List of ethnic groups in Laos

Template:Short description The following is a list of ethnic groups in Laos.

Classification

Specialists are largely in agreement as to the ethnolinguistic classification of the ethnic groups of Laos.<ref name="IPPD-2006">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For the purposes of the 1995 census, the government of Laos recognized 149 ethnic groups within 47 main ethnicities.<ref name="IPPD-2006" /> whereas the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) recently revised the list to include 49 ethnicities consisting of over 160 ethnic groups.<ref name="IPPD-2006" />

The term ethnic minorities is used by some to classify the non-Lao ethnic groups, while the term indigenous peoples is not used by Lao authorities.<ref name="IPPD-2006" /> These 160 ethnic groups speak a total of 73 distinct living languages as of 2025.<ref name="Ethnologue">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Subscription required</ref>

Austronesian

• Cham (population of 250–700 in Laos; known as Laotian Cham)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Mon-Khmer

• Aheu (population of approximately 1,770 in Bolikhamsai Province)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Alak (population of approximately 4,000 in southern Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Arem (population of approximately 500 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Bo (population of 2,950 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Bru (population of approximately 69,000 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Chut (population of 450 in Khammouane Province)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Halang Doan (population of 2,350 in Attapeu Province and on the Kasseng Plateau)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Hung or Tum (population of 2,000 in Bolikhamsai and Khammouane Provinces)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Ir (population of 4,420 in Salavan Province)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Jeh (population of 8,013 in southern Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Katang (population of 107,350 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Katu (population of 14,700 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Khlor (population of 6,000 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Khmer (population of 10,400 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Khua (population of 2,000 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Kri
• Kuy (population of 51,180 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Lavae (also referred to as Brao)<ref name="Ta Ong Trail">Ta Ong Trail Template:Webarchive</ref>
• Lave (population of 12,750 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Laven (population of 40,519 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Lavi<ref name="Laos Cultural Profile">Laos Cultural Profile (Ministry of Information and Culture/Visiting Arts)</ref>Template:Failed verification
• Maleng (population of 800 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Mon (population of 4000-8000 in Laos)
• Ngae (population of 12,189 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Nguon
• Nyaheun<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Ong<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Oi (population of 23,500 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Pakoh<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Phong<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Sadang<ref name="Laos Cultural Profile"/>
• Salang (ethnic group)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Sapuan (ethnic group)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Makong<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Sou<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Souei
• Taliang<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Ta-oi<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Vietnamese (population of 76,000 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Yae<ref name="Laos Cultural Profile"/>

Palaungic

• Bit (population of 1,530 in Laos, disputed as to whether Palaungic or Khmuic)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Con (population of 1,000 in Luang Namtha Province)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Samtao (population of 2,359 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Lamet (population of 16,740 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>

Khmuic

• Khmu (population of 389,694 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Khuen (population of approximately 8,000 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Mal (population of 23,200 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Mlabri (population of 24 in Laos,<ref name="Ethnologue"/> also known as the Yumbri)
• O'du<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Phai (population of 15,000 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Xinh Mul (population of 3,164 in Laos, including Phong-Kniang and Puoc, also known as the Sing Mun)<ref name="Ta La, Laos">Ta La, LaosTemplate:Dead link</ref>

Tibeto-Burman

• Lolo ethnicity
  • Kaw (population of approximately 58,000 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
  • Hani (population of 1,122 in Phongsaly Province)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
  • Kaduo (population of 5,000 on Laos-China border)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
  • Lahu (population of 8,702 in Laos, also referred to as Museu)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
  • Lahu Shi (population of 3,240 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
  • Phana<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
  • Phunoi<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
  • Si La<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Kado (population of 225 in Phongsaly Province)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>

Hmong-Mien

• Hmong Daw (population of 200,000 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Hmong Njua (population of 245,600 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Iu Mien (population of 20,250, also called Yao)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Kim Mun (population of 4,500 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>

Tai and Rau

• Tai Daeng<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Tai Dam<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Tai Gapong
• Tai He<ref name=JS-Vol.2 /> (or Tai E)
• Tai Khang (population of 47,636 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Tay Khang<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Tai Kao<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Kongsat
• Kuan (population of 2,500 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Tai Laan
• Tai Maen<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Lao (population of 3,000,000 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Lao Lom<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Tai Long<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Tai Lue (population of 300,000 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Northeastern Thai (including the Tai Kaleun and Isan people)
• Tai Nuea<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Kassak (located to the south and southeast of Luang Prabang, in an area bounded by the Nam Khan River, Phu Hin Salik, Nam Sanane River, Nam Ming River, and Nam Khan River up to Xieng Ngeun District). The Kassak language is a Lao dialect, although the Kassak people live a lifestyle similar to that of the Khmu people.<ref>Doré, Amphay. 2016. The Kassak — an ethnological and historical enigma. In Tai Culture Journal, Volume 24. Interdisciplinary Tai Studies Series. ISSN 1431-1240</ref>
• Nùng<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Nyaw
• Tai Pao<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Tai Peung
• Phuan (population of 106,099 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Phutai (population of 154,400 in Laos)<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Saek<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Tai Sam
• Tai Yo
• Tayten
• Yoy<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Zhuang (including the Nùng people)
• Shan
• Yang

Chinese

• Chinese<ref name="Ethnologue"/>
• Laotian Chinese

Unclassified

• Chere<ref name="Biodatabase">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Jri<ref name="Biodatabase"/>

Below are some ethnic groups of Laos who speak unclassified languages, listed roughly from north to south.<ref name="AH-Bit">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> District codes are also given (see districts of Laos).

Unclassified languages of Laos

Ethnolinguistic group	Population	Possible linguistic affiliation	Locations
Poumong	1,000	Tibeto-Burman (Phunyot)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	Ban Phoumon. Boun-Tai (2-07) and Khoa (2-03) districts, southern Phongsaly Province
Pouhoy	200 (1995; 35 families)<ref name=JS-Vol.2>Template:Cite book</ref>	Oy, Katuic?	Kang Village, Namo District (4-03), northern Oudomxai Province
Taket	< 1,000<ref name=JS-Vol.2 />	Austro-Asiatic?<ref name=JS-Vol.2 />	Nambak District (6-05), Luang Prabang Province
Tamoy	500 (< 15 villages)	Palaungic, Khmuic?	Viangphoukha District (3-04), Luang Namtha Province
Nguan	30,000	Lametic, Palaungic?	Nale (3-05), Viangphoukha (3-04), and Luang Namtha (3-01) districts of Luang Namtha Province, near the Khuen, Lamet, and Khmu Rok peoples; also in Houayxay District (5-01), Bokeo Province
Salao	800	Ethnic Lao<ref name=JS-Vol.2 />	Pakxong District (16-04), Champasak Province

See also

• Demographics of Laos

Further reading

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book