Vientiane, city, port, and capital of Laos, in central Laos, on the Mekong River. It is a marketing center and trades in teak and other hardwoods, gum benzoin, stick lac, textiles, and skins. Manufactures include processed food, footwear, textiles, and building materials. The city includes an airport, Sisavangvong University (1958), the 16th-century That Luang temple, a museum of antiquities, and the old royal residence.
After the division of the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang into three kingdoms in the late 17th century, Vientiane became the capital of the kingdom of the same name. In 1827, when the Thais seized control of Vientiane Kingdom, the city was virtually destroyed; it was subsequently rebuilt. Vientiane was made the administrative capital of the newly created state of Laos in 1946. Population (1995) 528,109.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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