Tag: Laos

According to thereligionfaqs, Laos is a predominantly Buddhist country, with approximately 65% of the population identifying as Theravada Buddhists. Buddhism has been the dominant religion in Laos since its introduction in the 8th century and it continues to be an important part of Lao culture and daily life. Theravada Buddhism is the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in Laos, where it has been deeply embedded into society for centuries. It is common to find Buddhist temples (wats) throughout the country and many Lao people take part in regular religious ceremonies, such as almsgiving and merit-making. The other 35% of the population follows a variety of other religions, including Animism (20%), Christianity (7%), Islam (4%) and Hinduism (4%). Animism is an ancient belief system that involves worshipping natural forces such as rivers and mountains; it is still practiced in some rural areas of Laos today. Christianity was introduced to Laos during French colonial rule, while Islam was brought by traders from India and China during the same period. Finally, Hinduism was brought to Laos by Indian immigrants during the 19th century. Overall, religious freedom is generally respected in Laos and people are free to practice whatever faith they choose without fear of discrimination or persecution. However, there are some restrictions on certain religious practices; for example proselytizing is not allowed without permission from the government. Despite this, there is still a great deal of tolerance among different faiths in Laos; people from different backgrounds are able to live peacefully side by side despite their differences. In 2011, Laos was a small landlocked country in Southeast Asia with a population of approximately 6.2 million people. Laos was bordered by Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and China and its capital city was Vientiane. The country had a mainly agricultural economy with mining being the second largest economic sector. In 2011, the estimated GDP per capita was $1,700 making it one of the poorest countries in the region at that time. The government of Laos consisted of a communist single-party state with the president being elected by popular vote every five years. The educational system in Laos in 2011 was still developing compared to other Southeast Asian countries. Primary and secondary schools were free for citizens but there were very few universities available throughout the country due to limited resources. University education was also free but students often had to take out loans or rely on scholarships from foreign universities due to the limited number of local scholarships available at that time. The healthcare system in 2011 provided basic medical care for citizens but lacked many modern treatments and technologies found in developed countries due to limited resources and lack of investment in health infrastructure by the government over previous decades. There were public hospitals available throughout the country but they mostly lacked modern equipment and medicines needed for more complicated medical procedures such as surgeries or cancer treatments. In addition to these public health systems, there were numerous private clinics that provided higher quality medical care than what could be found in public hospitals but at much higher costs than what could be found abroad. Check physicscat for Laos in 2013.