Laos vs Vietnam: Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute)
Laos
61.1%
in 2024
Vietnam
59.8%
in 2024
Laos rank
41st
Vietnam rank
43rd
Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) over time
- Laos
- Vietnam
How they compare
Laos currently reports 61.1% against 59.8% in Vietnam, a difference of 1.3%.
Across all 55 years both countries report, Laos has been ahead every year.
Laos ranks 41st and Vietnam ranks 43rd of 214 countries.
Laos has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Laos | Vietnam | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 89.1% | 81.3% | 7.8% | Laos |
| 1980s | 86.3% | 80.5% | 5.8% | Laos |
| 1990s | 82.4% | 78.0% | 4.3% | Laos |
| 2000s | 73.8% | 73.0% | 0.8% | Laos |
| 2010s | 67.2% | 66.5% | 0.7% | Laos |
| 2020s | 62.4% | 61.2% | 1.2% | Laos |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher rural population, Laos or Vietnam?
- Laos, at 61.1% against 59.8% in Vietnam as of 2024.
- What is the difference in rural population between Laos and Vietnam?
- 1.3%, with Laos ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Laos and Vietnam?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2024.
- How do Laos and Vietnam rank globally for rural population?
- Laos ranks 41st and Vietnam ranks 43rd of 214 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release