A Lao woman wearing traditional clothing in Luang Prabang, Laos
Total population
c. 22 million (including Lao Isan)[a][1]
Regions with significant populations
Laos
3,427,665[2]
Thailand
17,822,432 (including Lao Isan people) (2010)[3]
France
200,000[4]
United States
200,000 (2015)[5]
Cambodia
101,400 (including Khmer Lao people)[1]
Canada
24,580 (2016)[6]
Myanmar
17,000[1]
Vietnam
17,532[7]
Germany
4,000[8]
Japan
3,602[9]
Belgium
1,067[10]
Languages
Lao
Religion
Theravada Buddhism, Laotian folk religion
Related ethnic groups
Other Tai peoples (e.g. Black Tai people, Isan people, Dai people, etc.)
This article contains Lao text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Lao script.
The Lao people are a Tai ethnic group native to Southeast Asia, who speak the Lao language of the Kra–Dai languages. They are the majority ethnic group of Laos, making up 53.2% of the total population. The majority of Lao people adhere to Theravada Buddhism. They are closely related to other Tai people, especially (or synonymous) with the Isan people, who are also speakers of Lao language, native to neighboring Thailand.
In Western historiography, terms Lao people and Laotian have had a loose meaning. Both terms have been irregularly applied both to all natives of Laos in general, aside from or alongside ethnic Lao during different periods in history. Since the end of French rule in Laos in 1953, Lao has been applied solely to the ethnic group while Laotian refers to any citizen of Laos regardless of their ethnic identity. Certain countries still conflate the terms in their statistics.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
^ abcHattaway, Paul, ed. (2004). "Lao". Peoples of the Buddhist World. William Carey Library. p. 149.
^"Results of Population and Housing Census 2015" (PDF). Lao Statistics Bureau. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
^Vapattanawong, Patama. "ชาวต่างชาติในเมืองไทยเป็นใครบ้าง? (Foreigners in Thailand)" (PDF). Institute for Population and Social Research - Mahidol University. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
^"Présentation du Laos" [Presentation of Laos] (in French). France: French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
^"U.S. Immigrant Population by Country of Birth, 2000-Present" (XLSX). migrationpolicy.org. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
^Statistics Canada. "Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity Highlight Tables". Retrieved 1 June 2016.
^"Report on Results of the 2019 Census". General Statistics Office of Vietnam. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
^"Immigrant and Emigrant Populations by Country of Origin and Destination". 10 February 2014.
^"在留外国人統計（旧登録外国人統計）". e-stat.go.jp (in Japanese). 15 December 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
^"Wachtregister asiel 2012-2021". npdata.be. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
contains Lao text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Lao script. The Laopeople are a Tai...
Laos, officially the LaoPeople's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR or LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. At the heart of the Indochinese...
Khmer Laopeople (Khmer: ខ្មែរឡាវ) or Lao Daeum (Khmer: ឡាវដើម, lit. 'Indigenous Laopeople') are ethnic Lao living in northeastern Cambodia. They are...
Below is a list of Laopeople (persons from Laos, or of Lao descent). Kouprasith Abhay Alexandra Bounxouei Anouvong Boua Bounkhong Bouasone Bouphavanh...
The Pathet Lao (Lao: ປະເທດລາວ, romanized: Pa thēt Lāo, lit. 'Lao Nation'), officially the LaoPeople's Liberation Army, was a communist political movement...
article contains Lao text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Lao script. Lao (Lao: ພາສາລາວ, [pʰáː...
Lao New Year, called Pi Mai (Lao: ປີໃໝ່, [pìːmāi]) or less commonly Songkan (Lao: ສົງການ, [sǒŋkàːn]), is celebrated every year from 13 or 14 April to 15...
Southeast Asia Lao people (people from Laos, or of Lao descent) The Lao language Lao Rongzhi (born 1974), Chinese female serial killer Lao script, the writing...
Laozi (/ˈlaʊdzə/, Chinese: 老子), also romanized as Lao Tzu and various other ways, was a semi-legendary ancient Chinese philosopher, author of the Tao...
article contains Lao text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Lao script. Lao cuisine or Laotian...
contains Lao text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Lao script. The kip (Lao: ກີບ, romanized: kib;...
The flag of Laos (Lao: ທຸງຊາດລາວ; thungsad Lāo) consists of three horizontal stripes, with the middle stripe in blue being twice the height of the top...
or academic spheres, Laopeople generally refer to themselves and others by nicknames, or seu lin—literally "playnames" (Lao: ຊື່ຫຼິ້ນ [sɯː lin]). Much...
Han). In Southeast Asia, Hmong people are referred to by other names, including: Vietnamese Mèo, Mông or H'Mông; Lao Maew (ແມ້ວ) or Mong (ມົ້ງ); Thai...
population is ethnic Lao (Lao Loum or Lao Tai); 10% are categorized as Lao Theung or “upland Lao” who are predominantly people of Mon or Khmer ancestry;...
to the Pathet Lao during the civil war in Laos, who abolished the monarchy in favour of a Marxist–Leninist state called the LaoPeople's Democratic Republic...
Lao text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Lao script. Lao script or Akson Lao (Lao:...
Lao pop or L-pop is a music genre of pop music of Laopeople. Lao pop music started forming itself in the late 1980s, when Laos started benefiting from...
Dai, Thais, Isan, Tai Yai (Shan),Tai Lai (Shanni), Lao, Tai Ahom, Tai Meitei and Northern Thai peoples. The Tai are scattered through much of South China...
The politics of the LaoPeople's Democratic Republic (commonly known as Laos) takes place in the framework of a one-party parliamentary socialist republic...
The Royal Lao Government in Exile (RLGE) is a Laotian government in exile opposed to the LaoPeople's Democratic Republic established on May 6, 2003,...
practiced by 66% of the population. Lao Buddhism is a unique version of Theravada Buddhism and is at the basis of ethnic Lao culture. Buddhism in Laos is often...
"Pheng Xat Lao" (Lao: ເພງຊາດລາວ [pʰeŋ saːt laːw], "Song of the LaoPeople") is the national anthem of the LaoPeople's Democratic Republic. It was written...
divides the people into three groups according to the altitude at which they live, rather than according to ethnic origin. The lowland Lao (Lao Loum) account...
to any music related to Lam (Lao: ລຳ) or Morlam, and playing the Khene is likely to be Lao or associated with Laopeople." Khenes are made from a special...
Global Information
Laos
Thailand
France
United States
Cambodia
Canada
Myanmar
Vietnam
Germany
Japan
Belgium