Laos Geography

What is the terrain and geography like in Laos?

Overview

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic, a landlocked nation, lies in the center of the Southeast Asian Peninsula and borders on five countries. Dense jungle and rugged mountains in the north and east cover 6% of the country’s surface. Mountainous topography is characteristic of all of Laos outside the Mekong River Basin. Phu Bia, in Xieng Khouang Province, the highest point in the country, rises 9,249 feet above sea level.

The Mekong River, with its headwaters in Tibet, flows over 2,600 miles to its mouth in the south of Vietnam. One of the world's great rivers, it forms the country’s western boundary for the greater part of its length and is the cradle of Lao culture. Most major Lao towns are on its banks. The largest population center in Laos removed from the Mekong River is Phonsavanh in Xieng Khouang Province. Lately, the Lao Government has encouraged the establishment of new towns and villages in the country's interior.

Geography - note

landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand

Laos Use of Natural Resources

Geographic Location	Southeast Asia
Total Area	91,428 Square Miles 236,800 Square Kilometers
Land Area	89,112 Square Miles 230,800 Square Kilometers
Water Area	2,317 Square Miles 6,000 Square Kilometers
Land Boundaries	3,158 Miles 5,083 Kilometers
Irrigated Land	1,197 Square Miles 3,100 Square Kilometers
Border Countries	Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Geographic Coordinates	18 00 N, 105 00 E
Terrain	mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Highest Point	2,817 Meters
Highest Point Location	Phou Bia 2,817 m
Lowest Point	70 Meters
Lowest Point Location	Mekong River 70 m
Natural Resources	timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Time Zone	UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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