|
Located:
on a
curve
of
the
Mekong
River.
Total
area:
3,920
square
kilometers.
Population:
610,000.
09
Districts: Chanthabouly,
Sikhotabong,
Xaysettha,
Sisattanak,
NaXaithong,
Xaythany,
Hadxaifong,
Sangthong
and
Parkngum.
Capital:
Vientiane.
 In
1563,
King
Setthathirat
made
Vientiane
(in
Lao
language
Vieng
Chan)
the
capital
of
the
kingdom
of
Lane
Xang
.
The
two
most
important
Wats
of
Vientiane,
Wat
That
Luang
and
Wat
Phra
Keo
date
back
to
that
time.
In
1827
Vientiane
had
been
conquered
and
sacked
by a
Siamese
army.
For
decades
the
town
lay
in
ruins,
until
the
French,
at
the
beginning
of
their
colonial
reign
rebuilt
it.
However,
Vientiane
today
does
not
feature
French-influenced
architecture
to
the
same
extent
as
Phnom
Penh
and
Saigon
.
Instead
there
is a
strong
Thai
influence.
With
barely
half
a
Million
inhabitants
Vientiane
is
the
smallest
capital
in
Southeast
Asia
(except
for
Bandar
Seri
Begawan
of
Brunei
). |
