Modern-day Laos traces its roots back to the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang. From the late 18th century until the late 19th century, Laos was under the control of Siam (present-day Thailand) before becoming part of French Indochina. In 1975, the communist Pathet Lao movement took control of the government. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. CIA’s World Factbook is a public resource providing basic information on 258 w