Vientiane is the capital and largest city
of Laos, situated on the Mekong River near the border with
Thailand. Vientiane became the capital in 1563 due to fears of a
Burmese invasion. During French rule, Vientiane was the
administrative capital and, due to economic growth in recent
times, it has now become the economic centre of Laos. The
estimated population of the city is 754,000. The city hosted the
25th Southeast Asian Games in December 2009 celebrating the 50
years of SEA Games.
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