Every year, thousands of people from all over
the world come to Canada to start a new life. They come with many different
skills and with the hope of contributing to their new society. This cultural
profile was written to help Canadians welcome Laotian immigrants to Canada.
It will tell you something about the Laotian people and what life is like
in their original home. This information will be useful if you are hosting
a Laotian family as part of the HOST Program, learning about Laos in school
or working with Laotian colleagues who have recently settled in Canada.
In the past two decades, thousands of Laotians
have moved to Canada, many as refugees fleeing wars in Indochina. Most
have settled in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton.
There are currently about 34,000 Laotians in Canada. |
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Many aspects of Canadian culture will seem strange
to Laotian newcomers. But there will also be many similarities between
the two cultures. Laotians will have many of the same concerns that you
would have if you moved to another country. For instance, they will need
information about employment, access to affordable housing, health care
and education. You can help them adjust by answering their questions. You
can also learn a lot from Laotians.
Although this cultural profile provides insight
into some customs, it does not cover all facets of life. The customs described
may not apply in equal measure to all newcomers from Laos. |
Did you know? |
Laos
was once known as Lan Xang, meaning "the Kingdom of a Million Elephants."
It was given the name by King Fa Ngum in 1353. The country was renamed
Laos during the French colonial period, because the dominant ethnic group
is called Lao. |
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Summary Fact Sheet |
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Official
Name |
Lao People's Democratic Republic |
Capital |
Vientiane |
Type of
Government |
Communist |
Population |
5.4 million |
Area |
236,800 sq. km |
Major
Ethnic Groups |
Lao Loum, Lao Theung, Lao Soung |
Languages |
Lao and Lao dialects, French, English |
Religion |
Buddhism, traditional spirit religions |
Unit of
Currency |
Kip |
National
Flag |
Three horizontal bands of red, blue
and red, with a white circle on the central blue band |
Date of
Independence |
October 22, 2021 |
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