Khammouane province

Coordinates: 17°30′00″N 105°20′00″E / 17.5°N 105.333333°E / 17.5; 105.333333
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Khammouane Province
)
Khammouane province
ແຂວງ ຄໍາມ່ວນ
UTC+7 (ICT)
ISO 3166 codeLA-KH
HDI (2017)Increase 0.569[1]
medium 10th

Khammouane province (Khammouan) (

Lao: ຄໍາມ່ວນ, pronounced [kʰám.mūa̯n]) is a province in the center of Laos. Its capital lies at Thakhek
.

Khammouane province covers an area of 16,315 square kilometres (6,299 sq mi) and is mostly of forested mountainous terrain. Many streams flow through the province to join the

Nam Theun 2, the largest hydropower project in Laos. The Xe Bang Fai River, Nam Hinboun River, and the Nam Theun
are the main rivers of the province.

Part of the aborted

.

Geography

Khammouane province covers an area of 16,315 square kilometres (6,299 sq mi) and is mostly of forested mountainous terrain.[2] The province is bordered by Bolikhamsai province to the north and northwest, Vietnam to the east, Savannakhet province to the south, and Thailand to the west.[3] Many streams flow through the province to join the Mekong River. The major rivers originating in the mountains of the province are the Xebangfay River (239 kilometres (149 mi) long), Nam Hinboun, Nam Theun, and Nam Ngum River.[4] Between the Mekong and the Annamite Range, the Khammouane Plateau features gorges, grottoes, jungles, limestone hills, and rivers.[5]

French colonial architectural style.[4] The Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, opened to traffic on 11 November 2011, spans the Mekong River. The bridge is 1,423 metres (4,669 ft) long and 13 metres (43 ft) wide.[6]

Nakai District. The cave runs for a length of about 7.4 kilometres (4.6 mi). Its width varies from 10 metres (33 ft) to 90 metres (300 ft). Its height is in the range of 20 metres (66 ft) to 100 metres (330 ft). The Hinboun River flows through the cave perennially. Vang That and Had Xay Luang are the two hanging rock formations in the cave. Had Xay Luang is a white sand beach here, of about 150 metres (490 ft) in length and 100 metres (330 ft) width.[4] The cave is approachable along two routes, one from Vientiane along Route 13 to Hinboun District, and the second route is by boat along the Hinboun River.[4]

  • Thakhek
  • Hinboun River
    Hinboun River
  • Tham Khonglor
    Tham Khonglor
  • Ban Natan
    Ban Natan

Protected areas

Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) found in Laos

The province's forest areas consists of three reserve areas. These are the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park, which covers an area of 352,200 ha of the Annamite mountains and the adjacent Nakai Plateau in the provinces of Khammouane and Bolikhamxay, the Hin Namno National Park with an area of 86,229 ha, and the Phou Hin Poun National Biodiversity Conservation Area with an area of 150,000 ha. These forests have many natural caves.[4]

In 1996, Western scientists discovered a

monotypic genus Laonastes.'[7][8]

Species of mammals, some discovered relatively recently, include the following (Robichaud 2005):

.

Important bird areas

The 68,125 hectare Hin Nam No (also Hin Namno) Important Bird Area (IBA) is in the Hin Namno NBCA. Its topography features limestone karst outcrops, undulating limestone hills, as well as valleys. The IBA's habitat is characterized by sparsely vegetated limestone karst, semi-evergreen tropical rain forest, mixed deciduous forest, moist deciduous tropical forest, and wet evergreen forest. Vietnamese crested argus (Rheinardia ocellata) and Austen's brown hornbill (Anorrhinus austeni) are classified as near threatened. The inornate squirrel (Callosciurus inornatus) has been identified as important fauna within the IBA.[10]

The Khammouane IBA is in the Phou Hin Poun NBCA. The IBA is 79,000 ha in size with an elevation of 200–900 metres (660–2,950 ft). The topography and habitat are characterized by sparsely vegetated limestone karst, semi-evergreen forest, mixed deciduous forest, as well as non-calcareous substrate. The IBA is notable for supporting the sooty babbler (Stachyris herberti) and a taxon of François' langur (Trachypithecus francoisi).[11]

Demographics

The population of the province according to the 2015 census is 392,052.[12]

Administrative divisions

The province is composed of the following nine districts:[4]

Map Code Name Lao script
12-01
Thakhek District
ເມືອງທ່າແຂກ
12-02
Mahaxay District
ເມືອງມະຫາໄຊ
12-03
Nong Bok District
ເມືອງໜອງບົກ
12-04
Hineboun District
ເມືອງຫີນບູນ
12-05
Yommalath District
ເມືອງຍົມມະລາດ
12-06
Boualapha District
ເມືອງບົວລະພາ
12-07
Nakai District
ເມືອງນາກາຍ
12-08
Sebangphay District
ເມືອງເຊບັ້ງໄຟ
12-09
Xaibouathong District
ເມືອງໄຊບົວທອງ
12-10
Kounkham District
ເມືອງຄູນຄຳ

Economy

Yommalath District
, was badly affected by floods caused by heavy rain in July 2011, affecting rice farmland in the district, inundating almost 700 hectares, destroying dozens of fishponds and killing 112 cattle. There are several major operating mining companies in the province, including Mining Development Economy Corporation mining gypsum in Thakhek District, LAVICO Co. Ltd, which is a Laos-Vietnam joint venture mining gypsum in Xebangfay District, V.S.K. Co. Ltd mining limestone in Thakhek District), and Lao-North Korea Tin Mines mining tin in Hinboun District.[14] Several culinary specialties are also native the province including Kha Nom Phane, a type of rice cake.

Landmarks

That Phanom, built in Thailand under the Sikhottabong Empire. The bones of Buddha are said to be consecrated in these temples. King Nanthasene built the stupa for King Soummitham. It was refurbished in the 15th century during the reign by King Saysethathirath. The stupa has four squares with each side measuring 25,030 metres (82,120 ft) long and its base is 14.33 square metres (154.2 sq ft) and rises to a height of 29 metres (95 ft). The pinnacle appears in the shape of the banana flower. The stupa is seen on the bank of the Mekong River. Its festival is held during the third lunar month.[4]

The Great Wall, built of stones, starts on the west side of Thakhek. It is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the city, on Route 13. It extends from the Namdone River and its total length is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi). Some sections of the wall are seen in Thakhek also. Its construction is attributed to the period of the Sikhottabong Empire in the 19th century and is now proposed to be preserved as a national heritage site.[4]

Other attractions include: Tad Kham Waterfall (about 52 kilometers from Thakhek District), Tad Nam Khengkam Waterfall (about 37 km to the east of Thakhek District), Wat Pha Sokkhamsene Temple (an old temple near Nongbok District and about 37 km from Thakhek District), and That Thumphavang Stupa (to the north of Nongbok District).[4]

  • That Sikhottabong
    That Sikhottabong
  • Vat Nabo
    Vat Nabo
  • Catholic Church of Thakhek
    Catholic Church of Thakhek

References

  1. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.[not specific enough to verify]
  2. ^ "Home". Laos Tourism Organization. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Maps" (Map). Google Maps.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Khammouane Province". Lao Tourism Organization. Archived from the original on 15 December 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  5. ^ Mansfield & Koh 2008, p. 9.
  6. ^ "Third Mekong Bridge opens". TTR Weekly. Retrieved 3 December 2012.[permanent dead link]
  7. National Geographic News. Archived from the original
    on May 19, 2005. Retrieved 3 December 2012. ...odd-looking mammal, known locally as the kha-nyou....
  8. .
  9. ^ Lao National Tourism Association. "Khammouane Overview". Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  10. ^ "Important Bird Areas factsheet: Hin Namno". BirdLife International. 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  11. ^ "Important Bird Areas factsheet: Khammouane". BirdLife International. 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  12. ^ "Provinces of Laos". Statoids.com. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  13. . Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  14. ^ Geological Survey 2010, p. 14.

Bibliography