The country of Laos first began to form in 1353 when the Kingdom of Lan Xang took power. The name Lan Xang means ?million elephants?. The ruler was King Fa Ngum and his empire ruled much of Laos as well as Thailand. During this time Buddhism became the primary religion.
In the late 18th century the Lan Xang had collapsed and the Siamese took control of Laos. Then, in the 1800s the French arrived. In 1907 the Franco-Siamese treaty defined the boundaries of current day Laos.
Laos was occupied by the Japanese during World War II. At the end of the war, in 1945, Laos declared independence from France. However, French troops soon reoccupied the country and took control.
In 1954 Laos became an independent country from France. However, war broke out internally. After many years of fighting and intervention from both the United States and the Soviet Union, Laos was ruled by an authoritarian communist party. Many people have fled Laos over the years including the Hmong minority.
