Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Laos
Laos: Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP was 0.4103 kilograms per international-$ in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.4103 kilograms per international-$
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
21st
of 164 countries
All-time high
0.4464 kilograms per international-$
in 2017
All-time low
0.0167 kilograms per international-$
in 1955
Years of data
68
1955–2022
Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Laos, 1955–2022
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per international-$.
Analysis
Laos recorded 0.4103 kilograms per international-$ for carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in 2022.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and up 279.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Laos peaked at 0.4464 kilograms per international-$ in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.0167 kilograms per international-$, in 1955.
That places Laos 21st out of 164 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Laos, year by year
| Year | kilograms per international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | 0.0167 kilograms per international-$ | — |
| 1956 | 0.0372 kilograms per international-$ | +122.0% |
| 1957 | 0.036 kilograms per international-$ | -3.0% |
| 1958 | 0.0436 kilograms per international-$ | +21.1% |
| 1959 | 0.0445 kilograms per international-$ | +2.0% |
| 1960 | 0.0453 kilograms per international-$ | +1.8% |
| 1961 | 0.0618 kilograms per international-$ | +36.5% |
| 1962 | 0.0696 kilograms per international-$ | +12.6% |
| 1963 | 0.075 kilograms per international-$ | +7.8% |
| 1964 | 0.0855 kilograms per international-$ | +13.9% |
| 1965 | 0.0864 kilograms per international-$ | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 0.1095 kilograms per international-$ | +26.7% |
| 1967 | 0.1443 kilograms per international-$ | +31.9% |
| 1968 | 0.074 kilograms per international-$ | -48.7% |
| 1969 | 0.1358 kilograms per international-$ | +83.5% |
| 1970 | 0.2364 kilograms per international-$ | +74.0% |
| 1971 | 0.1658 kilograms per international-$ | -29.8% |
| 1972 | 0.1856 kilograms per international-$ | +11.9% |
| 1973 | 0.1808 kilograms per international-$ | -2.6% |
| 1974 | 0.099 kilograms per international-$ | -45.3% |
| 1975 | 0.0801 kilograms per international-$ | -19.1% |
| 1976 | 0.0688 kilograms per international-$ | -14.1% |
| 1977 | 0.0725 kilograms per international-$ | +5.3% |
| 1978 | 0.0717 kilograms per international-$ | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 0.0708 kilograms per international-$ | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 0.0538 kilograms per international-$ | -24.0% |
| 1981 | 0.0375 kilograms per international-$ | -30.3% |
| 1982 | 0.0368 kilograms per international-$ | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 0.04 kilograms per international-$ | +8.9% |
| 1984 | 0.0381 kilograms per international-$ | -4.8% |
| 1985 | 0.0406 kilograms per international-$ | +6.5% |
| 1986 | 0.0394 kilograms per international-$ | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 0.0407 kilograms per international-$ | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 0.0415 kilograms per international-$ | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 0.0395 kilograms per international-$ | -4.9% |
| 1990 | 0.0823 kilograms per international-$ | +108.4% |
| 1991 | 0.0833 kilograms per international-$ | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 0.0851 kilograms per international-$ | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 0.0817 kilograms per international-$ | -4.0% |
| 1994 | 0.0779 kilograms per international-$ | -4.7% |
| 1995 | 0.0768 kilograms per international-$ | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 0.0801 kilograms per international-$ | +4.3% |
| 1997 | 0.0783 kilograms per international-$ | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 0.0774 kilograms per international-$ | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 0.0738 kilograms per international-$ | -4.6% |
| 2000 | 0.0787 kilograms per international-$ | +6.6% |
| 2001 | 0.0814 kilograms per international-$ | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 0.084 kilograms per international-$ | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 0.0823 kilograms per international-$ | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 0.0802 kilograms per international-$ | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 0.0777 kilograms per international-$ | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 0.1023 kilograms per international-$ | +31.7% |
| 2007 | 0.0897 kilograms per international-$ | -12.3% |
| 2008 | 0.096 kilograms per international-$ | +6.9% |
| 2009 | 0.1109 kilograms per international-$ | +15.6% |
| 2010 | 0.1145 kilograms per international-$ | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 0.1086 kilograms per international-$ | -5.2% |
| 2012 | 0.1082 kilograms per international-$ | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 0.1264 kilograms per international-$ | +16.8% |
| 2014 | 0.1227 kilograms per international-$ | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 0.239 kilograms per international-$ | +94.9% |
| 2016 | 0.3989 kilograms per international-$ | +66.9% |
| 2017 | 0.4464 kilograms per international-$ | +11.9% |
| 2018 | 0.4386 kilograms per international-$ | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 0.3724 kilograms per international-$ | -15.1% |
| 2020 | 0.3597 kilograms per international-$ | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 0.4149 kilograms per international-$ | +15.4% |
| 2022 | 0.4103 kilograms per international-$ | -1.1% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 0.4103 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.1835 kilograms per international-$, 2.2× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Laos's 0.4103 kilograms per international-$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2839 kilograms per international-$, 1.4× the median. (17 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP in Laos changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | +122.0% | 0.0167 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0372 kilograms per international-$ |
| 1990 | +108.4% | 0.0395 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0823 kilograms per international-$ |
| 2015 | +94.9% | 0.1227 kilograms per international-$ | 0.239 kilograms per international-$ |
| 1969 | +83.5% | 0.074 kilograms per international-$ | 0.1358 kilograms per international-$ |
| 1970 | +74.0% | 0.1358 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2364 kilograms per international-$ |
| 2016 | +66.9% | 0.239 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3989 kilograms per international-$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.0356 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0167 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0445 kilograms per international-$ | 5 |
| 1960s | 0.0887 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0453 kilograms per international-$ | 0.1443 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1231 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0688 kilograms per international-$ | 0.2364 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0408 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0368 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0538 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0797 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0738 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0851 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0883 kilograms per international-$ | 0.0777 kilograms per international-$ | 0.1109 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2476 kilograms per international-$ | 0.1082 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4464 kilograms per international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.395 kilograms per international-$ | 0.3597 kilograms per international-$ | 0.4149 kilograms per international-$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 18 Oman 0.4398 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 19 China 0.4343 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 20 Iraq 0.4125 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 22 Jamaica 0.395 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 23 Vietnam 0.387 kilograms per international-$ compare
- 24 Barbados 0.3859 kilograms per international-$ compare
More climate change data for Laos
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 11,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,980 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 8,484 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 11.25 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 303.01 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,806 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 581.36 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,224 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2.19 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 79.45 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Laos?
- Carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp in Laos was 0.4103 kilograms per international-$ in 2022, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4464 kilograms per international-$ in 2017.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0167 kilograms per international-$ in 1955.
- How does Laos rank for carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp?
- Laos ranks 21st out of 164 countries with data for 2022.
- Is carbon intensity: co₂ emissions per dollar of gdp rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 279.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025); Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Carbon intensity: CO₂ emissions per dollar of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 68 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), excluding land-use change, measured in kilograms per dollar of GDP (2011 international-$).