Lane Xeing, the Land of a Million Elephants, is the historical name of modern day Laos. Laos is the only landlocked country in South East Asia, sharing its borders with China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam. It is a place that resonates deeply with the past, a land forgotten, due to its inaccessibility and its isolationist regime.
        The latter part of the twentieth century was a devastating period for Laos as it remained in an almost constant state of war. It began with the secret occupation of U.S. forces in the 1960's and 70's followed by the Communist takeover of 1973, and continues to this day with periodic guerilla attacks from the Hmong tribal group against the government. The legacy of war is constant, as huge areas of the countryside still reel from the U.S. Army's carpet-bombing campaigns, which left thousands of unexploded bombs buried in the hills and plains. An average of three thousand of these bombs still explode every year, often killing and maiming villagers as they plant their crops and perform their daily tasks. Victims of chemical warfare and Agent Orange still suffer as well. Despite this recent bloody history, the Lao people are overwhelmingly peaceful, polite, and gracious.
        Laos's general lack of infrastructure has in many ways served to help preserve its timeless connection to the past; it has effectively kept the modern world at bay. Many traditional aspects of daily life that have largely disappeared from neighboring countries such as Thailand, and Viet Nam still exist in Laos today. Rivers have historically been the main conduits for transport as most roads have been too dangerous to travel because of poor conditions and banditry. Indeed, up until very recently almost all trade and travel was done by riverboat. The general Lao population resides mainly in larger towns but the ethnic hilltribes continue to live deep in the forests. Their villages remain very isolated, and are often accessible by footpath only; this has thankfully helped them to keep their distinct traditions.
        While Laos is politically communist, its religious traditions remain strong. The predominant faith is Buddhism, although most tribal clans (twenty three of them) adhere to Animism, Taoism, and Ancestor Worship. The population of Laos is ten percent foreign, forty percent Lao, and fifty percent hilltribe groups. Many of Laos's hilltribes are indigenous to South East Asia, though some have migrated from China, Tibet, and Mongolia. All in all, Laos is a dizzying array of cultures, living side by side, speaking different languages, obeying different customs, and wearing their traditional clothes.

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