Phongsaly Province

Phôngsali ຜົ້ງສາລີ
Province
Phongsali, the capital city
Map of Phôngsali Province
Location of Phôngsali Province in Laos
Coordinates: 21°41′00″N 102°06′00″E / 21.683333°N 102.1°E / 21.683333; 102.1Coordinates: 21°41′00″N 102°06′00″E / 21.683333°N 102.1°E / 21.683333; 102.1
Country	Laos
Capital	Phôngsali
Area
• Total	16,925 km2 (6,535 sq mi)
Population (2015 census)
• Total	177,989
• Density	11/km2 (27/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+07
ISO 3166 code	LA-PH

Phôngsali (Lao ຜົ້ງສາລີ) is a province of Laos, located in the extreme north of the country. The capital of the province is the city of Phôngsali. Phôngsali is located between Yunnan (China), and Điện Biên Province in Vietnam. Its culture has thus been historically heavily influenced by China.

Phongsali Province covers an area of 16,270 square kilometres (6,280 sq mi), out of which 77% has forest cover. The province borders China to the north and west, Vietnam to the east, Luang Prabang Province to the south, and Oudomxai Province to the southwest. The highest mountain in the province is Phou Doychy with an elevation of 1,842 metres (6,043 ft) Protected areas in the province include the Phou Dene Din National Biodiversity Conservation Area and Nam Lan Conservation Area. Agriculture is the mainstay of the people of the province. Phôngsali is the primary trade gateway between Laos and China, exporting lumber and importing several types of finished goods.

The Phu Noi left Muang Sing or Burma and arrived in Phongsaly at the end of the 18th century. The Hmong settled in Phongsaly at the end of the 19th century, having migrated from southern China. In 1895, a Sino-French treaty transferred the Tai Lue's Sip Song Phan Na principalities of Phongsaly and Muang Sing to French Laos. Between 1908 and 1910, the Tai Lue conducted a revolt against colonial authority. When it ended, the colonial military assumed full authority in Phongsaly. In 1936, Sithon Kommadam and his brother, Kamphanh were jailed in Phongsaly because of their participation in their father's (Ong Kommandam) 1934–1936 armed revolt against the French. After Sithon's release in 1945, he established resistance bases in Phongsaly, soon making contact with the Viet Minh. The Communists came into power in 1954 in the province; within six years, the Phunoy began experiencing Buddhist religious purges. Subsequent to the 1954 Geneva Accords, Communist Pathet Lao forces in Phongsaly province were provided with regrouping zones. Phongsaly was integrated into the Royal Lao Government on December 18, 1957.