Facts About Laos
| Independence | 1949 from France |
| Rainy Season | June to October |
| Terrain | Mostly rugged mountains, some plains and plateaus |
| Natural Hazards | Floods, Droughts |
| Population | 8 Million (2026) |
| POP Vientiane (Capital City) | 750,000 (est 2025) |
| Infant Mortality Rate | 35.2/1000 (2023) (huge decrease in recent years) |
| Average Age | 25.3 yrs (2026) |
| Life Expectancy | 69.7 (2025) |
| Currency | 21,800 KIP = $1 USD (2026 but fluctuates greatly) |
| Per Capita Income | $2,800 (2026) |
the most heavily bombed country on earth
From 1964-1973, 2 million tons of ordnance dropped on Laos
580,000 bombing missions-equal to a planeload of bombs every 8 minutes, 24-hours a day, for 9 years
270 million cluster bombs were dropped on Laos
Up to 80 million did not detonate
45 years since, less than 1% of these munitions have been destroyed
Each year there are 50 new casualties in Laos, down from 310 in 2008.
