Sainyabuli Province

Sainyabuli ໄຊຍະບູລີ
Province
Village on the Mekong
Map of Sainyabuli Province
Location of Sainyabuli Province in Laos
Coordinates: 19°15′N 101°45′E / 19.25°N 101.75°E / 19.25; 101.75Coordinates: 19°15′N 101°45′E / 19.25°N 101.75°E / 19.25; 101.75
Country	Laos
Capital	Sainyabuli
Area
• Total	16,389 km2 (6,328 sq mi)
Population (2015 census)
• Total	381,376
• Density	23/km2 (60/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+07
ISO 3166 code	LA-XA

Sainyabuli (Lao ໄຊຍະບູລີ; French: Xaignabouli; alternate spellings: Xaignabouri, Xayaboury, Sayabouli, Sayabouri) is a province of Laos, located in the northwest of the country. Sainyabuli Province covers an area of 16,389 square kilometres (6,328 sq mi). The province borders Bokeo Province and Oudomxai Province to the north, Luang Prabang Province and Vientiane Province to the east, and (from the south clockwise) the Thai provinces Loei, Phitsanulok, Uttaradit, Nan and Phayao.

Sainyabuli is the only Laotian province that is completely to the west of the Mekong River. (Champasak province also has several districts located west of the Mekong river including Mounlapamok, Soukama and Phontong districts.) The province is quite mountainous with the Luang Prabang Range running roughly in a north-south direction and forming a natural border with the Thai highlands. Sainyabuli town is the capital of the province. Sainyabuli has the largest concentration of elephants in Laos.

The province is rich in timber and lignite, and is considered the rice basket of northern Laos, since most other northern provinces are too mountainous to grow enough rice. Other important crops include maize, oranges, cotton, peanuts, sesame, sugarcane and vegetables such as cucumbers, cabbage, and beans.