Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Laos
Laos: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 40.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
40.3%
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
185th
of 236 countries
All-time high
40.3%
in 2025
All-time low
7.5%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita 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
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Laos is 40.3%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Laos peaked at 40.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 1950.
Laos ranks 185th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 7.5% | — |
| 1951 | 7.5% | +0.2% |
| 1952 | 7.6% | +0.3% |
| 1953 | 7.6% | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 7.6% | +0.4% |
| 1955 | 7.7% | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 7.7% | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 7.8% | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 7.8% | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 7.8% | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 7.8% | +0.5% |
| 1961 | 7.9% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 8.0% | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 8.1% | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 8.2% | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 8.3% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 8.4% | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 8.6% | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 8.8% | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 9.1% | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 9.5% | +3.8% |
| 1971 | 9.8% | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 10.2% | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 10.5% | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 10.8% | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 11.1% | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 11.3% | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 11.6% | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 11.9% | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 12.1% | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 12.4% | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 12.7% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 12.9% | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 13.2% | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 13.5% | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 13.8% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 14.1% | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 14.4% | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 14.7% | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 14.9% | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 15.2% | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 15.6% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 15.9% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 16.3% | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 16.8% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 17.3% | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 18.0% | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 18.8% | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 19.9% | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 21.0% | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 22.2% | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 23.4% | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 24.5% | +4.9% |
| 2003 | 25.6% | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 26.5% | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 27.3% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 28.0% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 28.7% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 29.4% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 30.0% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 30.6% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 31.2% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 31.7% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 32.2% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 32.7% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 33.1% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 33.8% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 34.5% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 35.2% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 35.9% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 36.6% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 37.3% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 38.1% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 38.8% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 39.6% | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 40.3% | +1.9% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 40.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 79% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 40.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 62% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
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
- 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)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.13 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Laos?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita 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 areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 40.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 1950.
- How does Laos rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Laos ranks 185th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita 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 areas vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.