Population
7.9Mpeople
#102 of 2162025
21% of world average
SERIAL · 418Asia
Laos
CapitalVientiane
CurrencyLAK · Lao kip
LanguageLao
Since1949
ISOLAO · LA
Population
7.9Mas of 2025
Watermark portrait: Bounnhang Vorachith
— THE COUNTRY —
Country in Southeast Asia
Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is a country in Mainland Southeast Asia, and the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and southwest. Laos has a population of more than 7.5 million, and its capital and most populous city is Vientiane. It has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the town of Luang Prabang, the temple complex of Vat Phou, and the Plain of Jars. The 2021 completion of the Boten–Vientiane railway, Laotian section of the Laos–China Railway, connects Vientiane to Kunming. Laos participates in the Greater Mekong Subregion economic cooperation programme and is a member of ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement, East Asia Summit, La Francophonie, and the World Trade Organization.
Text: Wikipedia — LaosCC BY-SA 4.0 · revised 2026-08-01
— FACTS —
- Capital
- Vientiane
- Currency
- Lao kip (LAK)
- Official language
- Lao
- Drives on the
- Right
- Calling code
- +856
- Licence plate code
- LAO
- Top-level domain
- .la
- Independence / founding
- 1949
- Highest point
- Phou Bia (2,819 m)
- Lowest point
- Mekong River (1 m)
- Anthem
- Pheng Xat Lao
— LAND —
5 of 5 figures unavailable for Laos.
— PEOPLE —
Population growth
1.3%% per year
#77 of 2162025
134% of world average
Population density
33people per km²
#166 of 2152023
7% of world average
People living in cities
40.3%% of population
#172 of 2162025
64% of world average
Urban population growth
3.2%% per year
#41 of 2162025
210% of world average
People living rurally
59.7%% of population
#45 of 2162025
163% of world average
Population aged 0-14
29.8%% of population
#72 of 2162025
119% of world average
Population aged 15-64
65.4%% of population
#88 of 2162025
102% of world average
Population aged 65+
4.8%% of population
#151 of 2162025
44% of world average
▸ ISSUE 7 MORE
Age dependency ratio
53.0%% of working-age population
#129 of 2162025
92% of world average
Female population
49.8%% of population
#156 of 2162025
99% of world average
Births per woman
2births per woman
#81 of 2162024
102% of world average
Birth rate
20.9 /1,000per 1,000 people
#66 of 2162024
121% of world average
Death rate
6.2 /1,000per 1,000 people
#151 of 2162024
80% of world average
Net migration
-10,645people (5-year total)
#153 of 2162025
-9668% of world average
Migrants living in the country
0.7%% of population
#185 of 2152024
5% of world average
— MONEY —
39 of 39 figures unavailable for Laos.
— TRADE —
Terms of trade
155index
#5 of 2062024
147% of world average
11 of 12 figures unavailable for Laos.
— HEALTH —
Life expectancy
69.2 yrsyears
#158 of 2162024
94% of world average
Life expectancy, women
71.5 yrsyears
#159 of 2162024
93% of world average
Life expectancy, men
67.0 yrsyears
#152 of 2162024
94% of world average
Infant deaths
27.2 /1,000per 1,000 live births
#144 of 1962024
147% of world average
Deaths under age 5
29.4 /1,000per 1,000 live births
#138 of 1962024
121% of world average
Maternal deaths
112per 100,000 live births
#131 of 1942023
96% of world average
Health spending
1.3%% of GDP
#193 of 1932023
19% of world average
Health spending per person
$27current US$
#187 of 1932023
2% of world average
11 of 19 figures unavailable for Laos.
— LEARNING —
10 of 10 figures unavailable for Laos.
— WORK —
Men in the labour force
70.6%% of men aged 15+
#85 of 1862025
101% of world average
Labour force
3.7Mpeople
#99 of 1862025
18% of world average
Working in agriculture
68.6%% of employment
#6 of 1862025
312% of world average
Working in industry
7.4%% of employment
#177 of 1862025
38% of world average
Working in services
24.0%% of employment
#179 of 1862025
41% of world average
Self-employed
77.1%% of employment
#21 of 1862025
199% of world average
Labour force with advanced education
77.9%% of labour force
#90 of 1712022
102% of world average
Employed
65.3%% aged 15+
#37 of 1862025
115% of world average
4 of 12 figures unavailable for Laos.
— CONNECTED —
People online
65.6%% of population
#144 of 2072024
92% of world average
Mobile phone subscriptions
65per 100 people
#187 of 2102023
56% of world average
Fixed broadband subscriptions
3per 100 people
#154 of 2082023
15% of world average
Fixed telephone lines
16per 100 people
#74 of 2132023
108% of world average
Access to electricity
96.5%% of population
#146 of 2142024
109% of world average
Access to clean cooking fuel
11.1%% of population
#161 of 1892023
16% of world average
Electricity used per person
1,665kWh per person
#91 of 1492023
39% of world average
Energy used per person
881kg oil equivalent per person
#99 of 1492023
39% of world average
Air passengers carried
842,280passengers
#101 of 1652023
3% of world average
▸ ISSUE 5 MORE
Air freight
12million tonne-km
#88 of 1632022
1% of world average
Research and development spending
0.0%% of GDP
not enough data to rank2002
4% of world average
Patent applications by residents
1count
#139 of 1422018
0% of world average
Scientific journal articles published
72count
#146 of 1972023
0% of world average
Tourists arriving
886,400count
#103 of 1942020
17% of world average
4 of 18 figures unavailable for Laos.
— NATURE —
12 of 12 figures unavailable for Laos.
— STATE —
7 of 7 figures unavailable for Laos.
— TRADE PARTNERS —
Loading trade partner map…
— TRADE —
No trade data available for Laos.
— EXTRAS —
Anthem
Pheng Xat LaoAudio: Wikimedia Commons
Capital time
--:--:--Vientiane · approx. UTC+7
Landmarks
Luang PrabangImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Plain of JarsImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Champasak cultural landscapeImage: Wikimedia Commons
People
Bounnhang VorachithGeneral Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (2016-2021)
Choummaly Sayasoneformer General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party
Thongloun SisoulithGeneral Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party
SouphanouvongLaotian politician
Kaysone Phomvihanefirst General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (r. 1955-1992)
Khamtai Siphandoneformer Chairman of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (1924–2025)
Souvanna PhoumaPrime Minister of Laos (1901–1984)
Sisavang VatthanaPrime Minister of Laos (1907-1978)
Thongsing ThammavongPrime Minister of Laos
Sonexay SiphandoneLaotian politician, current PM
Sisavang VongKing of Laos (1885-1959)
Louis-Marie Ling MangkhanekhounCatholic cardinal
History
1949Laos — founding / independence (Wikidata)
Size, side by side
Loading size comparison…
1960 → now
2026
Population7.9M2025
GDP$18.30B2025
GDP per person$2,3252025