page_title: Xam Neua
section_title: Demographics
hierarchical_section_title: Xam Neua / Demographics
caption_attribution_description: Wat Pho Xai monastery in Sam Neua
context_page_description: Xam Neua ຊຳເໜືອ, Vietnamese: Xâm Neua or Sầm Nưa, sometimes transcribed as Sam Neua or Samneua, literally 'northern swamp', is the capital of Houaphanh Province, Laos, in northeast Laos. Xam Neua is one of the country's least visited provincial capitals by Western tourists.
context_section_description: Residents are mostly Lao, Vietnamese, and Hmong, with some Tai Dam, Tai Daeng, and Tai Lu. The predominant language is Lao with minorities of Vietnamese and Hmong. French is spoken by a minority of people as a legacy of the French colonial era. It is taught in schools and used in public works and government.
caption: Wat Pho Xai
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