Khammouane province

Khammouane province
ແຂວງ ຄໍາມ່ວນ
Map of Khammouane province
Location of Khammouane province in Laos
Coordinates: 17°30′00″N 105°20′00″E / 17.5°N 105.333333°E / 17.5; 105.333333
CountryLaos
CapitalThakhek
Area
  Total
16,315 km2 (6,299 sq mi)
Population
 (2020 Census)
  Total
433,570
  Density27/km2 (69/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+7 (ICT)
ISO 3166 codeLA-KH
HDI (2022) 0.602
medium 9th

Khammouane province (Khammouan) (Lao: ຄໍາມ່ວນ, pronounced [kʰám mūan]) is a province in southern Laos. Its capital is Thakhek. Khammouane province covers an area of 16,315 square kilometres (6,299 sq mi), most of which is forested mountainous terrain. The forests of the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park contains streams that feed Mekong tributaries and form the catchment area for Nam Theun 2, the largest hydropower project in Laos. The Xe Bang Fai River, Nam Hinboun River, and the Nam Theun are some of the rivers of the province.

Part of the aborted Thakhek-Tan Ap railway would have crossed the province to connect with the North-South Railway at Tân Ấp Railway Station, Quảng Bình province, Vietnam through Mụ Giạ Pass. Khammouane's human development index is 0.602 which is less than the Laos average of 0.620.