Laos: Geography#

LocationSoutheastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Geographic Coordinates18 00 N, 105 00 E 18.0,105.0
Area total: 236,800 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
[Verified in 8 databases]
Land boundariestotal: 5,083 km
border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Coastline0 km (landlocked)
Elevation Extremeslowest point: Mekong River 70 m
highest point: Phu Bia 2,817 m
Highest MountainsDue to difference in mountain rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists :
According to Wolfram: Phou Bia 2830 m
According to Geonames: Phou Xai Lai Leng 2700 m; Phou San 2218 m; Phou Soaydao 2102 m; Phou Pan-Gnai 2079 m; Phou Khè 2079 m

Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office@global-geography.org
Terrainmostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
Natural Hazardsfloods, droughts
Natural Resourcetimber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Land Usearable land: 5.91%
permanent crops: 0.42%
other: 93.67% (2011)
Climatetropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April)
Irrigated Land3,100 sq km (2005)
Renewable Water Resources333.5 cu km (2011)
Environment_CurrentIssuesunexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Large CitiesVientiane; Pakxe; Savannakhet; Luang Prabang; Xam Nua
[Verified]
Important Cities
Geography-notelandlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand