The effects of French colonization can still be seen in Laos. Some portion of the population speaks French to this day. The official tongue of the land is known as Lao or Laotian. It is the primary language of the eponymous ethnic group. They make up more than fifty percent of the population of Laos and follow a form of Buddhism. As a language, Lao is often confused with Isan. Many linguists consider the two to be the same because of their similarities. They are both mutually intelligible.