Bolaven Plateau

The Bolaven Plateau has had an important role in the greater history of Laos. The three most significant historical periods which have greatly affected the area are the French colonization of the region, the Phu Mi Bun Revolt, and the Vietnam War. Each event has had a significant effect upon the Plateau and given the area its own unique character and importance. French colonization In 1893, the French first annexed territories east of the Mekong River and later annexed minor extensions of land to the west of the Mekong in 1904 and 1907. For the Bolaven Plateau, the period of French colonization in Laos is most significant because of the agricultural techniques acquired from the French by the inhabitants. According to the Historical Dictionary, "the French planted coffee and experimented with rubber, and the plateau has remained an important agricultural area growing a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, as well as cash crops". It was not until the French introduced farming to the region in the early 20th century that the residents of the Bolaven Plateau made the area an agricultural sector. The second period that helps define the history of the Plateau is the Phu Mi Bun Revolt. The revolt erupted in 1901 and was not suppressed until 1907. It was a “major rebellion by local Lao Theung tribes (the Alak, Nyaheun and Laven) against French domination". The Vietnam War The Bolaven Plateau suffered greatly during the Vietnam War because it was one of the most heavily-bombed theatres of the war especially in the late ’60s. Controlling the Plateau was considered strategically vital to both the Americans and the North Vietnamese, as evidenced by the staggering amount of unexploded ordnance still lying around. As a result of this, it is often dangerous to veer off unmarked paths. According to many accounts, the devastation caused by these bombings can still be seen in some areas, though most edifices have been rebuilt. In addition, the fact that the Ho Chi Minh Trail passed the eastern edge of the Plateau still attracts tourists and brings further attention to the region. During the war the plateau was accessible by vehicle only via Paksong and Thateng. ==Culture==

The predominant ethnic group in the Bolaven Plateau is the Laven, though other Mon-Khmer ethnic groups reside in the area including the Alak, Katu, Taoy, and Suay. ==Economy==

Literature on the Bolaven Plateau often focuses on two primary economic contributors to the region: agricultural production and tourism. Both contribute greatly to the plateau’s revenue. The French first began farming and other agricultural techniques in the Bolaven Plateau including the production of coffee, rubber, and bananas in the early 20th century. Since the French's initial influence, "the plateau remained an important agricultural area growing a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, as well as cash crops such as cardamom". The climate of the Plateau with its cooler temperatures and abundant rainfall makes it the perfect place for coffee production. Most farming families that make up a variety of the aforementioned minority groups are highly dependent on the coffee industry as their source of income. Coffee in Laos is "cultivated almost exclusively on the Bolaven Plateau in Champasak Province in the southern part of the country... Currently, the Lao coffee harvest generates about 15–20,000 tons a year, 80% of which is Robusta." ==Tourism==

Tourism has taken a hold in the Bolaven Plateau because of the unique aspects of the region that have triggered great intrigue. The most popular places visited by tourists are the waterfalls in the region, the villages of the ethnic minorities, and other geopolitical areas of interest. The Bolaven Province has a number of waterfalls. The Tad Lo Waterfalls that are approximately 58 miles from northeast Pakse are a common destination. The "lush vegetation" that surrounds the waterfall makes it a desired destination though the fall itself "drops only a few meters". ==Impact crater==

Researchers believe that a meteorite, about wide, struck Earth approximately 790,000 years ago, with its impact crater perhaps buried under Bolaven Plateau volcanic field, as its strewn tektites, known as the Australasian strewnfield are found across Asia, Australia, and Antarctica. ==References==