Lao PDR

East Asia & Pacific·Lower middle income

Population: 7.67M; 102nd of 217
GDP: $16.5B; 140th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $2,124; 173rd of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 69; 159th of 217
Human development: 0.607; 138th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Lao PDR

Solomon Islands

Kiribati

Cambodia

Papua New Guinea

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Buddhist64.2%
Other34.2%▼ 1.0pt
Christian1.5%▲ 0.8pt

Religious diversity: 5.49 / 10 · moderate · 41st of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

LAO

SLB

KIR

KHM

GDP

current US$

$16.5B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$1.78B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

109.5%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

16.8%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

29%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

7.67M–––

Population density

people per km²

32.8–––

Urban population

% of total

38.2%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

2.4–––

Net migration

people

-10.3K–––

Population under 15

% of total

30.2%–––

Population 65+

% of total

4.7%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

2%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

1.2%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

10.1K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

6,823.2–––

Electricity generation

TWh

52.3–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0.1%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

5.49–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

0.1%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

0.2%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#140/214

$16.5B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#173/214

$2,1242024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#139/203

$9,292latest

GDP growth

annual %

#62/214

4.3%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#167/207

$2,0002024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#187/213

13.9%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#69/201

$1.78B2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#25/205

109.5%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#48/206

16.8%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#62/208

29%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#8/187

1.2%latest

Gini index

0–100

#113/168

38.8latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#119/168

15.7%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#102/217

7.67Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#167/216

32.8latest

Urban population

% of total

#174/215

38.2%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#159/217

69latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#81/217

2.4latest

Net migration

people

#154/217

-10.3K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#72/217

30.2%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#151/217

4.7%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#161/196

35.2latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#152/196

39latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#191/192

2%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#149/195

0.3latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#103/160

87.5%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#196/199

1.2%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#147/194

14.9%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#129/139

17.9%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#144/210

63.6%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#187/214

64.82023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#151/208

2.72023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#140/215

301.72024

Access to electricity

% of population

#150/215

96.5%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#113/198

10.1K2023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#35/202

6,823.22023

Electricity generation

TWh

#54/202

52.32023

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#36/202

76.7%2023

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#45/202

23.3%2023

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#124/204

24.42024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#104/204

3.12024

Share of global CO₂

#81/204

0.1%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#130/193

6.92023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#160/172

0.1342022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#141/172

0.1082022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#125/178

312022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#151/193

-0.9662022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#130/193

-0.5952022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#143/193

-0.8052022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#45/193

0.8032022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#145/172

0.5132022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#41/193

5.492020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#174/193

0.1%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#138/189

0.6072021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#120/170

0.4782021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#96/164

5.522025

Global Peace Index

1–5

#45/158

1.782023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#159/161

0.2%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.