Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Laos
Laos: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 12.89 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
12.89 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
181st
of 215 countries
All-time high
12.89 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
0.7431 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Laos, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Laos stood at 12.89 people per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 39.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Laos peaked at 12.89 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.7431 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Laos 181st out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Laos, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.7431 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.7674 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1963 | 0.7939 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 0.8222 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1965 | 0.8526 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1966 | 0.8848 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1967 | 0.9238 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1968 | 0.9734 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1969 | 1.03 people per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1970 | 1.1 people per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1971 | 1.17 people per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1972 | 1.24 people per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1973 | 1.31 people per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1974 | 1.37 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1975 | 1.44 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1976 | 1.5 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 1.57 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1978 | 1.63 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1979 | 1.7 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1980 | 1.77 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1981 | 1.85 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1982 | 1.93 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1983 | 2.03 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1984 | 2.13 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 2.24 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 2.35 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1987 | 2.46 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 2.59 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 2.71 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 2.85 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1991 | 2.99 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1992 | 3.15 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 3.31 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 3.49 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 3.69 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 3.93 people per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1997 | 4.21 people per square kilometre | +7.1% |
| 1998 | 4.52 people per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 1999 | 4.86 people per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 2000 | 5.22 people per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 2001 | 5.59 people per square kilometre | +7.1% |
| 2002 | 5.96 people per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 2003 | 6.32 people per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 2004 | 6.65 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2005 | 6.95 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 7.24 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 7.54 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 7.83 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2009 | 8.12 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 8.41 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 8.69 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 8.97 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 9.23 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 9.49 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 9.76 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 10.13 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 10.49 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 10.87 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 11.26 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 11.66 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 12.06 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 12.47 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 12.89 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 12.89 people per square kilometre is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 33.53 people per square kilometre, 38% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 12.89 people per square kilometre is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 81.73 people per square kilometre, 16% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.8659 people per square kilometre | 0.7431 people per square kilometre | 1.03 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.4 people per square kilometre | 1.1 people per square kilometre | 1.7 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.2 people per square kilometre | 1.77 people per square kilometre | 2.71 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.7 people per square kilometre | 2.85 people per square kilometre | 4.86 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.74 people per square kilometre | 5.22 people per square kilometre | 8.12 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.73 people per square kilometre | 8.41 people per square kilometre | 11.26 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.27 people per square kilometre | 11.66 people per square kilometre | 12.89 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 178 Finland 13.64 people per square kilometre compare
- 179 Saudi Arabia 13.04 people per square kilometre compare
- 180 Oman 12.98 people per square kilometre compare
- 182 Kyrgyzstan 12.8 people per square kilometre compare
- 183 Norway 12.59 people per square kilometre compare
- 184 Zambia 12.55 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for Laos
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 9,776 Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3849 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5042 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 438,726 people (2100)
- Population density 40.11 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.9341 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Laos?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Laos was 12.89 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 12.89 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7431 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Laos rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Laos ranks 181st out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.