World Factbook

Laos

Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)

Budget

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$2.288 billion (2022 est.)

expenditures

$2.259 billion (2022 est.)

Exports

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports 2021

$7.82 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$8.604 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$9.698 billion (2023 est.)

Imports

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports 2021

$6.527 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$7.983 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$8.596 billion (2023 est.)

Industries

mining (copper, tin, gold, gypsum); timber, electric power, agricultural processing, rubber, construction, garments, cement, tourism

Labor force

3.585 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

Public debt 2016

58.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

kips (LAK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

8,679.409 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

9,045.788 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

9,697.916 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

14,035.227 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

17,688.874 (2023 est.)

Debt - external

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Debt - external 2023

$9.619 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

lower middle-income, industrial Southeast Asian economy; high inflation due to 2022 currency depreciation brought on by persistently high debt; new Laos-China railway and dry port; rising inequities; ongoing labor shortages

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

1.3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

1.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

1.3% (2024 est.)

Exports - partners

China 39%, Thailand 34%, Australia 4%, USA 4%, Cambodia 2% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Imports - partners

Thailand 58%, China 36%, Japan 1%, Singapore 1%, Germany 1% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$8,200 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$8,400 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$8,600 (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.7% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

4.3% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

cassava, root vegetables, rice, sugarcane, vegetables, bananas, maize, rubber, coffee, watermelons (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Exports - commodities

electricity, fertilizers, gold, garments, paper (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, raw sugar, plastic products, trucks (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Current account balance

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Current account balance 2021

$431.636 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$458.754 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$404.523 million (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

12.1% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

GDP (official exchange rate)

$16.503 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

household consumption

65.7% (2016 est.)

government consumption

14% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

29% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services

33.2% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services

-41.9% (2016 est.)

Population below poverty line

18.3% (2018 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Average household expenditures

on food

50.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco

7.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

23% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

31.2% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

23.1% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

3.9% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$61.856 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$64.173 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$66.905 billion (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

male

2.4% (2024 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

2.2% (2024 est.)

female

2.1% (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$1.951 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$1.576 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$1.77 billion (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

industry

29% (2024 est.)

services

43.5% (2024 est.)

agriculture

16.8% (2024 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

lowest 10%

3% (2018 est.)

highest 10%

31.2% (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

38.8 (2018 est.)