List of ethnic groups in Laos

The following is a list of ethnic groups in Laos.

Classification

Specialists are largely in agreement as to the ethnolinguistic classification of the ethnic groups of Laos.[1] For the purposes of the 1995 census, the government of Laos recognized 149 ethnic groups within 47 main ethnicities.[1] whereas the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) recently revised the list to include 49 ethnicities consisting of over 160 ethnic groups.[1]

The term ethnic minorities is used by some to classify the non-Lao ethnic groups, while the term indigenous peoples is not used by Lao authorities.[1] These 160 ethnic groups speak a total of 82 distinct living languages.[2]

Mon-Khmer

  • Aheu (population of approximately 1,770 in Bolikhamsai Province)[2]
  • Alak (population of approximately 4,000 in southern Laos)[2]
  • Arem (population of approximately 500 in Laos)[2]
  • Bo (population of 2,950 in Laos)[2]
  • Bru (population of approximately 69,000 in Laos)[2]
  • Chut (population of 450 in Khammouane Province)[2]
  • Halang Doan (population of 2,350 in Attapeu Province and on the Kasseng Plateau)[2]
  • Hung or Tum (population of 2,000 in Bolikhamsai and Khammouane Provinces)[2]
  • Ir (population of 4,420 in Salavan Province)[2]
  • Jeh (population of 8,013 in southern Laos)[2]
  • Katang (population of 107,350 in Laos)[2]
  • Katu (population of 14,700 in Laos)[2]
  • Khlor (population of 6,000 in Laos)[2]
  • Khmer (population of 10,400 in Laos)[2]
  • Khua (population of 2,000 in Laos)[2]
  • Kri
  • Kuy (population of 51,180 in Laos)[2]
  • Lavae (also referred to as Brao)[3]
  • Lave (population of 12,750 in Laos)[2]
  • Laven (population of 40,519 in Laos)[2]
  • Lavi[4][failed verification]
  • Maleng (population of 800 in Laos)[2]
  • Mon (population of 4000-8000 in Laos)
  • Ngae (population of 12,189 in Laos)[2]
  • Nguon
  • Nyaheun[2]
  • Ong[2]
  • Oi (population of 23,500 in Laos)[2]
  • Pakoh[2]
  • Phong[2]
  • Sadang[4]
  • Salang (ethnic group)[2]
  • Sapuan (ethnic group)[2]
  • Makong[2]
  • Sou[2]
  • Souei
  • Taliang[2]
  • Ta-oi[2]
  • Vietnamese (population of 76,000 in Laos)[2]
  • Yae[4]

Palaungic

Khmuic

  • Khmu (population of 389,694 in Laos)[2]
  • Khuen (population of approximately 8,000 in Laos)[2]
  • Mal (population of 23,200 in Laos)[2]
  • Mlabri (population of 24 in Laos,[2] also known as the Yumbri)
  • O'du[2]
  • Phai (population of 15,000 in Laos)[2]
  • Xinh Mul (population of 3,164 in Laos, including Phong-Kniang and Puoc, also known as the Sing Mun)[5]

Tibeto-Burman

Hmong-Mien

Tai and Rau

Chinese

Unclassified

Below are some ethnic groups of Laos who speak unclassified languages, listed roughly from north to south.[9] District codes are also given (see districts of Laos).

Unclassified languages of Laos
Ethnolinguistic group Population Possible linguistic affiliation Locations
Poumong 1,000 Tibeto-Burman (Phunyot)[10] Ban Phoumon. Boun-Tai (2-07) and Khoa (2-03) districts, southern Phongsaly Province
Pouhoy 200 (1995; 35 families)[6] Oy, Katuic? Kang Village, Namo District (4-03), northern Oudomxai Province
Taket < 1,000[6] Austro-Asiatic?[6] Nambak District (6-05), Luang Prabang Province
Tamoy 500 (< 15 villages) Palaungic, Khmuic? Viangphoukha District (3-04), Luang Namtha Province
Nguan 30,000 Lametic, Palaungic? Nale (3-05), Viangphoukha (3-04), and Luang Namtha (3-01) districts of Luang Namtha Province, near the Khuen, Lamet, and Khmu Rok peoples; also in Houayxay District (5-01), Bokeo Province
Salao 800 Ethnic Lao[6] Pakxong District (16-04), Champasak Province

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Indigenous Peoples Development Planning Document" (PDF). Lao People's Democratic Republic: Northern Region Sustainable Livelihoods Development Project. August 2006. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw "Ethnologue report for Laos". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2 November 2020.(subscription required)
  3. ^ Ta Ong Trail Archived 2007-11-18 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b c Laos Cultural Profile (Ministry of Information and Culture/Visiting Arts)
  5. ^ Ta La, Laos[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ a b c d e Schliesinger, Joachim (2003). Ethnic Groups of Laos, Volume 2, Profiles of Austro-Asiatic-speaking peoples. Bangkok: White Lotus. ISBN 9744800364.
  7. ^ Doré, Amphay. 2016. The Kassak — an ethnological and historical enigma. In Tai Culture Journal, Volume 24. Interdisciplinary Tai Studies Series. ISSN 1431-1240
  8. ^ a b "Biodatabase". Archived from the original on 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
  9. ^ "Bit" (PDF). Asia Harvest. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  10. ^ Schliesinger, Joachim (2003). Ethnic Groups of Laos, Volume 4, Profiles of Sino-Tibetan-speaking peoples. Bangkok: White Lotus. ISBN 9744800321.

Further reading

  • Schliesinger, Joachim (2003). Ethnic Groups of Laos, Volume 1, Introduction and overview. Bangkok: White Lotus. ISBN 9744800321.
  • Schliesinger, Joachim (2003). Ethnic Groups of Laos, Volume 3, Profile of Austro-Thai-speaking peoples. Bangkok: White Lotus. ISBN 9744800372.
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