Laos is landlocked and lies between Thailand, Myanmar, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. The Mekong River forms the country's western border and the Annamite mountains form its eastern border with Vietnam. The total land area is approximately 237,000 sq km - an area similar to that of the United Kingdom. The main features of the country are its mountains and the Mekong River valley.
T he Mekong River and its 15 tributaries make up a total of 2,400 km of waterways, but only about one third of these are navigable. 70% of the country is mountainous. In the south, the Annamite mountains reach 2,600m in height. The Khammouanne plateau in the centre of the range is mass of limestone karst. At the south of the range is the Bolaven Plateau. The north of Laos is made of steep sloped mountain ranges with the highest mountain in the country at 2820m in Xiang Khouang province. Over half of Laos is forest. |
Laos has a monsoon climate of a dry and a wet season. The dry season lasts from November to May with the cooler period in December and January. At its coldest, the temperatures can fall to as low as 15 deg C. The cold periods tend to be at night and early morning with colder temperatures at higher altitudes. During the hot period of the dry season, between March and May, temperatures can reach the high 30s. The rainy season is a lot cooler, and rainfall varies according to altitude. Generally speaking, the monsoon season produces severe rain that lasts for short periods of time. The wet months vary according to location, in Vientiane, they are from May to September, in Luang Prabang, August is far wetter than any other month. |
Laos
Geography