Lao PDR
Capital: VientianeRegion: East Asia & PacificIncome: Lower middle income
Lao PDR's GDP is $17.78B (2026), with a population of 7.8M, and GDP per capita of $2,254. Key indicators include real GDP growth of 2.5%, inflation at 5.5%, government debt at 84.7% of GDP, life expectancy of 69.0 years. Data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators. Explore Lao PDR's full economic profile with 440+ indicators, interactive charts, and historical data below.
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook
Economy
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (Current USD, Billions) | $17.78B | 2026 |
| Real GDP Growth (%) | 2.5% | 2026 |
| GDP per Capita (USD) | $2,254 | 2026 |
| GDP, PPP (Billions Intl $) | $82.99B | 2026 |
| GDP per Capita, PPP (Intl $) | $10,520 | 2026 |
| Share of World GDP, PPP (%) | 0.04% | 2026 |
| GNI (Current USD) | $15.46B | 2024 |
| GNI per Capita (USD) | $2,000 | 2024 |
| GNI per Capita, PPP (USD) | $9,160 | 2024 |
| Industry Value Added (% of GDP) | 29.0% | 2024 |
| Services Value Added (% of GDP) | 43.5% | 2024 |
| Agriculture Value Added (% of GDP) | 16.8% | 2024 |
| GDP Deflator (%) | 14.0% | 2024 |
| GDP per Person Employed (USD) | $18,893 | 2024 |
| Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP) | 9.1% | 2024 |
| Medium/High-Tech Manufacturing (% of total) | 3.8% | 2022 |
| Adjusted Net National Income per Capita (USD) | $1,838 | 2021 |
| Mineral Rents (% of GDP) | 3.89% | 2021 |
| Oil Rents (% of GDP) | 0.00% | 2021 |
| Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP) | 0.00% | 2021 |
| Total Natural Resources Rents (% of GDP) | 5.4% | 2021 |
| Forest Rents (% of GDP) | 1.49% | 2021 |
| Industry Value Added (Current USD) | $4.79B | 2024 |
Fiscal & Monetary
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Inflation, Consumer Prices (%) | 5.5% | 2026 |
| Govt Gross Debt (% of GDP) | 84.7% | 2026 |
| Fiscal Balance (% of GDP) | 1.6% | 2026 |
| Current Account Balance (% of GDP) | 2.7% | 2026 |
| Inflation, CPI (%, World Bank) | 23.1% | 2024 |
| Government Revenue (% of GDP) | 13.9% | 2022 |
| Government Expenditure (% of GDP) | 10.3% | 2022 |
| Tax Revenue (% of GDP) | 12.1% | 2022 |
| Taxes on Goods & Services (% of revenue) | 53.9% | 2022 |
| Taxes on International Trade (% of revenue) | 8.1% | 2022 |
| Taxes on Income, Profits & Capital Gains (% of rev) | 19.3% | 2022 |
| Net Investment in Nonfinancial Assets (% of GDP) | 4.3% | 2022 |
| Total Reserves incl. Gold (USD) | $1.77B | 2023 |
| Total Reserves (months of imports) | 2.2 | 2023 |
| Official Exchange Rate (per USD) | 20,167.33 | 2024 |
| PPP Conversion Factor | 4,381.72 | 2024 |
Trade
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Merchandise Exports (USD) | $9.39B | 2024 |
| Merchandise Imports (USD) | $8.66B | 2024 |
| FDI Inflows (% of GDP) | 6.0% | 2024 |
| FDI Outflows (% of GDP) | 0.0% | 2022 |
| FDI Net Inflows (USD) | $988.5M | 2024 |
| Personal Remittances Received (USD) | $246.6M | 2024 |
| Personal Remittances Received (% of GDP) | 1.5% | 2024 |
| High-Tech Exports (% of manufactured) | 7.4% | 2023 |
| Current Account Balance (% of GDP) | 3.2% | 2024 |
| Current Account Balance (USD) | $531.4M | 2024 |
External Debt
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| External Debt (% of GNI) | 115.4% | 2024 |
| External Debt Stocks (USD) | $17.84B | 2024 |
| Total Debt Service (% of GNI) | 13.8% | 2024 |
| Present Value of External Debt (USD) | $8.60B | 2024 |
| Use of IMF Credit (USD) | $198.3M | 2024 |
| Net ODA Received (% of GNI) | 3.5% | 2023 |
| Net ODA Received (USD) | $514.8M | 2023 |
Finance
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Account Ownership at Financial Institution (%) | 37.7% | 2024 |
| Account Ownership, Female (%) | 43.6% | 2024 |
| Account Ownership, Male (%) | 31.7% | 2024 |
| Firms Using Banks to Finance Investment (%) | 17.7% | 2024 |
Business Environment
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Time to Get Electricity (days) | 24 | 2024 |
Private Sector
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Firms Expected to Pay Bribes (%) | 26.4% | 2024 |
| Firms with Female Top Manager (%) | 50.0% | 2024 |
| Firms with Female Participation in Ownership (%) | 50.7% | 2024 |
| Firms Offering Training (%) | 34.1% | 2024 |
| Average Firm Age (years) | 20 years | 2024 |
| Firms Using Computers (%) | 49.5% | 2024 |
People
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7.8M | 2024 |
| Population Growth (%) | 1.4% | 2024 |
| Population Density (per km²) | 33 | 2023 |
| Surface Area (sq km) | 236,800 | 2023 |
| Land Area (sq km) | 230,800 | 2023 |
| Urban Population (%) | 39.6% | 2024 |
| Urban Population (total) | 3.1M | 2024 |
| Rural Population (%) | 60.4% | 2024 |
| Life Expectancy at Birth | 69.0 years | 2023 |
| Life Expectancy, Male | 66.8 years | 2023 |
| Life Expectancy, Female | 71.3 years | 2023 |
| Fertility Rate (births per woman) | 2.4 | 2023 |
| Birth Rate (per 1,000) | 21.3 | 2023 |
| Death Rate (per 1,000) | 6.2 | 2023 |
| Net Migration | -10,645 | 2025 |
| Population Ages 0–14 (%) | 30.2% | 2024 |
| Population Ages 15–64 (%) | 65.1% | 2024 |
| Population Ages 65+ (%) | 4.7% | 2024 |
| Age Dependency Ratio (%) | 53.5% | 2024 |
| Old-Age Dependency Ratio (%) | 7.2% | 2024 |
| Youth Dependency Ratio (%) | 46.4% | 2024 |
| Mortality Rate, Adult Male (per 1,000) | 200.6 | 2023 |
| Mortality Rate, Adult Female (per 1,000) | 136.4 | 2023 |
Labor
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Total Labor Force | 3.7M | 2025 |
| Labor Force Participation (%) | 66.1% | 2025 |
| Female Labor Force Participation (%) | 61.6% | 2025 |
| Male Labor Force Participation (%) | 70.6% | 2025 |
| Unemployment (%) | 1.2% | 2025 |
| Female Unemployment (%) | 0.9% | 2025 |
| Male Unemployment (%) | 1.4% | 2025 |
| Youth Unemployment (%) | 2.4% | 2025 |
| Employment in Agriculture (%) | 68.6% | 2025 |
| Employment in Industry (%) | 7.4% | 2025 |
| Employment in Services (%) | 24.0% | 2025 |
| Self-Employed (%) | 66.0% | 2022 |
| Vulnerable Employment (%) | 76.4% | 2025 |
| Wage & Salaried Workers (% of total) | 22.9% | 2025 |
| Part-Time Employment (%) | 19.1% | 2022 |
| Employers (% of total employment) | 0.8% | 2025 |
| Labor Force, Female (% of total) | 46.7% | 2025 |
| Employment to Population Ratio (%) | 65.3% | 2025 |
| Self-Employed (% of total) | 77.1% | 2025 |
| NEET Youth (% not in education/employment) | 22.5% | 2022 |
Education
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Education Spending (% of GDP) | 1.2% | 2023 |
| Education Spending (% of govt expenditure) | 8.2% | 2024 |
| Adult Literacy Rate (%) | 75.6% | 2023 |
| Female Literacy Rate (%) | 66.7% | 2023 |
| Male Literacy Rate (%) | 85.1% | 2023 |
| Youth Literacy Rate (%) | 90.4% | 2023 |
| Primary School Enrollment (%) | 93.1% | 2025 |
| Secondary School Enrollment (%) | 50.5% | 2025 |
| Tertiary School Enrollment (%) | 14.9% | 2023 |
| Primary Completion Rate (%) | 85.2% | 2025 |
| Lower Secondary Completion Rate (%) | 49.3% | 2025 |
| Out-of-School Children, Primary | 82,273 | 2025 |
| Out-of-School Girls, Primary | 40,481 | 2025 |
| Primary School Teachers | 21,845 | 2025 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 35,584 | 2022 |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio, Primary | 22 | 2018 |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio, Secondary | 18 | 2018 |
| Expenditure per Student, Primary (% of GDP/cap) | 40.6% | 2014 |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio (Primary) | 82.1 | 2019 |
| Education Spending, Secondary (% of govt) | 38.6% | 2014 |
| Education Spending, Tertiary (% of govt) | 13.8% | 2014 |
Health
Energy & Environment
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| CO₂ Emissions (tonnes per capita) | 3.4 | 2024 |
| CO₂ Emissions (total kilotonnes) | 26 | 2024 |
| Energy Use (kg oil eq. per capita) | 815 | 2022 |
| Electric Power Consumption (kWh per capita) | 1,264 | 2022 |
| Renewable Electricity Output (%) | 63.3% | 2021 |
| Renewable Energy Consumption (%) | 49.2% | 2022 |
| Access to Electricity (%) | 96.5% | 2023 |
| Access to Clean Fuels for Cooking (%) | 11.1% | 2023 |
| PM2.5 Air Pollution (µg/m³) | 22.3 | 2020 |
| Forest Area (%) | 71.5% | 2023 |
| Forest Area (sq km) | 164,920 | 2023 |
| Arable Land (%) | 5.3% | 2023 |
| Terrestrial Protected Areas (%) | 18.8% | 2024 |
| Access to Basic Drinking Water (%) | 95.9% | 2024 |
| Access to Basic Sanitation (%) | 88.7% | 2024 |
Agriculture
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Land (%) | 9.9% | 2023 |
| Cereal Yield (kg per hectare) | 4,435 | 2023 |
| Food Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 114.8 | 2022 |
| Crop Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 113.7 | 2022 |
| Livestock Production Index (2014–2016=100) | 183.2 | 2022 |
| Land Under Cereal Production (hectares) | 966,190 | 2023 |
| Total Fisheries Production (metric tonnes) | 73,150 | 2023 |
| Fertilizer Consumption (kg per hectare) | 77.4 | 2023 |
| Agricultural Irrigated Land (%) | 19.3% | 2023 |
| Annual Freshwater Withdrawals (% of internal) | 3.9% | 2022 |
| Cereal Production (metric tons) | 4.3M | 2023 |
Technology
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Internet Users (%) | 63.6% | 2023 |
| Mobile Subscriptions (per 100 people) | 65 | 2023 |
| Fixed Broadband Subscriptions (per 100) | 2.7 | 2023 |
| Secure Internet Servers (per million) | 301.7 | 2024 |
| Patent Applications, Residents | 1 | 2018 |
| Patent Applications, Non-Residents | 58 | 2018 |
| Scientific Journal Articles | 84 | 2022 |
| High-Technology Exports (USD) | $147.0M | 2023 |
| ICT Service Exports (% of service exports) | 3.5% | 2024 |
| ICT Service Exports (USD) | $60.8M | 2024 |
Infrastructure
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Air Transport, Passengers Carried | 842,280 | 2023 |
| Air Transport, Freight (million ton-km) | 11.7 | 2022 |
| Logistics Performance Index (1–5) | 2.40 | 2022 |
| Electricity from Oil (%) | 0.0% | 2021 |
| Electricity from Nuclear (%) | 0.0% | 2021 |
Gender
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Women in Parliament (%) | 22.0% | 2024 |
| Female Labor Force Participation, 15+ (%) | 61.5% | 2022 |
| Female Wage & Salaried Workers (%) | 18.2% | 2025 |
| Girls Out-of-School Rate (%) | 100.1% | 2018 |
| Adolescent Fertility Rate (per 1,000) | 81.7 | 2023 |
| Gender Parity Index, Primary | 102.24 | 2018 |
| Gender Parity Index, Secondary | 0.95 | 2021 |
| Gender Parity in Primary Education | 0.97 | 2021 |
Governance
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Control of Corruption | -0.97 | 2023 |
| Government Effectiveness | -0.64 | 2023 |
| Political Stability | 0.81 | 2023 |
| Regulatory Quality | -0.93 | 2023 |
| Rule of Law | -0.83 | 2023 |
| Voice & Accountability | -1.63 | 2023 |
| Control of Corruption (percentile rank) | 19.8% | 2023 |
| Government Effectiveness (percentile rank) | 28.3% | 2023 |
| Rule of Law (percentile rank) | 22.6% | 2023 |
| Political Stability (percentile rank) | 75.4% | 2023 |
Military
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Armed Forces Personnel | 129,000 | 2020 |
| Armed Forces (% of labor force) | 4.1% | 2020 |
Social Protection
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Human Capital Index (0–1) | 0.46 | 2020 |
| Human Capital Index, Female | 0.47 | 2020 |
| Human Capital Index, Male | 0.45 | 2020 |
| Learning-Adjusted Years of School | 6.3 years | 2020 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| International Tourism, Arrivals | 886,400 | 2020 |
| International Tourism, Departures | 707,000 | 2020 |
| Tourism Receipts (USD) | $227.0M | 2020 |
| Tourism Expenditures (USD) | $260.0M | 2020 |
| Tourism Receipts (% of total exports) | 3.5% | 2020 |
| International Tourism, Transport Services (USD) | $14.0M | 2020 |
Urban Development
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Population Growth (%) | 3.3% | 2024 |
| Population in Largest City | 755,941 | 2025 |
| Population in Largest City (% of urban) | 23.8% | 2025 |
| Population in Slums (% of urban) | 54.8% | 2022 |
| Rural Population Growth (%) | 0.1% | 2024 |
| Access to Safely Managed Drinking Water (%) | 35.2% | 2024 |
| Access to Safely Managed Sanitation (%) | 71.4% | 2024 |
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