French Protectorate of Laos

The **French protectorate of Laos** () was a French protectorate in Southeast Asia of what is today Laos between 1893 and 1953—with a brief interregnum as a Japanese puppet state in 1945—which constituted part of French Indochina. It was integrated into French Indochina and in the following years further Siamese vassals, the Principality of Phuan and Kingdom of Champasak, were annexed into it in 1899 and 1904, respectively. It was officially recognized as independent in 1954 after the Geneva Conference.

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Kingdom of Luang Prabang
<hr>Kingdom of Laos

- **image flag**: Flag of French Laos.svg
- **image coat**: Royal Seal of the Kingdom of Laos.svg
- **symbol type**: Emblem of Laos, Coat of arms
(1949–1953)
- **image map**: Atlas de l'Indochine dressé (...)Indochine française bpt6k11001779 73.jpg
- **capital**: Vientiane (official)
Luang Prabang (royal)
- **religion**: Theravada Buddhism
Roman Catholicism
- **government type**: Unitary state, Unitary absolute monarchy under a colony, colonial administration
(1893–1947)
Unitary state, Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy within the French Union
(1947–1953)
- **upper house**: Parliament of the Kingdom of Laos#Royal Council, Royal Council
(from 1947)
- **lower house**: National Assembly (Laos), National Assembly
(from 1947)
- **currency**: French Indochinese piastre, Piastre
- **status**: Protectorate of French Third Republic, France; constituent territory of French Indochina
- **status text**: Protectorate of France (1893–1899); constituent territory of French Indochina (1899–1953)
- **year end**: 1953
- **life span**: 1893–1945
1946–1953
- **year start**: 1893
- **flag type**: Flag of Laos, Flag
(1893–1952)
- **common languages**: French language, French (official), Lao language, Lao
- **title leader**: List of monarchs of Laos#Kingdom of Luang Prabang (1707–1893) & French Protectorate of Laos (1893-1947), King
- **year leader1**: 1868–1895
- **leader1**: Oun Kham
- **year leader2**: 1895–1904
- **leader2**: Zakarine
- **year leader3**: 1904–1953
- **leader3**: Sisavang Vong
- **title representative**: List of administrators of the French protectorate of Laos, Resident-Superior
- **year representative1**: 1894–1895 <small>(first)</small>
- **representative1**: Auguste Pavie
- **year representative2**: 1954–1955 <small>(last)</small>
- **representative2**: Michel Georges Eugène Breal, Michel Breal
- **title deputy**: Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Laos, Prime Minister
- **year deputy1**: 1941–1945 <small>(first)</small>
- **deputy1**: Phetsarath
- **year deputy2**: 1951–1953 <small>(last)</small>
- **deputy2**: Souvanna Phouma
- **date start**: 3 October
- **date event1**: 19 April 1899
- **event2**: Kingdom of Champasak, Champasak annexed
- **date event2**: 22 November 1904
- **event3**: French Protectorate of Laos#Japanese puppet state, Japanese puppet state
- **date event3**: 8 April 1945
- **event4**: Lao Issara government
- **date event4**: 12 October 1945
- **event5**: French restoration
- **date event5**: 24 April 1946
- **event6**: Kingdom of Laos
- **date event6**: 11 May 1947
- **event end**: Independence
- **date end**: 22 October
- **event post**: Geneva Conference (1954), Recognition
- **date post**: 21 July 1954
- **p1**: Kingdom of Luang Phrabang
- **s1**: Kingdom of Luang Prabang (Japanese puppet state)
- **p2**: Muang Phuan
- **p3**: Kingdom of Champasak
- **flag p4**: Flag of Thailand 1855.svg
- **p4**: Rattanakosin Kingdom
- **flag p5**: Flag of Laos.svg
- **p5**: Lao Issara
- **flag s1**: Flag of the Kingdom of Luang Phrabang (1707-1893).svg
- **flag s2**: Flag of Laos (1952-1975).svg
- **s2**: Kingdom of Laos
- **era**: New Imperialism