Laos – Laos's capital is Vientiane

(Pronounced lah-ohs and vyen-tyahn)

To remember the capital of Laos, use the following mnemonic:

The louse (Laos) ventured up her arm (Vientyahn).

Interesting facts about Vientiane:

- Surreal Sculpture Garden: Just outside the city center lies Buddha Park, an eccentric sculpture garden filled with over 200 giant, bizarre concrete statues depicting various religious figures, demons, and mythical creatures.

- Spared Sanctuary: The city’s oldest surviving temple, Wat Si Saket, miraculously escaped total destruction when Vientiane was sacked in the nineteenth century because invading forces used the complex as their temporary military headquarters.

- Capital Proximity: Vientiane holds the distinction of being one of the closest national capitals in the entire world to another foreign country’s border, sitting directly on the edge of the Mekong River opposite Thailand.