evidence: Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is divided into 17 provinces (Lao ແຂວງ, pronounced [kʰwɛ̌ːŋ], khoeng, qwang or khoueng) and one prefecture, the Vientiane capital city municipality (ນະຄອນຫຼວງ, nakhon louang, or Na Kone Luang Vientiane). The special administrative zone (ເຂດພິເສດ, khet phiset), Xaisomboun, created in 1994, was dissolved on 13 January 2006.[1] In 2013, parts of the former special administrative zone was reestablished as Xaisomboun province.