Khmu Migrations and Diaspora:

     The area of northern Laos has been subjected to an a series of wars and air raids from the late 1940s to the mid 1970s. Therefore, many people fled to the highlands and the outskirts, already where the Khmu resided for almost 400 years. The Khmu are only a mere 11% of the total population in all of Laos, but the largest minority. In Nam Tha valley, they compile around 80% of the local population. They are classified as being extremely poor in relation to income in comparison to the other people of Laos and other countries. This is often blamed by their traditional agricultural practices ad other traditional practices because it holds them back from developing their villages and some of their cultural practices. However, this is beginning to change and they are becoming more used to developing and change.