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Phonsavan is the provincial
capital of Xieng Khouang province. The countryside is soon
dominated by green hills and pine forests. Villages consist of colourful wooden
houses. Cattle raising is one of the main agricultural activities and Hmong
cowboys with brown and violet cowboy hats are a common sight. During Hmong New Year there are even bullfights in the city.
Phonsavan was built in the late 1970s and replaced the old Xieng Khoung (today:
Muang Khoun) which had been destroyed during the Second Indochina War.
Phonsavan's most famous attraction is the nearby Plain of Jars, which has been
nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status. The
main economic activity in Phonsavan is based on government administration,
mining companies from China and Australia, tourism and the work of NGOs related
to UXO clearance.