Laos, known as the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos, is a landlocked country in the Indochina Peninsula.

Laos was once part of the Kingdom of Chenla. From the 13th to the 18th centuries, it was governed by the south, which was later invaded by Siam and Vietnam, and then by the French. In 1893, it became a French colony. It declared its independence in 1945, and in 1975 it abolished the monarchy and established the Republic. Laos is a member of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, and one of the least developed countries. It joined ASEAN in July 1997.

Lao’s industrial base is weak, with sawmill, rice-based light industry and tin-based mining industry being the most important sector. Golden Triangle Laotian part of the Lu Nan tower was the world's most prolific opium production area.

Lao’s diet is close to Thailand’s. It is also one of the only two socialist countries in Southeast Asia, with the other one being Vietnam.