Demographics of Laos
Encyclopedia
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
features of the population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, including population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
, ethnicity
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
' population was estimated at about 6 million in July 2004, dispersed unevenly across the country. Most people live in valleys of the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
River and its tributaries. Vientiane Prefecture, which includes Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
, the capital and largest city of the country, had about 569,000 residents in 1999. The country's population density is 23.4/km².
In March 2005, the total population was 5.62 million (2.82 million females, 2.80 million males) in the 2005 census, an increase of 1 047 000 since the previous 1995 census.
Overview
The demographic makeup of the population is uncertain as the government divides the people into three groups according to the altitude at which they live, rather than according to ethnic origin. The lowland Lao (Lao LoumLao Loum
The Lao Loum is an official Laos PDR designation for lowland dwelling Tai peoples, including the majority Lao people. The Lao Loum, literally meaning "lowland Lao," are the inhabitants of the river valleys and lowlands along the Mekong River and make up over 68% of the population of Laos, of...
) account for 68%, upland Lao (Lao Theung
Lao Theung
The Lao Theung or Lao Thoeng is one of the traditional divisions of ethnic groups living in Laos . It literally indicates the "midland Lao", and comprises a variety of different ethnic groups of mostly Austro-Asiatic origin...
) for 22%, and the highland Lao (Lao Soung, including the Hmong
Hmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
and the Yao
Yao people
The Yao nationality is a government classification for various minorities in China. They form one of the 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where they reside in the mountainous terrain of the southwest and south...
) for 9%. Ethnic Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
constitutes about 2% of the population.
Ethnic Lao
Lao people
The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...
, the principal lowland inhabitants and politically and culturally dominant group, make up the bulk of the Lao Loum and around 60% of the total population. The Lao are a branch of the Tai people who began migrating southward from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in the first millennium A.D. In the north, there are mountain tribes of Miao–Yao, Austro-Asiatic, Tibeto-Burman - Hmong
Hmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
, Yao
Yao people
The Yao nationality is a government classification for various minorities in China. They form one of the 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where they reside in the mountainous terrain of the southwest and south...
, Akha, and Lahu
Lahu people
The Lahu are an ethnic group of Southeast Asia and China.They are one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where about 450,000 live in Yunnan province. An estimated 150,000 live in Burma. In Thailand, Lahu are one of the six main hill tribes; their...
who migrated into the region in the 19th century. Collectively, they are known as Lao Sung
Lao Sung
Lao Sung or more commonly Lao Soung is an official Laos PDR designation for highland dwelling peoples in Laos . The ones in Laos, the actual Lao Soung, make up 9% of the Laotian population...
or highland Lao. In the central and southern mountains, Mon–Khmer tribes known as Lao Theung
Lao Theung
The Lao Theung or Lao Thoeng is one of the traditional divisions of ethnic groups living in Laos . It literally indicates the "midland Lao", and comprises a variety of different ethnic groups of mostly Austro-Asiatic origin...
or upland Lao, predominate. Some Vietnamese and Chinese minorities remain, particularly in the towns, but many left in two waves - after independence in the late 1940s and again after 1975.
The predominant religion is Theravada
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
Buddhism. Animism
Animism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
is common among the mountain tribes. Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and spirit worship coexist easily. There also is a small number of Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
s and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s.
The official and dominant language is Lao
Lao language
Lao or Laotian is a tonal language of the Tai–Kadai language family. It is the official language of Laos, and also spoken in the northeast of Thailand, where it is usually referred to as the Isan language. Being the primary language of the Lao people, Lao is also an important second language for...
, a tonal language of the Tai
Tai languages
The Tai or Zhuang–Tai languages are a branch of the Tai–Kadai language family. The Tai languages include the most widely spoken of the Tai–Kadai languages, including standard Thai or Siamese, the national language of Thailand; Lao or Laotian, the national language of Laos; Burma's Shan language;...
linguistic group. Midslope and highland Lao speak an assortment of tribal languages. French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, once common in government and commerce, has declined in usage, while knowledge of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
- the language of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated ASEAN rarely ), is a geo-political and economic organization of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has...
(ASEAN) - has increased in recent years.
With a median age of 19.3, Laos has the youngest population of Asia.
Population
Accoding to the 2010 Revision of the UN World Population Prospects , the population of Laos increased from 1.7 million in 1950 to 6.2 million in 2010. Until the year 2000 the proportion of children 0-14 years of age was over 40% of the total population. Due to decreasing fertility rates this porportion decreased to 34.5% in 2010. The proportion of elderly people is still very low (3.9%), although the proportion doubled between 1950 and 2010.| Total population | Population aged 0-14 (%) |
Population aged 15-64 (%) |
Population aged 65+ (%) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1 683 | 40.4 | 57.4 | 2.1 |
| 1955 | 1 897 | 41.4 | 56.2 | 2.4 |
| 1960 | 2 130 | 42.1 | 55.3 | 2.6 |
| 1965 | 2 391 | 42.2 | 54.9 | 2.9 |
| 1970 | 2 691 | 41.9 | 55.0 | 3.1 |
| 1975 | 3 042 | 42.1 | 54.7 | 3.2 |
| 1980 | 3 235 | 43.9 | 52.5 | 3.5 |
| 1985 | 3 648 | 44.0 | 52.4 | 3.6 |
| 1990 | 4 192 | 43.7 | 52.7 | 3.6 |
| 1995 | 4 795 | 43.6 | 52.8 | 3.6 |
| 2000 | 5 317 | 42.3 | 54.0 | 3.7 |
| 2005 | 5 753 | 39.1 | 57.1 | 3.8 |
| 2010 | 6 201 | 34.5 | 61.6 | 3.9 |
Births and deaths
| Period | Live births per year | Deaths per year | Natural change per year | CBR* | CDR* | NC* | TFR* | IMR* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950-1955 | 80 000 | 37 000 | 43 000 | 44.8 | 20.9 | 23.9 | 5.94 | 167.1 |
| 1955-1960 | 87 000 | 40 000 | 47 000 | 43.2 | 20.1 | 23.1 | 5.96 | 160.1 |
| 1960-1965 | 96 000 | 44 000 | 52 000 | 42.4 | 19.3 | 23.1 | 5.97 | 153.5 |
| 1965-1970 | 107 000 | 47 000 | 60 000 | 42.3 | 18.7 | 23.6 | 5.98 | 147.0 |
| 1970-1975 | 122 000 | 52 000 | 70 000 | 42.5 | 18.1 | 24.4 | 5.99 | 140.5 |
| 1975-1980 | 132 000 | 54 000 | 78 000 | 42.2 | 17.2 | 25.0 | 6.15 | 132.4 |
| 1980-1985 | 145 000 | 56 000 | 90 000 | 42.2 | 16.2 | 26.0 | 6.36 | 122.6 |
| 1985-1990 | 165 000 | 56 000 | 109 000 | 42.1 | 14.4 | 27.7 | 6.27 | 107.6 |
| 1990-1995 | 180 000 | 53 000 | 127 000 | 40.0 | 11.9 | 28.1 | 5.88 | 88.3 |
| 1995-2000 | 170 000 | 48 000 | 122 000 | 33.6 | 9.4 | 24.2 | 4.81 | 70.8 |
| 2000-2005 | 154 000 | 44 000 | 110 000 | 27.8 | 7.9 | 19.9 | 3.70 | 58.2 |
| 2005-2010 | 144 000 | 39 000 | 105 000 | 24.1 | 6.6 | 17.5 | 3.02 | 44.5 |
- CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)
Ethnic groups
Lao Front for National Construction
The Lao Front for National Construction is a Laotian popular front founded in 1979 and led by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. Its task is to organize Laotian mass organizations and other socio-political organizations. In 1988 its tasks were expanded to include certain ethnic minority affairs...
(LFNC) recently revised the list to include 49 ethnicities consisting of over 160 ethnic groups. The term ethnic minorities is used by some to classify the non-Lao ethnic groups, while the term indigenous peoples is not used by the Lao PDR. These 160 ethnic groups speak a total of 82 distinct living languages.
Lao
Lao people
The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...
55%, Khmu
Khmu people
The Khmu is one of the largest ethnic groups based in northern Laos. They can also be found in Burma, southwest China , Thailand, and Vietnam, where they are an officially recognized ethnic group...
11%, Hmong
Hmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
8%, Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
2%, other (over 100 minor ethnic groups) 26% (2005 census).
| Ethnic group |
Language family |
census 1995 | census 2005 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | ||
| Lao Lao people The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province... |
Tai-Kadai | 2,403,891 | 52.5 | 3,067,005 | 54.6 |
| Khmu Khmu people The Khmu is one of the largest ethnic groups based in northern Laos. They can also be found in Burma, southwest China , Thailand, and Vietnam, where they are an officially recognized ethnic group... |
Mon-Khmer | 500,957 | 11.0 | 613,893 | 10.9 |
| Hmong Hmong people The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China... |
Hmong-Mien | 315,465 | 6.9 | 415,946 | 8.0 |
| Thai Thai people The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of... |
Tai-Kadai | 215,254 | 3.8 | ||
| Puthai | Tai-Kadai | 472,458 | 10.3 | 187,391 | 3.3 |
| Leu Leu Leu may refer to:* Leu, a commune in Dolj County, Romania* Leucine, amino acid abbreviated Leu* LEU, Low-Enriched Uranium* Moldovan leu, the standard of currency in Moldova* Romanian leu, the standard of currency in Romania... |
Tai-Kadai | 119,191 | 2.6 | 123,054 | 2.2 |
| Katang | Mon-Khmer | 95,440 | 2.1 | 118,276 | 2.1 |
| Makong | Mon-Khmer | 92,321 | 2.0 | 117,872 | 2.1 |
| Akha (Kor) | Tibeto-Burman | 66,108 | 1.4 | 90,698 | 1.6 |
| Xuay | 45,498 | 1.0 | 42,834 | 0.8 | |
| Singsily | 37,447 | 0.7 | |||
| Taoey Ta Oi people The Tà Ôi is an ethnic group of Vietnam . They speak a Mon–Khmer language and are concentrated in A Lưới district of Thừa Thiên-Huế province and Hương Hóa district of Quảng Trị province.... |
Mon-Khmer | 30,876 | 0.7 | 32,177 | 0.6 |
| Nhuane | 26,239 | 0.6 | 29,442 | 0.5 | |
| Iewmien (Yao) Yao people The Yao nationality is a government classification for various minorities in China. They form one of the 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where they reside in the mountainous terrain of the southwest and south... |
Hmong-Mien | 22,665 | 0.5 | 27,449 | 0.5 |
| Phong Phong-Kniang language Phong Kniang is an Austro-Asiatic language of the Mon–Khmer family, spoken in Laos. Its nearest relatives are the fellow Xinh Mul tongues, the Khang language and Puoc language, both spoken in Vietnam. The number of speakers of Phong-Kniang is estimated at 1,000.... |
Mon-Khmer | 21,395 | 0.5 | 26,314 | 0.5 |
| Brao (Lavae) Bru people The Bru are an ethnic group living in Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. They speak Bru, a Mon–Khmer language, which has several dialects... |
Mon-Khmer | 17,544 | 0.4 | 22,772 | 0.4 |
| Katu Katu Katu Kath was a fictional character who first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #300.-Fictional character biography:He was a member of the Acolytes, a fanatical group of mutants... |
Mon-Khmer | 17,024 | 0.4 | 22,759 | 0.4 |
| Oey Oey Oey is a Chinese Indonesian surname with a Dutch spelling that means "golden yellow", or literally "yellow." The most common direct English spelling is Huang... |
Mon-Khmer | 14,947 | 0.3 | 22,458 | 0.4 |
| Pray Pray Pray may refer to:* Prayer, an active effort to communicate with a deity or spiritIt may also refer to:-Places:Italy* Pray, Piedmont, a comune in the Province of BiellaUnited States* Pray, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community-People:... |
Mon-Khmer | 15,000 | 0.3 | 21,922 | 0.4 |
| Lamed | Mon-Khmer | 16,740 | 0.3 | 19,827 | 0.4 |
| Lahu (Musir) Lahu people The Lahu are an ethnic group of Southeast Asia and China.They are one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where about 450,000 live in Yunnan province. An estimated 150,000 live in Burma. In Thailand, Lahu are one of the six main hill tribes; their... |
Tibeto-Burman | 8,702 | 0.2 | 15,238 | 0.3 |
| Thaneua | Tai-Kadai | 14,799 | 0.3 | ||
| Kriang (Ngae) | Mon-Khmer | 12,189 | 0.3 | 12,879 | 0.2 |
| Hor Hor Hor was an Egyptian king of the 13th Dynasty. He appears in the Turin King List as Au-ib-Rê. He most likely reigned only for a short time, not long enough to prepare a pyramid, which was in this dynasty still the common burial place for kings.-Burial:... |
8,900 | 0.2 | 10,437 | 0.2 | |
| Xingmoon (Puoc) Xinh Mun people The Xinh Mun is an ethnic group living primarily in the provinces of Sơn La and Lai Chau, in northwestern Vietnam... |
Mon-Khmer | 5,834 | 0.1 | 8,565 | 0.2 |
| Jeng | Mon-Khmer | 6,511 | 0.1 | 7,559 | 0.1 |
| Nhahem | 5,152 | 0.1 | 6,785 | 0.1 | |
| Kmer Kmer Kmer may refer to:* Khmer people, mostly in Cambodia.* KMER AM radio station in Kemmerer, Wyoming, USA.... |
3,902 | 0.1 | 5,825 | 0.1 | |
| Toum Toum Toum is a garlic sauce as prepared in Lebanon, the Levant and Egypt similar to the European aioli. As well as garlic, it contains salt, olive oil or vegetable oil and lemon juice crushed using a wooden mortar and pestle. There is also a variation popular in many villages where mint is added,... (Hung) |
Mon-Khmer | 2,510 | 0.05 | 4,458 | 0.08 |
| Xaek | Tai-Kadai | 2,745 | 0.06 | 3.733 | 0.07 |
| Samtao | Mon-Khmer | 2,213 | 0.05 | 3,533 | 0.06 |
| Sila (Sida) | Tibeto-Burman | 1,772 | 0.04 | 2,939 | 0.05 |
| Tri Tri Tri may refer to:* An intern specializing in Float and Share research.* tri-, a numerical prefix meaning three* El Tri or El Tricolor, are the nickname of the Mexico national football team.* El Tri, Mexican rock group... |
20,906 | 0.5 | 2.668 | 0.05 | |
| Harak | 2,128 | 0.04 | |||
| Bid Bit people The Bit or Bid are an ethnic group living in Louang Namtha Province, Laos. There are around 1,500 people left, mainly in a single village, as well as a further 500 or so over the border in China. They speak Bit, a Mon–Khmer language, although most also speak Lao.The Bit live in houses built on... |
Mon-Khmer | 1,509 | 0.03 | 1,691 | 0.03 |
| Lolo Lolo Lolo can refer to:These places:* Ogooué-Lolo province in Gabon* Lolo River, tributary of Ogooué River in Gabon* Lolo, Montana* Lolo Pass , on U.S... |
Tibeto-Burman | 1,407 | 0.03 | 1,691 | 0.03 |
| Pako | Mon-Khmer | 13,224 | 0.3 | 1,675 | 0.03 |
| Lavy | Mon-Khmer | 538 | 0.01 | 1,193 | 0.02 |
| Yae Yae Fujimoto Yae , is a singer, mainly known outside Japan for having performed the theme songs for the GameCube RPG Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.-Biography:... |
Mon-Khmer | 8,013 | 0.2 | 1,057 | 0.02 |
| Sadang | Mon-Khmer | 786 | 0.02 | 938 | 0.02 |
| Hanyi Hani people thumb|Typical daily attire of ethnic Hani in China. Near [[Yuanyang County, Yunnan|Yuanyang]], [[Yunnan]] Province, [[China]] The Hani people are an ethnic group. They form one of the 56 nationalities officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. They also form one of the 54 officially... |
Tibeto-Burman | 1,122 | 0.02 | 848 | 0.02 |
| Nguane | 1,344 | 0.03 | 722 | 0.01 | |
| Oedou O Du people The Ơ Đu are an aboriginal ethnic group in Vietnam and Laos. Their total population is more than 570.-Name variation:The Ơ Đu are also commonly referred to as O'Du, O Du, Iduh, Tay Hat, Hat, and Haat.-Culture:... |
Mon-Khmer | 649 | 0.01 | ||
| Yang Yang Yang may refer to:* Yang, in yin and yang, the word for one half of the two opposing forces in Chinese philosophy, described as "bright positive masculine principle" in Chinese dualistic cosmology* Yang County, in Shaanxi, China... |
4,630 | 0.1 | 616 | 0.01 | |
| Moy Moy -Places:* Loch Moy, a loch south of Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland.** Moy, Highland, a village beside Loch Moy** Moy Hall, also near the loch and the ancestral home of the chiefs of Clan Mackintosh** Rout of Moy, an event in the Jacobite rising of 1745... |
534 | 0.01 | |||
| Thin Thin Thin may refer to:*People with lean narrow physiques, see emaciation and underweight* Thin client, computer in client-server architecture networks* Thin film, material layer of about 1 µm thickness... (Mal) |
Mon-Khmer | 23,193 | 0.51 | 514 | 0.01 |
| Kree Kree The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud... |
739 | 0.02 | 495 | 0.01 | |
| Laven Låven Låven is a mountain of Oppland, in southern Norway.... |
Mon-Khmer | 40,519 | 0.9 | ||
| Phounoy Phunoi people The Phunoi are a tribal people of Laos, Northern Thailand, and Vietnam. They speak Phunoi, a Tibeto-Burman language that is classified as one of the Loloish languages... |
Tibeto-Burman | 35,635 | 0.8 | ||
| Talieng | Mon-Khmer | 23,091 | 0.5 | ||
| Alack Alak people The Alak or Hrlak are an Austro-Asiatic ethnic group of southern Laos, living mainly in Salavan Province. They speak the Alak language. Little is known of their history, though as a Mon–Khmer-sepaking group, their origin is presumably in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.-Culture:Nowadays, most... |
Mon-Khmer | 16,594 | 0.4 | ||
| Kui | Mon-Khmer | 6,268 | 0.1 | ||
| Khir | 1,639 | 0.04 | |||
| Mone Moné Ramona DeSouza, more popularly known as Moné, is an American music recording artist and songwriter. She scored three hits on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart: "We Can Make It" , "Movin'" and "Partay Feeling"... |
217 | 0.00 | |||
| Others & not stated | 19,285 | 0.4 | 216,780 | 3.9 | |
| Total | 4,574,848 | 5,621,982 | |||
CIA World Factbook demographic statistics
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.68 years (2009 est.)
male: 54.56 years (2009 est.)
female: 58.9years (2009 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian
Religions:
Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (see Religion in Laos
Religion in Laos
Laos is an area of and contains a population of 6.4 million. Almost all ethnic or "lowland" Lao are followers of Theravada Buddhism; however, lowland Lao constitute only 40-50 percent of the population. The remainder of the population belongs to at least 48 distinct ethnic minority groups...
)
Languages:
Lao
Lao language
Lao or Laotian is a tonal language of the Tai–Kadai language family. It is the official language of Laos, and also spoken in the northeast of Thailand, where it is usually referred to as the Isan language. Being the primary language of the Lao people, Lao is also an important second language for...
(official), French, English, Vietnamese, and various ethnic languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.7%
male: 77%
female: 60.9% (2001 est.)