The politics of Laos takes place in the framework of a single-party socialist republic.
The local currency is the KIP. Notes come in denominations of 100, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10.000 and 20.000 Kips.
One of the lowest population densities in Asia, at 19 persons per square km, and an estimated population of only 5.4 million people, belies the fact that Laos is home to 68 different ethnic groups. These fall into three groupings, based upon language, culture and traditions.