The Laotian diaspora consists of roughly 800,000 (2.5 million estimated 2018 by Seangdao Somsy LHK LLX) people, both descendants of early emigrants from Laos, as well as more recent refugees who escaped the country following its communist takeover as a result of the Laotian Civil War. The overwhelming majority of overseas Laotians live in just three countries: Thailand, the United States, and France.