Name
The country's name means "Land of the Lao [people]" and derives from Lao, the country's founder.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Laos
Lao PDR · local name
19.43° N, 102.53° E
No coast at all — every one of its 5,274 km of border is shared with another country.
coastline 0 km · 185th/229 · land borders 5,274 km · 33rd/230
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 7,169,455
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 236,800 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 228,233 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 31 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- LA · LAO
- GDP (nominal)
- $16.5 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $8,600
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Laos 236,800 km²Kyrgyzstan 199,951 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Laos sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age25.8 years167th of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy69 years180th of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate2.19 children per woman81st of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population7,169,455104th of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area236,800 km²84th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline0 km185th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Geography
Landlocked, Laos lies in Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand and west of Vietnam. Its terrain is mostly rugged mountains, with some plains and plateaus. Most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested.
The Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand. Natural resources include timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, and gemstones. Phu Bia is the highest point. The Mekong River is the lowest point.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Climate
A tropical monsoon climate divides the year into a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. Floods and droughts are natural hazards.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
People and society
Its people include Lao, Khmou, Hmong, Phouthay, Tai, Makong, Katong, Lue, Akha, and others among the country's ethnic groups. Languages include Lao, French, English, and various ethnic languages, with Lao as the official language.
Religious affiliations include Buddhist, Christian, no religion, and other or not stated affiliations. People are most densely concentrated in and around the capital city of Vientiane, while large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border. Overall population density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $16.5 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $66.91 billion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $8,600
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +4.3%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 23.1%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 1.3%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $9.7 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $8.6 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 69 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 25.8 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 19.22 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 6.07 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 2.19 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- +1.22% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 38.2%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Literacy
- 75.6%
- Field “People and Society → Literacy → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Languages
- Laoofficial
- French
- English
- various ethnic languages
- Field “People and Society → Languages → Languages” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Religions
- Buddhist64.7%
- Christian1.7%
- other2.1%
- Field “People and Society → Religions” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 236,800 km²Land 230,800 km² · Water 6,000 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 0 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 5,274 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 710 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 2,817 m Phu Bia
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Natural geography 4
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Mountain ranges 2
Plateaus 1
Peninsulas 1
Largest cities 5
Population · Natural Earth
- Vientianecapital754K
- Louangphrabang107.1K
- Pakxe102.8K
- Savannakhet84.9K
- Thakhek76.9K