Geography & environment — Laos
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Laos: Southeast Asia
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Southeast Asia
- Geographic Coordinates
18 00 N, 105 00 E
- Total Area
91,428 Square Miles 236,800 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
89,112 Square Miles 230,800 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
2,317 Square Miles 6,000 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
3,158 Miles 5,083 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Physical geography
- Terrain
mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
- Highest Point
2,817 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Phou Bia 2,817 m
- Lowest Point
70 Meters
- Lowest Point Location
Mekong River 70 m
- Natural Resources
timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
- Irrigated Land
1,197 Square Miles 3,100 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Laos has a monsoon climate with three overlapping seasons. The rainy season is about 5 months, June-September. In October, rains start to taper off, and the cool season begins in November, lasting through February. In March "mango rains" occur. March, April, and May are hot and humid. In April, the hottest month, temperatures in Vientiane range from 72°F to 93°F, and in January, the coolest month, 52°F to 83°F. Temperature extremes of 103°F (April) and 39°F (January) have been recorded.
- Terrain
mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus
- Location
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
- Total Area
91,428 Square Miles 236,800 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
- unexploded ordnance
- deforestation
- soil erosion
- most of the population does not have access to potable water
- Environment - International Agreements
- party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed,
- but not ratified: none of the selected agreements