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Lao people

Lao people
A Lao woman wearing traditional clothing in Luang Prabang, Laos
Total population
c. 22 million
(including Lao Isan)[a][1]
Regions with significant populations
 Laos3,427,665[2]
 Thailand17,822,432 (including Lao Isan people) (2010)[3]
 France200,000[4]
 United States200,000 (2015)[5]
 Cambodia101,400 (including Khmer Lao people)[1]
 Canada24,580 (2016)[6]
 Myanmar17,000[1]
 Vietnam17,532[7]
 Germany4,000[8]
 Japan3,602[9]
 Argentina2,000[10]
 Belgium1,067[11]
Languages
Lao
Religion
Theravada Buddhism, Laotian folk religion
Related ethnic groups
Other Tai peoples (e.g. Black Tai people, Isan people, Dai people, etc.)
This article contains Lao text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Lao script.

The Lao people are a Tai ethnic group native to Southeast Asia. They primarily speak the Lao language, which belongs to the Kra–Dai language family. Lao people constitute the majority ethnic group of Laos, comprising 53.2% of the country's total population. They are also found in significant numbers in northeastern Thailand, particularly in the Isan region, as well as in smaller communities in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar.

Culturally and linguistically, the Lao are closely related to other Tai peoples, especially the Thai and Isan people of Thailand. The majority of Lao people adhere to Theravada Buddhism, which plays a central role in their cultural and social life. However, animist beliefs and practices also remain influential, particularly in rural areas.[12]

Historically, the terms "Lao" and "Laotian" have been used inconsistently in Western literature. Prior to Laos gaining independence from French colonial rule in 1953, these terms were often applied interchangeably to all inhabitants of Laos, regardless of their ethnic background. Since independence, "Lao" has come to refer specifically to the ethnic group, while "Laotian" denotes any citizen of Laos, irrespective of ethnicity. However, some countries and international organizations continue to use these terms interchangeably in their demographic statistics.


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  1. ^ a b c Hattaway, Paul, ed. (2004). "Lao". Peoples of the Buddhist World. William Carey Library. p. 149.
  2. ^ "Results of Population and Housing Census 2015" (PDF). Lao Statistics Bureau. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. ^ Vapattanawong, Patama. "ชาวต่างชาติในเมืองไทยเป็นใครบ้าง? (Foreigners in Thailand)" (PDF). Institute for Population and Social Research - Mahidol University. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  4. ^ "Présentation du Laos" [Presentation of Laos] (in French). France: French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  5. ^ "U.S. Immigrant Population by Country of Birth, 2000-Present" (XLSX). migrationpolicy.org. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  6. ^ Statistics Canada. "Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity Highlight Tables". Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Report on Results of the 2019 Census". General Statistics Office of Vietnam. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Immigrant and Emigrant Populations by Country of Origin and Destination". 10 February 2014.
  9. ^ "在留外国人統計（旧登録外国人統計）". e-stat.go.jp (in Japanese). 15 December 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  10. ^ Southeast Asian refugees in Argentina
  11. ^ "Wachtregister asiel 2012-2021". npdata.be. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  12. ^ Holt, John Clifford (2009-07-29), "Introduction", Spirits of the Place, University of Hawai'i Press, pp. 1–14, doi:10.21313/hawaii/9780824833275.003.0001, retrieved 2024-08-03

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