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Laos, formally known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). A mountainous and landlocked country, Laos shares borders with Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, Thailand to the west, and Myanmar and China to the north. Laos traces its history to the Kingdom of Lan Xang or Land of a Million Elephants, which existed from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century. From the fertile lowlands of the Mekong River valley to the rugged Annamite highlands, Laos is the highlight of Southeast Asia. The official currency of the country is Kip, the code: LAK and the symbol is KN. The capital and largest city is Vientiane, Official language is Lao however French, English, and various ethnic languages are also spoken. The religions followed are Buddhism 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christianity. The July 2007 estimate population is 6,521,998. The main cities of the country are Vientiane, Huay Xai, Luang Prabang, Muang Xay, Pakbeng, Pakse, Savannakhet and Tha Khaek. Laos has three separate seasons which includes the hot season is from March to May, when temperatures can ascends as high as 40°C. The slightly cooler wet season is from May to October, when temperatures are approximately 30°C; tropical downpours are frequent, the dry season from November to March, which has low rainfall and temperatures as low as 15°C. Vientiane being the capital of the country there are two seasons in the town: a rainy one which goes from May / June to September / October and a dry and cool season from October to February. Laos is officially Buddhist a country, and the national symbol, the gilded stupa of Pha That Luang, has replaced the hammer and sickle even on the state seal. The area east of the Mekong, though, was soon twisted back from Siam by the French, who desired a bumper state to protect Vietnam, and set up Laos as a unified territory in 1907.In 1975, after the fall of Saigon, the Communist Pathet Lao took manage of Vientiane and ended a six-century-old monarchy. Awarded full independence in 1953, with the Communist and North Vietnam-allied Pathet Lao resisting to overthrow the French-leaning monarchy.
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