Annual growth rate of urban population share in Laos
Laos: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 1.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.9%
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
14th
of 236 countries
All-time high
5.5%
in 1999
All-time low
0.2%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Laos, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Laos recorded 1.9% for annual growth rate of urban population share in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in Laos peaked at 5.5% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1950.
Laos ranks 14th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.2% | — |
| 1951 | 0.3% | +43.1% |
| 1952 | 0.4% | +26.5% |
| 1953 | 0.4% | +18.1% |
| 1954 | 0.5% | +12.9% |
| 1955 | 0.5% | +9.3% |
| 1956 | 0.6% | +6.6% |
| 1957 | 0.7% | +18.4% |
| 1958 | 0.3% | -54.6% |
| 1959 | 0.3% | -9.8% |
| 1960 | 0.6% | +121.9% |
| 1961 | 0.8% | +39.8% |
| 1962 | 1.0% | +24.0% |
| 1963 | 1.2% | +15.6% |
| 1964 | 1.3% | +10.3% |
| 1965 | 1.4% | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 1.7% | +21.6% |
| 1967 | 2.4% | +47.1% |
| 1968 | 3.2% | +32.0% |
| 1969 | 3.6% | +12.5% |
| 1970 | 3.8% | +3.2% |
| 1971 | 3.6% | -3.5% |
| 1972 | 3.3% | -10.2% |
| 1973 | 2.8% | -13.2% |
| 1974 | 2.6% | -8.7% |
| 1975 | 2.5% | -4.5% |
| 1976 | 2.4% | -4.2% |
| 1977 | 2.3% | -3.4% |
| 1978 | 2.2% | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 2.2% | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 2.2% | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 2.1% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 2.1% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 2.1% | -2.4% |
| 1986 | 2.0% | -5.1% |
| 1987 | 2.0% | -4.2% |
| 1988 | 1.9% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 2.0% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 2.1% | +4.3% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | +6.3% |
| 1992 | 2.4% | +7.7% |
| 1993 | 2.6% | +8.8% |
| 1994 | 2.8% | +8.0% |
| 1995 | 3.5% | +26.3% |
| 1996 | 4.3% | +24.3% |
| 1997 | 5.1% | +18.0% |
| 1998 | 5.4% | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 5.5% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 5.4% | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 4.6% | -9.5% |
| 2003 | 4.0% | -13.3% |
| 2004 | 3.2% | -17.8% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | -16.6% |
| 2006 | 2.5% | -7.0% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 2.2% | -6.4% |
| 2009 | 2.1% | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 1.9% | -7.5% |
| 2011 | 1.8% | -8.3% |
| 2012 | 1.6% | -9.2% |
| 2013 | 1.4% | -10.3% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | -13.8% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | +53.9% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | +6.6% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 2.0% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 1.9% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 1.9% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 1.9% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.7% | 0.6% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.8% | 2.2% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.6% | 2.1% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 2.1% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 1.2% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More population data for Laos
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5042 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5042 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3849 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 9,776 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.13 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.9341 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 40.11 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 438,726 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in Laos?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in Laos was 1.9% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 1999.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1950.
- How does Laos rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- Laos ranks 14th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth rate of urban population share. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average annual rate of change of the share of the population living in urban areas.