Laos is divided into 17 provinces (Lao ແຂວງ, , , , or ) and one prefecture, the latter including the Vientiane capital city municipality (ນະຄອນຫຼວງ, nakhon luang, or Na Kone Luang Vientiane). The special administrative zone (ເຂດພິເສດ, khet phiset), Xaisomboun, created in 1994, was dissolved on 13 January 2006. However on 31 December 2013 Xaisômboun was restored as a province.
List
Location Name Capital Pop'n (mid 2023 estimate) Area (km2) Pop'n density ISO Attapeu province Samakkhixay District(Attapeu) 167,000 10,320 16 LA-AT Bokeo province Houayxay District(Ban Houayxay) 213,300 6,196 34 LA-BK Bolikhamxai province Pakxan District(Pakxan) 330,700 14,863 22 LA-BL Champasak province Pakse District(Pakse) 781,200 15,415 51 LA-CH Houaphanh province Xam Neua District(Xam Neua) 317,100 16,500 19 LA-HO Khammouane province Thakhek District(Thakhek) 451,300 16,315 28 LA-KH Luang Namtha province Namtha District(Luang Namtha) 208,900 9,325 22 LA-LM Luang Prabang province Luang Prabang(Luang Prabang) 477,700 16,875 28 LA-LP Oudomxay province Xay District(Muang Xay) 360,800 15,370 23 LA-OU Phongsaly province Phongsaly District(Phongsali) 197,600 16,270 12 LA-PH Salavan province Salavan District(Salavan) 464,800 10,691 43 LA-SL Savannakhet province Khanthaboury District(Savannakhet) 1,117,500 21,774 51 LA-SV Vientiane province Phonhong District(Phonhong) 479,400 15,610 31 LA-VI Vientiane Prefecture Vientiane 1,009,300 3,920 257 LA-VT Sainyabuli province Xayabury District(Sainyabuli) 439,400 16,389 27 LA-XA Sekong province La Mam District(Sekong) 136,700 7,665 18 LA-XE Xaisomboun province Anouvong District(Ban Mouang Cha) 116,800 8,551 14 LA-XS Xiangkhouang province Pek District(Phonsavan) 274,400 14,751 19 LA-XI
Population The population of each province in 2015 was 6,492,228 according to the Census returns, but was increased by 2.76% to 6,671,680 to allow for the calculated under-enumeration. The population of Laos in 2023 is 7,545,800 as given in the official projections for mid 2023.Laos Statistics Bureau, 2023.
See also List of provinces of Laos by Human Development Index ISO 3166-2:LA
References
External links CityMayors.com article