original document:
NOV 2000
reconditioned:
AUG 2019
In the polyethnic society of Laos the province of Luang Nam Tha has the greatest diversity of ethnic groups. In the district of Müang Sing live
The Akhas belong to the Lao Soung and live high up in the mountains. Often they can be reached only via footpaths after several days’ walking.
In the district of Müang Sing live about 11,000 Akhas. They constitute 46% of all inhabitants of the district (province Luang Nam Tha, North Laos)
The Lü live in the plain
Although statistically they are the second largest group in the district of Müang Sing (about 32%), they constitute the main part of the population in the plain and in the town of Müang Sing.
According to latest official statistics (from 1992) the area inside the old town wall comprised slightly more than 200 households. This indicates a rather slow increase of only 50% within one century. There was probably more than one cause for Müang Sing’s demographic stagnation. One cause could have been the declining economic importance of Müang Sing due to the closing of borders with Burma and China (until very recently). The figures in detail:
| compartment | number of families |
number of inhabitants |
inhabitants in % |
number of women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ban Siang Cai (Wat Luang) |
107 | 546 | 44,6 | 293 |
| Ban Siang In | 31 | 156 | 12,7 | 87 |
| Ban Siang Yün | 32 | 303 | 24,7 | 140 |
| Ban Siang Lae | 39 | 220 | 18,0 | 109 |
| total | 209 | 1.225 | 100,0 | 620 |
