Laos :: Government
Official name: Lao People's Democratic Republic
Capital city: Vientiane (pronounced Vieng Chian)
Year of independence: 1953 (from France)
National holiday: Republic Day, 2 December (1975)
celebrates the 1975 victory of the proletariat over the monarchy
Head of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006)
President and vice president elected by National Assembly for five-year terms
Head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June 2006)
Prime minister nominated by president and elected by National Assembly for five-year term
Type of government: single-party Communist state
There is only one party - Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). All other parties are forbidden.
Cabinet ministers appointed by president, approved by National Assembly
Legislature: unicameral (one house) National Assembly
National flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band
bands of red = heroism or blood shed in the fight for freedom
blue = nationhood
white cycle = moon rising over the Mekong River or light of communism