Land area

236,800 sq km

Population

5.76m (2006, IMF data)

Main towns

Population of the province in which a main town is situated (2005 population census):

Vientiane (capital): 698,318

Savannakhet: 825,902

Champasak: 607,370

Luang Prabang: 407,039

Climate

Tropical; rainy season, May-October; dry season, November-April

Weather in Vientiane (2006, 531 ft above sea level)

Hottest month, March, 33.4°C; coldest month, January, 17.5°C; wettest month, July, 440 mm rainfall; driest months, November, December and January, 0 mm rainfall

Language

Lao and others

Measures

Metric system; local measures include:

1 va = 5 sok = 10 khup = 2 metres

1 rai = 4 ngane = 1,600 sq metres

1 kang = 10 hoi = 1.2 kg

Currency

Kip (K). Average exchange rate in 2010: K8,259:US$1

Time

7 hours ahead of GMT

Fiscal year

October 1st-September 30th

Public holidays

January 1st (New Year); March 8th (International Women's Day); April 13th-15th (Pi Mai Lao, or Lao New Year); May 1st (International Labour Day); June 1st (Children's Day); June 26th (Khao Pansa); October 12th (End of Buddhist Lent); October 13th (Boat Racing Festival); November 10th (That Luang Festival); December 2nd (National Day)