Laos: Flag and Facts

About Laos

The blue stripe is twice as tall as each red one. Red honors those who died for liberation, and blue means prosperity and the Mekong River. The white circle is the full moon rising over the Mekong, a sign of unity and a bright future.

Modern Laos grew out of Lan Xang, a kingdom founded in the 14th century by King Fa Ngum. For about 300 years its reach stretched into parts of what are now Cambodia and Thailand. After a long decline, Siam dominated the area from the late 18th century, and later Laos was folded into French Indochina. A 1907 treaty fixed today's border with Thailand. France recognized full independence in 1953, and in 1975 the Pathet Lao took power after more than 15 years of civil war, ending a monarchy that had lasted six centuries. Rugged mountains cover most of the country, with a few plains and plateaus.

Did you know?

• Phu Bia is the tallest mountain in Laos at 2,817 m.
• The rainy season in Laos runs from May to November.
• Laos is landlocked, bordered by Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam.