Did You Know

Interesting Facts about Laos

Trivia, oddities, and curious tidbits about Laos.

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Did You Know?

15 curious facts about Laos.

Laos was once known as Lan Xang, meaning “the Kingdom of a Million Elephants.” It was given the name by King Fa Ngum in 1353. The country was renamed Laos during the French colonial period, because the dominant ethnic group is called Lao.
The Mekong River is known as “the Sea of Laos.” More than 1,000 indigenous species of fish live in the Mekong and its tributaries.
The Plain of Jars is a remarkable historic site in central Laos. It is a large plateau dotted with hundreds of ancient stone jars. Some are as high as three metres and weigh as much as one tonne. No one knows who made the jars or why.
In the past, Laotians used only their first names. They started using family names in 1943, when a law was passed making the use of surnames mandatory. However, Laotians may change their names to signify a new occupation or the move to a new place, to mark a stage in growing up, or to ward off evil spirits.

There are about 40 ethnic groups in Laos. The Lao include three main cultural groups: the Lao Sung (Lao of the mountains), the Lao Theung (Lao of the lower mountain areas), and the Lao Loum (Lao of the lowlands). Within these large groups are various ethnic cultures, such as the Hmong and the Mien (both part of the Lao Sung).
Laos is a member of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), an economic organization that includes Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei.
Fish fighting, using a colourful fish called pakat, is very popular in Laos. The fish are kept hungry and then put in a tank together, where they fight each other.
Although most of the opium that grows in the mountains is raised as a cash crop, villagers use some of it for medicinal purposes, as a painkiller.
In Laotian schools, classes are conducted in Lao or French. However, the government is now encouraging the study of English as a second language, instead of French.
There is no refrigeration in most of Laos, so all meals must be freshly prepared. Mint is used in most food preparation to keep food fresh.