Laos


 * Laos**



Laos is a poor communist country that is landlocked in Southeast Asia. The size of Laos is two times bigger then Pennsylvania. Laos is cover with dense forest in the northern and the eastern area. The country is surrounded by Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Thailand, and Burma. Mekong River is the boundary between Laos, Thailand and Burma. The river runs 932 miles. Laos was discovered when Southern China migrated south in the 8th century. Laos once was separated into three different kingdoms called kingdom of Luang Phrabang, Kingdom of Lao and Kingdom of Champasak. Then they were united into one kingdom called Laos, around the 18th century. The language spoken in Laos is Lao.



**History of Laos**

Laos was once a whole nation called Lan Xang (million elephants), in 1353 under the rule of King Fa Ngum, this powerful and wealthy kingdom ruled over Thailand and Laos. Soon Lan Xang is separated into three kingdoms. Kingdom of Luang Phrabang, Kingdom of Laos and Kingdom of Champasak. During World War 2 the French took over the three kingdoms and united them into one, which is now Laos. While the U.S and Vietnam was fighting Laos was dragged into the conflict. Laos only did a little part in the war. Laos gave Vietnam a trail for the Viet people to travel and supply route for the army.

**1964-1973** Laos is known for the most bombed country. When the U.S was fighting Vietnam. Laos allow the Vietnamese to use their land for Vietnam supply route for the war against the South. The U.S hit Laos with a B-52 bomb (Custer Bombs) between 1964 and 1973. 260 million bombs that rained down on Xiangkhouang Province on the Plain of Jars, 80 million failed to explode. It landed near a small villages filled with civilians and it also landed on wide open land in The Plain of Jars. The Cluster bombs are still in the land deadly and ready to explode. The U.S dropped more then 2 million tons on bombs, that more then the bombs dropped in the World War 2. Many bombs exploded while kids are playing. Since the bomb are small kids won't be able to notice the bomb and step on it. Many bombs exploded on children and adults. Some survive the explosion and some are injured or blind. The bomb squad and villagers search for the bombs and detonate the bomb while nobody is near. There are area where they warn villagers not to go but there are many other bombs that are separated from the the other bombs.