Nepedia
Back to Discover
Fluent Reader
🗺️

Pakse

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Pakse is a busy city in the country of Laos. It is the capital of the Champasak province. The name Pakse means "mouth of the river." This is because the city sits where two rivers meet. The Xe Don River flows into the Mekong River here. It is the most crowded city in southern Laos. In 2015, about 77,900 people lived in the city.

Multiple rows of golden statues of the Buddha seated with flowers, at Wat Phou Salao, Pakse, Laos
Multiple rows of golden statues of the Buddha seated with flowers, at Wat Phou Salao, Pakse, Laos

Many people in Pakse follow the Buddhist religion. You can find many beautiful temples throughout the city. Wat Luang is the largest temple in Pakse. People built it back in 1935. There is also a Chinese temple called Wat Sopsé. The photo shows golden statues of the Buddha at a temple. These statues sit among yellow and red flowers.

Multiple rows of golden statues of the Buddha seated with flowers, at Wat Phou Salao, Pakse, Laos
Multiple rows of golden statues of the Buddha seated with flowers, at Wat Phou Salao, Pakse, Laos

Pakse has a long and changing history. The French made an outpost there in 1905. It was the capital of the Lao Kingdom of Champasak. This changed in 1946 when the Kingdom of Laos was formed. Later, some land near the Mekong River went to Thailand. This happened after the Franco-Thai war. The city has seen many different groups of people over time.

Life in Pakse follows the tropical savanna climate. The weather changes with the seasons. There is a wet season from April to October. The dry season lasts from November to March. Temperatures are even higher in March and April. These are the months before the monsoon season starts. The heat can be quite strong during this time.

Pakse is an important place for travel and business. Many businesses are owned by the Laotian Chinese community. The city has two hospitals to help people stay healthy. People also travel to the area to see the sights. In 2006, about 113,684 people visited the province. By 2013, that number grew to 493,180 visitors. Pakse International Airport was also finished in 2009 to help travelers arrive easily.

314 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (1)
File:Multiple_rows_of_golden_statues_of_the_Buddha_seated_with_flowers,_at_Wat_Phou_Salao,_Pakse,_Laos.jpg
Multiple_rows_of_golden_statues_of_the_Bud...
More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.