Country profile
Laos
Lao People's Democratic Republic · South-Eastern Asia
👥 Population
7,873,046
World Bank · 2025
🏛 Capital
Vientiane
🗺 Area
236,800 km²
💹 GDP (nominal)
$18.3B
World Bank · 2025
📈 HDI
0.617
UNDP · 2023
📍 Pop. density
33 /km²
💱 Currency
LAK
Lao kip
🗣 Languages
Lao
About Laos
Laos (officially Lao People's Democratic Republic) is a country in South-Eastern Asia, with Vientiane as its capital. It is home to roughly 7.87 million people, giving a population density of about 33 people per square kilometre. The country covers 236,800 km² of land and shares land borders with 5 neighbouring countries. Its economy is valued at approximately $18.3B in nominal GDP (2025), and it records a Human Development Index of 0.617. The official currency is the Lao kip (LAK), and the main language is Lao.
Key indicators
Latest available data · World Bank & UNDP.
💹 Economy
GDP (PPP)
$75.96B
GDP/capita (PPP)
$9,776
GDP growth
4.5%
Inflation
7.7%
Unemployment
1.2%
👥 People
Life expectancy
69.2 yrs
Fertility rate
2.4
Pop. growth
1.3%
Urban population
40.3%
Infant mortality /1k
27.2
🌍 Quality of Life
Internet users
65.6%
Literacy rate
75.6%
Physicians /1k
0.33
Renewable energy
49.2%
Travel & practical
Capital
Vientiane
Currency
LAK
Dialing code
+856
Internet TLD
.la
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Fun facts about Laos
- Laos is the 102nd most populous country in the world, with about 7.87 million people.
- By land area it is the 82nd-largest country in the world, covering 236,800 km².
- It has the world's 136th-largest economy by nominal GDP ($18.3B).
- Laos shares land borders with 5 countries.
- It is classed by the UN as a country of medium human development, with an HDI of 0.617.
- Laos has a population density of about 33 people per square kilometre.
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