Laos developed its culture and customs as the inland crossroads of trade and migration in Southeast Asia over millennia. As of 2012 Laos has a population of roughly 6.4 million spread over 236,800 km2, yielding one of the lowest population densities in Asia. Yet the country of Laos has an official count of over forty-seven ethnicities divided into 149 sub-groups and 80 different languages. The Lao Loum have throughout the country’s history comprised the ethnic and linguistic majority. In Southeast Asia, traditional Lao culture is considered one of the Indic cultures.
The Khmu are an ethnic group of Southeast Asia. The majority (88%) live in northern Laos where they constitute the largest minority ethnic group, comprising eleven percent of the total population. Alternative historical English spellings include Kmhmu, Kemu and Khammu, among others.
The Lua people are a minority ethnic group native to Laos, although there is now a sizable community living in Thailand. Lua' is their preferred autonym (self-designation), while their Lao neighbours tend to call them Thin, T'in or Htin. Another term for this group is Lawa. There are two subgroups: the Mal and the Phai or Pray.
The following is a list of Kra–Dai peoples in Southeast Asia:
The Lao Wiang, sometimes also referred to as Lao Wieng, are a Tai sub-ethnic group of the Isan region. Of the approximately 50,000 proclaimed Lao Wiang live in villages through the region, especially the provinces of Prachinburi, Udon Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Chai Nat, Lopburi, Saraburi, Phetchaburi and Roi Et with a significant number in Bangkok as migrant labourers or in search of better economic opportunities.
Laos has an area of 85,000 square miles (220,000 km2) and contains a population of approximately 6.6 million. Almost all ethnic or "lowland" Lao are followers of Theravada Buddhism; however, they constitute only 40-50% of the population. The remainder of the population belongs to at least 48 distinct ethnic minority groups. Most of these ethnic groups (30%) are practitioners of Laotian folk religion, with beliefs that vary greatly among groups.
The Tai folk religion, known in Lao and Thai as Satsana Phi, is a form of animist religious beliefs traditionally and historically practiced by groups of ethnic Tai peoples.
Bokèo is a northern province of Laos. It is the smallest and least populous province in the country. Bokeo Province covers an area of 6,196 square kilometres (2,392 sq mi). Bokeo Province borders Luang Namtha Province to the northeast, Oudomxai Province to the east, Xaignabouli Province to the south, and Thailand to the southwest and Burma to the west and northwest. The province has five districts and is rich in deposits of precious and semiprecious stones. Bokeo's provincial capital is Houayxay on the Mekong river. The province is part of the “Golden Triangle”, at the crossing with Myanmar and Thailand. There are 34 ethnic groups in the province. Houay Xay is the border town with Thailand and regional economic centre.
Xiangkhouang is a province of Laos, located in the Xiangkhouang Plateau, north-east of the country. Originally known as the Principality of Muang Phuan, the present capital of the province is Phonsavan. The population of the province as of the 2015 census is 244,684.
Sekong is a province of Laos, located in the south-east of the country.
Salavan is a province of Laos, located in the south of the country. Its earlier name was Saravan which was changed by Thai to Salavan in 1828. It was part of the Champasak Kingdom in an area known as Muang Mang inhabited by minorities of Mon-Khymer groups.
Phôngsali is a province of Laos, located in the extreme north of the country. The capital of the province is the city of Phôngsali. Phôngsali is located between Yunnan (China), and Điện Biên Province in Vietnam. Its culture has thus been historically heavily influenced by China.
Oudomxay is a province of Laos, located in the northwest of the country. The province capital is Muang Xai.
Khongsat, also called Suma, is a Loloish language of northern Laos.
Ban Thapene is a village of Luang Prabang district, Luang Prabang province, Laos. This village was first established about 130 years ago by Kha Hok families, one of the Khmu ethnic sub-groups. Like many other upland inhabitants in Luang Prabang province, the livelihood and culture of ethnic groups such as Lao Loum, Kha Hok, Yao and Hmong in Ban Thapene is closely associated with natural resources.
