay (3.4 percent) and other Tai (3.1 percent) peoples (2015 estimates). Immigrant groups, including ethnic Vietnamese and Chinese, account for less than 1 percent of the population.

Lao is the official language of Laos and is spoken by over 98 percent of the population. A majority of Laotians are bilingual; French and English are common in the major cities. A variety of ethnic dialects are spoken in rural areas. Each ethnic group is distinguishable by its unique linguistic characteristics.

Laos is a predominantly Buddhist nation, and most Laotians belong to the Theravada school of Buddhism. According to 2015 estimates, approximately 64.7 percent of the population practices Buddhism, while most of the remaining population (31.4 percent) do not follow a religious faith. A majority of Laotians respect both Buddhist and animist traditions and mixed temples and prayer areas are common in rural areas. Christianity is more common in Vientiane and other cities but only accounts for an estimated 1.7 percent of religious participants nationwide.

Vientiane blends elements of traditional Laotian culture with remnants of French heritage. Both Laotian and French cuisines are served in the city's numerous cafés and restaurants. In addition, elements of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai culture are also present in the city, in the form of artwork, architecture, and cuisine. Bicycles and motorcycles are the primary modes of transportation in the city, though automobiles are increasingly common.

Economy

The Laotian economy has experienced almost constant growth since the 1980s, with the exception of a moderate recession during the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. The infrastructure of the city includes a minimal telecommunications network and few paved roads to connect the nation's cities. There is no railroad system. Vientiane is the most developed of Laos's principal cities, but it is relatively underdeveloped when compared to major cities in Cambodia, Thailand, or Vietnam.

Agriculture is a major industry in Laos, accounting for an estimated 20.9 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017 and 73.1 percent of total employment in 2012. The primary agricultural products are rice, sweet potatoes, corn, coffee, tea, tobacco, cotton, cassava, peanuts, and various meat products. The manufacturing and services industries are more common around the nation's major cities, including Vientiane, which serves as the nation's economic headquarters. Industry, which includes garment and textile production, agricultural processing, and mining, accounted for an estimated 33.2 percent of the 2017 GDP. Primary products include gypsum, tin, copper and wood products.

Thailand is the nation's chief trading partner, both for exports and for imports. Vientiane and Thailand are directly connected by busy trade routes, and about 60 percent of products imported into Laos come from Thailand by way of Vientiane. China and Vietnam are the nation's other significant trading partners.

The unemployment rate in Laos is relatively low, estimated at around 1.26 percent in 2021. However, the percentage of Laotians living below the poverty level is high—approximately 18 percent in 2018.

Laos is a communist state, and the government restricted foreign investment for most of the twentieth century. In 1989, the Laotian government began to privatize some parts of the nation's industry. Foreign investment and international business have helped Vientiane and Laos as a whole to maintain strong economic growth since the late 1980s. In the first half of the twenty-first century, the economy grew at an annual rate exceeding 7 percent.

Vientiane is the site of the nation's only international airport, located approximately 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the city. The Mekong River and its tributaries are major routes for transportation to and from the city. A variety of boats, including water taxis, frequent the Vientiane portion of the Mekong.

Landmarks

Buddhist monasteries, temples and monuments are among Laos' most popular attractions. One of the city's most famous landmarks is the Pha That Luang, a Buddhist stupa (mound-shaped monument) that was built in the sixteenth century, among the ruins of an ancient Khmer building. The stupa was destroyed by the Siamese army in 1828, but was rebuilt by the French in the late nineteenth century. Since 1991, the Pha That Luang has been designated as the national symbol of Laos and has therefore been elevated in cultural significance. The central tower in the center of the stupa is 45 meters (148 feet) tall.

The area surrounding Pha That Luang often hosts open markets, which provide a variety of fruits and vegetables along with other native crafts. Open markets are a popular spot for tourists and also the primary mode of shopping for the native population. In the center of the city is Fountain Circle, an urban park constructed around a large fountain and surrounded by colonial architecture and a variety of restaurants, bars and other recreational establishments.

The Presidential Palace of Laos, located in downtown Vientiane, was originally built as an administrative building for the French colonial government, but was later transitioned to serve as a base for the Royal Family of Laos. When the government shifted from monarchy to republic, the building was left vacant; it is now used for official ceremonies. Though visitors are not allowed to enter the palace, the area surrounding the building has developed into a popular district for shopping and restaurants.

Vientiane contains a majority of the nation's museums and cultural centers. The Lao National Museum contains relics and historical artifacts related to the nation's history. The museum's collection includes artifacts and photographs related to the extensive damage suffered in Laos during the Vietnam conflict. The museum also contains a collection of items related to the history of the Mekong Delta and the various tribes that have inhabited the region. The Wat Sisaket Temple and Museum contains a collection of paintings and sculpture documenting Buddhist history in Laos. The connected temple was built between 1819 and 1824 and is one of the oldest surviving religious structures in Laos.

History

The earliest occupants of Laos were immigrants from China, who established fishing and agricultural settlements in the Mekong Delta region. By the twelfth century CE, Laos was part of the Khmer Empire that originated in Cambodia. Vientiane was an important settlement for the Khmer, who used the village as a shipping hub. By the close of the twelfth century, the Lao and Tai people had pushed into the nation and removed most of the remaining Khmer.

In the fourteenth century, Vientiane became an important city in the Lan Xang Kingdom, a native Lao dynasty, which extended throughout Laos and into portions of Thailand. Though Vientiane was an important military settlement for the Lan Xang the capital was in the city of Luang Prabang, named because it was home to the "Prabang," a gold Buddha statue that was given to the Lao royal family by the Khmer dynasty. Thai and Vietnamese forces repeatedly attacked Luang Prabang. The repeated attacks prompted King Settathirat of the Lan Xang to move the capital to Vientiane in 1563. The height of the Lan Xang kingdom came in the seventeenth century, under the rule of Souligna Vousa, who ruled until 1694. Upon King Vousa's death, the Lan Xang kingdom split into warring states and the nation was unable to defend itself against foreign invasion.

After the dissolution of the Lan Xang, Vientiane became a separate kingdom. The Siamese invaded Laos in 1779, and within several years, Laos became a territory of Siam. In the 1820s, King Anouvong of Vientiane launched a rebellion against the Siamese. Vientiane was largely destroyed by the Siamese military. In 1827, the Siamese military regained control of the city and imprisoned the king.

The Siamese ceded Laos and Cambodia to the French in 1893, in an effort to reduce dependent territories and to form stronger trade and defense agreements with the French government. By 1900, the French had established Vientiane as the nation's capital and conducted a reconstruction effort, which restored many of the buildings and monuments destroyed during the Siamese invasion.

The French did not significantly invest in Laos, and only a few hundred French citizens resided in the nation. Most of the population continued living a primarily agrarian lifestyle. However, native Laotians were required to submit taxes to the French government, which became the motivation for frequent uprisings. The French government was evicted in 1945, when the Japanese invaded. However, the Japanese surrendered several months later and a power struggle developed between those who wanted independence for Laos, and those who wanted to remain allied with the French.

The French granted Laos independence in 1954, but a civil war soon broke out. Royalists, who were composed of American-supported factions, wanted to establish a constitutional monarchy under the Laotian royal family; the French-supported factions wanted to implement a socialist government.

Laos was a contested territory during the Vietnam War and suffered extensive bombing. The territory was divided between the Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and the Khmer. Vientiane escaped the destruction that engulfed other cities, like Luang Prabang, and was an important base for American and royalist forces during the war. At the close of the Vietnam conflict, the royal family of Laos was overthrown and a socialist government was established. Vientiane was named the national capital of Laos.

Bibliography

Country Technical Note on Indigenous Peoples' Issues: Lao People's Democratic Republic. International Fund for Agricultural Development / Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, Nov. 2012. International Fund for Agricultural Development, www.ifad.org/documents/10180/ad1dbf3c-fa88-477c-901e-1116b221b53d. Accessed 19 Dec. 2016.

"Laos." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 20 Feb. 2024, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/laos/. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

"Laos Country Profile." BBC News, BBC, 18 Apr. 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-15351898. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

Lindt, Naomi. "36 Hours in Vientiane, Laos." The New York Times, 22 Mar. 2012, www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/travel/36-hours-in-vientiane-laos.html. Accessed 19 Dec. 2016.