City | 2024 Pop. |
|---|---|
| Vientiane | 196,731 |
| Pakse | 88,332 |
| Thakhek | 85,000 |
| Savannakhet | 66,553 |
| Luang Prabang | 47,378 |
| Xam Nua | 38,992 |
| Muang Phonsavan | 37,507 |
| Muang Xay | 25,000 |
| Vangviang | 25,000 |
| Muang Pakxan | 21,967 |
| Ban Houakhoua | 15,500 |
| Muang Khong | 15,000 |
| Phongsali | 13,500 |
| Sainyabuli | 13,500 |
| Champasak | 12,994 |
| Ban Houayxay | 12,500 |
| Muang Phon-Hong | 10,112 |
| Salavan | 5,521 |
| Lamam | 4,463 |
| Attapeu | 4,297 |
| Luang Namtha | 3,225 |
The Southeast Asian country of Laos is known for its mountains, French colonial architecture and Buddhist monasteries. This is reflected in its capital city of Vientiane, which is home to European-style boulevards and many buildings from the colonial period, as well as Buddhist temples such as the sixteenth-century Pha That Luang, the national symbol of Laos and an icon of Buddhism. Vientiane, which is situated on the banks of the Mekong River near the border with Thailand, is a relatively small city, and has a population of 760,000. It functions as the economic and administrative capital of the country.
Pakse, located in the southern province of Champasak, is the second-largest city in Laos with around 88,000 residents. Until it was unified with the rest of Laos in 1946, the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Champasak. Since the 1970s and the end of the Laotian Civil War, Pakse has become an increasingly important economic power within the country. The smallest city in Laos is Pakxan, with a population of 27,404. However, the city has good transport links as it is situated near the Thai border and the capital city.
Laos has 0 cities with more than a million people, 1 cities with between 100,000 and 1 million people, and 16 cities with between 10,000 and 100,000 people. The largest city in Laos is Vientiane, with a population of 196,731 people.