Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Laos
Laos: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 8.2% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Laos, 1955–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of urban population who live in the largest city in Laos is 8.2%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 49.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Laos peaked at 29.4% in 1965 and was at its lowest, 8.2%, in 2020.
That places Laos 168th out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 22.8% | 22.8% | 22.8% | 1 |
| 1960s | 27.7% | 25.9% | 29.4% | 2 |
| 1970s | 28.5% | 27.5% | 29.4% | 2 |
| 1980s | 23.1% | 21.3% | 25.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 19.1% | 17.8% | 20.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 20.4% | 20.0% | 20.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 14.5% | 12.7% | 16.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More population data for Laos
- 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)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 2.4 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 80 people (1987)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 2.4 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 2.4 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 1.5% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 2.42 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Laos?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Laos was 8.2% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 29.4% in 1965.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.2% in 2020.
- How does Laos rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Laos ranks 168th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.