Laos is a beautiful country in Southeast Asia . Most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand , with Vietnam bordering on the east and China to the north.

The population of Laos is approximately 5,921,545 people made up of Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, and ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%.

The official language is Lao, with French, English, Hmong, and various other ethnic languages. The official government of Laos is known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic.