| Luang Prabang Province | |
|---|---|
| Location of Luang Prabang Province in Laos | |
| Country | Laos |
| Established | |
| Capital | Luang Prabang |
| Area | |
| • Total | 16,875 km2 (6,515.5 sq mi) |
| Population (2004) | |
| • Total | 408,800 |
| • Density | 24.2/km2 (62.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+07 |
| ISO 3166 code | LA-XI |
Luang Prabang (also Louangphabang, Lao ຫລວງພະບາງ) is a province of Laos, located in the north of the country.
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The provincial capital and old seat of the kingdom, Luang Prabang, is strikingly situated on a narrow peninsula that bisects the conjunction of the Mekong River, flowing south along the west side of the city, and the Mae Kok River, a tributary of the Mekong the flows from the east but angles north just before the confluence of the two rivers. The tip of the peninsula is the site of a wat that was frequented by the royal family when it resided there, and is still a site of devotion for local Lao Buddhists as well as increasingly frequent tourists. Stone boat-landing steps lead down to the river from the wat at the very tip of the peninsula, affording a striking panoramic view of the river in all seasons.
In the center of the peninsula is a mount, Phousi, which despite the constrained scale of the city, is 100m high; a steep stair leads to a shrine and a stunning overlook of the city and the rivers.
Luang Prabang is the ancient capital of Lane Xang and is one of the oldest cities in Laos, founded around 1200 years ago. It became the first capital of Laos in the 14th century when King Fa Ngum returned from Cambodia where he and his father were exiled by the previous king, Fa Ngum's grandfather. Fa Ngum had the support of the Khmer kingdom centered at Siem Reap and brought with him thousands of soldiers to assist in establishing his own kingdom. Luang Prabang was previously known as Muang Sawa, but the settlement's name was changed after Cambodia bestowed a precious gold image of the Buddha, the Phra Bang, as a gift. The Phra Bang is today the symbol of the city the Buddha image is on display at the museum. Popular rumor has it that the real Pra Bang image was sent off to the Soviet Union in the 1970s to settle a debt.
The province is made up of the following districts:
| Phongsaly Province | Dien Bien province, Vietnam Son La province, Vietnam |
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| Oudomxay Province | Houaphanh Province | |||
| Luang Prabang Province | ||||
| Sainyabuli Province | Vientiane Province | Xiangkhoang Province |
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