Laos
Asia · South-Eastern Asia
Slow-paced Mekong life, one of SE Asia's cheapest, with limited development.
At a Glance
📈Laos's Human Development Index
0.620
Medium human development#137 of 191 countries worldwide, #36 of 43 in Asia.
Higher than 28% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Laos
Laos is a small, landlocked Southeast Asian country with a pace of life that feels deliberately slow, where Buddhist temples, wooden villages on the Mekong River, and jungle-covered mountains create an atmosphere of quiet that is becoming increasingly rare in the region. The culture is gentle and understated, shaped by Theravada Buddhism and a Lao sensibility that prizes harmony and humour. Those seeking frantic activity will find it too quiet, but those who need to decompress will find it perfect.
- Most heavily bombed country per capita in history — 270 million US cluster bombs, 1964–73.
- One of the few remaining single-party communist states in the world.
- Over 30% of bombs dropped never exploded and still kill civilians today.
Quick Facts
Capital
Vientiane
Language
Lao
Currency
₭ LAK
Area
230,800 km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
55Mbps
Mobile
45Mbps
GDP / Capita
$2K
PPP / Capita
$10K
Inflation
7.7%
Unemployment
1.2%
Innovation (GII)
20.1
GNI / Capita
$2K
Tax Revenue
12.1%
FDI Inflows
6.0%
Education Spend
1.2%
Price Level Index
97th pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.408 → 0.620 (+0.212)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
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💬Quick answers
What is Laos's Human Development Index?
Laos's Human Development Index is 0.620 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #137 of 191 countries.
Is Laos safe?
Laos scores 1.85 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #57 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
What is life expectancy in Laos?
Life expectancy at birth in Laos is 69.2 yrs (World Bank), ranked #138 of 195 countries.