Geography
The mighty Mekong in the west and the Annamite Mountains
in the east offer natural borders to Thailand and Vietnam
respectively, while Laos also shares borders with China in
the north, Myanmar in the northwest and Cambodia in the south.
With over half of this landlocked country's 236,800sq. km
densely forested, and 70% of it mountainous, it is hardly
surprising that a profusion of rare flora and over 1,200 species
of wildlife finds a home beneath its tropical canopy.
The country's highest peak, at 2,820m, can be found in the
mountainous ranges of northeastern Laos, in the province Xiang
Khouang, However, nearly equally as impressive are the mountains
at the southern end of the Annamite range which reach heights
of 2,600m. The Khammouanne and Bolaven plateaus dominate the
central region of the Annamites.
Almost all of the rivers and streams in Laos eventually end
up feeding into the Mekong through one of its 15 tributaries,
making a total of 2,400km of waterways and feeding the Mekong
with more than half of its overall water flow. Though averaging
rainfalls of between 1360mm, in Luang Prabang, to 3700mm on
the Boloven Plateau during the June to October monsoon season,
Laos regularly suffers from water shortages in the low-lying
Mekong Delta plains. This can adversely effect the rice crops
that account for almost 80% of the country's agricultural
land.
Climate
Temperatures during the March to May hot season can reach
high into the 30s, however, at higher elevations and during
the dry season's cooler months of December and January - it
can become rather chilly as temperatures drop as low as 15
degrees C and below.
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