Vientiane

Vientiane, the capital of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, is a small city that has experienced various rounds of socio-economic experimentation during the past few decades: currently, it is set in a capitalist economic context under the rule of a communist regime. With increasing connectivity to regional and global networks, the city has embarked on a far-reaching path of urban transformation. This city profile describes the historical influences affecting the spatial structure of Vientiane, the urban spatial structures and the land use patterns that have unfolded as a result of the economic liberalization that has been taking place since the late 1980s, as well as some salient aspects of the urban management process with respect to planning procedures.