Champasak Province (Champasak)
Champasak is bordered by Salavan province to the north, Sekong province to the northeast, Attapeu province to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west. The Mekong River forms part of the border with neighboring Thailand and contains Si Phan Don ('Four Thousand Islands') in the south of the province, on the border with Cambodia.
Champasak has played a central role in the history of Siam and Laos, with frequent battles taking place in and around Champasak. Its cultural heritage includes ancient temple ruins and French colonial architecture. Champasak has some 20 wats (temples), such as Wat Phou, Wat Luang, and Wat Tham Fai. Freshwater dolphins and the province's many waterfalls are tourist attractions.
From the 1st to 9th centuries CE, Champasak province was part of the Funan and then Chenla Kingdoms. Between the 10th and 13th centuries it was part of the Khmer Empire. In 1354, the area came under the control of King Fa Ngum and the Lan Xang Empire. The Angkor empire went into decline between the 15th and 17th centuries when it was annexed by Lan Xang. In 1707, Champasak became one of three kingdoms arising from a dissolved Lan Xang Empire. The kingdom had only three kings, Soi Sisamut (1713–37), nephew of Suriya Vangas, Sainya Kuman (1737–91) and lastly Fai Na (1791–1811). In 1829 Siam annexed Champassak following the Chao Anouvong Rebellion. Pakse, the capital of the province, was established by the French in 1905 as an administrative outpost at the confluence of Xe Don (Don River) and the Mekong.
Map - Champasak Province (Champasak)
Map
Country - Laos
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| Flag of Laos | |
Present-day Laos traces its historic and cultural identity to Lan Xang, which existed from the 13th century to the 18th century as one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia. Because of its central geographical location in Southeast Asia, the kingdom became a hub for overland trade and became wealthy economically and culturally. After a period of internal conflict, Lan Xang broke into three separate kingdoms: Luang Phrabang, Vientiane and Champasak. In 1893, the three territories came under a French protectorate and were united to form what is now known as Laos. It briefly gained independence in 1945 after Japanese occupation but was re-colonised by France until it won autonomy in 1949. Laos became independent in 1953, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong. A post-independence civil war began, which saw the communist resistance, supported by the Soviet Union, fight against the monarchy that later came under influence of military regimes supported by the United States. After the Vietnam War ended in 1975, the communist Pathet Lao came to power, ending the civil war. Laos was then dependent on military and economic aid from the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991.
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAK | Lao kip | â‚ | 2 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| EN | English language |
| FR | French language |
| LO | Lao language |