Don't blink or you'll miss it!
Laos is the tiny little country sandwiched between Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, China and Vietnam. Officially known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic, this country has an estimated population of 6.5 million, only slightly larger than that of the Greater Boston Area!
The French, who united the three separate Lao kingdoms in French Indochine in 1893, named the country as the plural of the dominant and most common ethnic group, the Lao.
Geographically, Laos consists mostly of rugged mountains with some plains and plateaus. The Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand, whereas the mountains of the Annamite Range form most of the eastern border with Vietnam and the Luang Prabang Range the northwestern border with the Thai Highlands. There are two plateaux, the Xiangkhoang in the north and the Bolaven Plateau at the southern end. The tropical climate is heavily influenced by monsoon patterns which bring the rainy season from May to November (I guess I'm packing a raincoat!). The dry season, which lasts from December to April, boasts cooler temperatures, cleaner air and significantly more pleasant conditions.
My stopping grounds for the next six months will be in the the capital and largest city of Laos: Vientiane.
No comments:
Post a Comment