Of the 4,000 km of the
Mekong River, 1,865 km is along the border and within
the country. It has an area of 236,800 km2 . Over 70 % of
the country consists of rugged mountains and plateaux.
The highest mountain is Phu Bia having a height of
2,819 m with respect to the sea level and is located in the
northern part of the country.
Two thirds of the Lao country are forested, but only 10
% are considered suitable for agriculture. The country is
administratively divided into one special area, one
municipality (Vientiane Prefecture) and 17 provinces,
with Vientiane being the capital.