Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Laos
Laos: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 40.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living in urban and rural areas 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
In 2025, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Laos stood at 40.3%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Laos peaked at 40.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 1950.
That places Laos 185th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.7% | 7.5% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.3% | 7.8% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.9% | 9.5% | 12.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.7% | 12.4% | 14.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.5% | 15.2% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.6% | 22.2% | 30.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.1% | 30.6% | 35.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.5% | 36.6% | 40.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More population data for Laos
- 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)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 2.4 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 2.4 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 80 people (1987)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 2.4 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 2.42 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 2.3 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Laos?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Laos was 40.3% 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 share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 40.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 1950.
- How does Laos rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Laos ranks 185th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.7%. 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 Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.