Laos

Laos is a landlocked country located in the heart of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China and Myanmar to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west. Laos covers an area of approximately 236,800 square kilometers and has an estimated population of 7.85 million as of February 2026. The country is a socialist republic (Lao People's Democratic Republic) with Vientiane serving as its capital.

In 2025, the GDP reached approximately US$15.2 billion, and the per capita GDP was approximately US$1,960. Laos's economy is increasingly shaped by the exploitation of its natural resources and large-scale infrastructure investments. The country aims to become the "Battery of Southeast Asia" by leveraging its extensive river network for power exports to neighboring Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

Laos is a major regional exporter of electricity, copper, gold, and agricultural products such as cassava and coffee. Imports of refined petroleum, land vehicles, and machinery are among the highest in the country.

Laos has a history rooted in the kingdom of Lan Xang ("Million Elephants"), which was one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia from the 14th to the 18th century. Following a period of French colonial rule and subsequent conflicts, the Lao People's Democratic Republic was established in 1975. Since the late 1980s, the country has pursued "New Economic Mechanism" reforms to transition toward a market-oriented economy. Today, Laos maintains a strategic role in the ASEAN community and focuses on transitioning from a "landlocked" to a "land-linked" nation through massive regional infrastructure projects.