Urban population (% of total population) in Laos
Laos: Urban population (% of total population) was 40.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population in Laos, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population in Laos stood at 40.3%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Laos peaked at 40.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.8%, in 1960.
Laos ranks 173rd of 218 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population (% of total population) in Laos, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.8% | — |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 urban population in Laos?
- Urban population in Laos was 40.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 40.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.8% in 1960.
- How does Laos rank for urban population?
- Laos ranks 173rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population 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 World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.