Lao People's Democratic Republic

Laos, or the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a land locked-country in Southeastern Asia. Traversing the Mekong river, Laos shares borders with Thailand, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, and Myanmar, and has an estimated population size of approximately 6.77 million. This is roughly the size of Utah for land mass and inhabitants. Why the leaders of the LPDR are in its capital Vientiane, along the Thailand border, the rest of the country’s population extends across the many mountainous terrains and rural regions. Lao’s beliefs/values in it’s healthcare system are very complicated. They range through a fast array of beliefs from many divergent cultures and religious practices. The last accurate census conducted by the WHO determined that Laos had approximately 47 distinct ethnic groups. It is important to research the diversity of the population because of the challenges awaiting to improve it’s national healthcare platform. Currently, along with the ever growing population variance, Laos history, topography, and socioeconomic status causes difficulty in developing
Luang Prabang, considered a spiritual province in modern day Laos, was the original capital city of the kingdom of Lan Xang. The kingdom of Lan Xang lasted for approximately 4 centuries and stretched throughout the majority of southeastern Asia. Through the centuries Lan Xang’s population dwindled and the Lao mountain people were almost completely absorbed by neighboring competitors. Most notable threats were Vietnam and the kingdom of Siam. The kingdom suffered from complete disbandment by 1690 and only by the arrival of the French imperialists would the Laotian culture be saved. The French government ensured that Laos would maintain its cultural identity throughout modern times and considered their actions as a “conquest of the