Natural population growth rate in Laos
Laos: Natural population growth rate was 1.5% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1.5%
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
68th
of 236 countries
All-time high
2.9%
in 1991
All-time low
1.5%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Natural population growth rate in Laos, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for natural population growth rate in Laos is 1.5%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, natural population growth rate in Laos peaked at 2.9% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 2023.
That places Laos 68th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Natural population growth rate in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.4% | — |
| 1951 | 2.4% | -2.6% |
| 1952 | 2.3% | -0.8% |
| 1953 | 2.3% | -0.5% |
| 1954 | 2.3% | -0.9% |
| 1955 | 2.3% | -0.1% |
| 1956 | 2.3% | -0.2% |
| 1957 | 2.3% | -0.3% |
| 1958 | 2.3% | +0.1% |
| 1959 | 2.2% | -2.2% |
| 1960 | 2.2% | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 2.3% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 2.3% | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 2.2% | -2.6% |
| 1964 | 2.3% | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 2.3% | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 2.3% | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 2.3% | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 2.3% | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 2.4% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 2.4% | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 2.4% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 2.4% | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 2.5% | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 2.5% | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 2.6% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 2.5% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 2.5% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 2.5% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 2.6% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 2.6% | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 2.7% | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 2.8% | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 2.8% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 2.9% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 2.9% | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 2.9% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 2.9% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 2.9% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 2.9% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 2.8% | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 2.7% | -3.9% |
| 1996 | 2.6% | -3.1% |
| 1997 | 2.5% | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 2.4% | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 2.3% | -4.0% |
| 2001 | 2.2% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 2.2% | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 2.1% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 2.1% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 2.0% | -4.5% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 2.0% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 2.0% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 1.9% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 1.9% | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 1.8% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 1.8% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 1.7% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 1.7% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 1.5% | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 1.5% | -2.5% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 1.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.9%, 78% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 1.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.8%, 1.8× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 2.4% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 65 Egypt 1.6% compare
- 66 Kyrgyzstan 1.5% compare
- 67 Bangladesh 1.5% compare
- 69 Algeria 1.5% compare
- 70 Oman 1.5% compare
- 71 East Timor 1.5% compare
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 natural population growth rate in Laos?
- Natural population growth rate in Laos was 1.5% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest natural population growth rate recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 2.9% in 1991.
- What is the lowest natural population growth rate recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 2023.
- How does Laos rank for natural population growth rate?
- Laos ranks 68th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is natural population growth rate rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Natural population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Births minus deaths, as a share of the population. This is the part of population change that comes only from births and deaths, ignoring migration.