While it is difficult to establish the history of this region prior to the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, it is nonetheless known that the Mekong valley has been inhabited for over 10,000 years. It is also believed that the Khmer kingdom had extended its domination over Laos from the 4th to the 10th century.

After the Mongol invasions the prince Fa Ngoum founded the kingdom of Lane Xang (kingdom of a million elephants) by unifying the many principalities that were formed when the Thais settled down in the region. Besides founding the first Lao state, this prince also introduced Theravada (Little Vehicle) Buddhism to the country.

Following an agitated period, notably in the 15th century a.c. when the Vietnamese invaded and pillaged Louang Prabang, the Lane Xang dynasty reached its height of glory. Thus in the 17th century under the long reign of king Sulinya Vongsa the country realised its greatest territorial expansion. This is considered the Golden Age of Laos.

Towards the end of the 18th century and into the first half of the 19th century, the Burmese, Siamese and Chinese repeatedly invaded Laos.

In the first half of the 19th century the French set up a Vice Consulate in Louang Prabang. Auguste Pavie, with the help of king Oun Kham, drove back the Chinese rebels (Black Flags).

As a result of various accords signed with the Siamese, Burmese and Chinese, a French protectorate was established throughout the country on 3rd October 1893. A king bestowed with symbolic powers continued to reign.

In 1941 the Japanese invaded Laos, with the consent of the Vichy government in France. This episode prompted the French speaking elite to start becoming aware of their right to independence. It was during this period that the Prime Minister Phetsarat founded the Lao Issara (Free Laos) movement.

After many discussions with the various factions of the Issara party, the Franco-Laotian treaty of 1953 granted full sovereignty to Laos. In the meantime prince Souphanouvong created on 13th August 1950 the Maoist-inspired Pathet Lao movement.

The Geneva accords of 1954 guaranteed the neutrality of Laos. Between 1951 and 1960 Laos experienced a period of intense in fighting amongst its various political movements, a situation worsened by the American financial aid programmes that were destabilising the economy. Starting from 1964 the northern and eastern parts of Laos, under communist control, were annihilated under waves of bombs dropped by American B52s (estimated at 500 kilos per inhabitant, a world record…)

In February 1973 the Paris talks led to a cease-fire accord and to the formation of a unified national government. On 2nd December 1975 the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) was proclaimed.

The months that followed saw a massif exodus of political opponents (around 300,000 persons, that is 10% of the population). The period of strict Marxist dogmatism that followed brought about the isolation of Laos.

The arrival of president Phoumi Vongvichit in 1986 coincided with a progressive "opening up" of the regime. In the early 1990's the right to own property and to make private investments was reinstated.

In the 1990's this "opening up" continued, in particular with the entry into ASEAN, normalisation of relations with the neighbouring countries and the building of bridges over the Mekong River.