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Savannakhet

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Savannakhet is a busy city in western Laos. It is the capital of Savannakhet Province. You might also hear it called Kaysone Phomvihane. This city is very important to the country. It is the second-largest city in Laos. Vientiane is the only city that is larger.

Many people live in this growing place. In 2018, the population was 125,760 people.

There are many special buildings to see here. You can visit a large Buddhist temple called Wat Sainyaphum. This temple was built in the 15th century. There is also a Chinese temple in the city. You can find a mosque and a Catholic Co-Cathedral of St. Therese too. These places show many different cultures.

The city has a tropical savanna climate. This means the weather stays warm.

The city has a very interesting history. It was once known as Khanthaboury. Later, the name changed to Savannakhet. In 2005, the city got a new name. It was named Kaysone Phomvihane. This man was born in this city. He was the first leader of Laos from 1975 to 1992.

He led the country after the Kingdom of Laos ended.

Getting to the city is quite simple. You can fly into the Savannakhet Airport. There is also a large bridge over the Mekong River. It is called the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge. This bridge has two lanes for cars. It opened in the year 2007.

The bridge connects Laos to Mukdahan Province in Thailand.

To be a city, a place must meet certain rules. In 2018, Savannakhet was officially upgraded to a city. A place needs at least 60,000 people to qualify. It must also be able to support itself with money. The annual income per person was US$2,041 in 2018.

This city is a vital part of the Mekong River region. It connects people from different lands every day.

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