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Laos vs Malaysia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 165 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more ā€” latest data through 2026.

Laos
lao
Leads on 49 of 165 metrics
Malaysia
mys
Leads on 110 of 165 metrics

Summary

Malaysia has 4.6 times as many people as Laos (36.4 million vs 7.98 million). Malaysia's economy is 33.4 times the size of Laos's ($466.53 billion vs $13.95 billion GDP).

Comparing Laos and Malaysia: Laos leads on Major Urban Areas Population (721,000 people) against Malaysia (8.62 people); Laos leads on Radios (730,000) against Malaysia (10.90); Laos leads on Televisions (52,000) against Malaysia (10.80). Across 165 compared metrics, Laos wins on 49 and Malaysia wins on 110.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 61 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 10 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 2 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡±šŸ‡¦ LaosšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration2.72 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants13.03 subscriptions per 100 inhabitantsā˜…
Internet Penetration Rate (%)65.59 %98.02 %ā˜…
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)63.63 %97.69 %ā˜…
Internet Userspercent of population: 64% (2023 est.)percent of population: 98% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed2.72 Mbps13.03 Mbpsā˜…
Press Freedom Index Score33.22 points56.09 pointsā˜…
Radios730,000ā˜…10.9
Televisions52,000ā˜…10.8
Waterways4,6007,200ā˜…

Economy

61 metrics
MetricšŸ‡±šŸ‡¦ LaosšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.85B $47.38B $ā˜…
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars13.95B $466.53B $ā˜…
AI Investment (% of GDP)29.01 %ā˜…26 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate37.65 %88.69 %ā˜…
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.3 %ā˜…3 %
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)18.5 %ā˜…4.61 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.3 % of GDP3.8 % of GDPā˜…
Ease of Doing Business Index62.783.3ā˜…
Electricity Consumption5.47136.9ā˜…
Electricity Exports8.47ā˜…3
Electricity from Fossil Fuels2878ā˜…
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants72ā˜…18
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables14ā˜…
Electricity Imports2.533ā˜…
Electricity Installed Capacity6.9433ā˜…
Electricity Production29.74148.3ā˜…
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)34.46 USD per capita113.16 USD per capitaā˜…
Female Labor Force Participation Rate64.68 %ā˜…56.67 %
Gini Index Coefficient38.840.7ā˜…
Gross Fixed Investment28.6ā˜…25.2
Gross National Saving22.728.5ā˜…
High-Tech Export Percentage13.82 %63.18 %ā˜…
Highest GDP per Capita Countries8,872.69 USD35,461.45 USDā˜…
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.9 %4.9 %ā˜…
Inflation Rate7.74 %1.38 %ā˜…
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)23.1 %1.8 %ā˜…
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.2 % of GDP1 % of GDPā˜…
Natural Gas Consumption030.44ā˜…
Natural Gas Exports038.23ā˜…
Natural Gas Imports02.8ā˜…
Natural Gas Production069.49ā˜…
Natural Gas Proved Reserves01.18ā˜…
Oil Consumption3,000561,000ā˜…
Oil Exports0644,900ā˜…
Oil Imports1,918355,300ā˜…
Oil Production0664,800ā˜…
Oil Proved Reserves04ā˜…
Population Below Poverty Line18.3 people6.2 peopleā˜…
Private Investment (% of GDP)21.15 % of GDPā˜…16.93 % of GDP
Public Debt58.4ā˜…64.3
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.04 %0.65 %ā˜…
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.3 USD5.1 USDā˜…
Real Interest Rate Trends12.29 %ā˜…-2.11 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption18,000704,000ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0208,400ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Imports17,460304,600ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Production0528,300ā˜…
Remittances1.8ā˜…0.4
Researchers in R&D per Million15.63 researchers300.56 researchersā˜…
Revenue from Forest Resources1.481.57ā˜…
Robotics Research Funding0.04 USD0.65 USDā˜…
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)15.660.03ā˜…
Tax Burden (% of GDP)12.11 %11.63 %ā˜…
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)12.11 % of GDPā˜…11.63 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues12.112.6ā˜…
Top Exporting Countries5.28B USD201.17B USDā˜…
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)5.99 %ā˜…3.69 %
Unemployment Rate1.3 %ā˜…3.9 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate66.09 %ā˜…66.12 %
Youth Unemployment Rate2.38 %ā˜…11.95 %

Environment

11 metrics
MetricšŸ‡±šŸ‡¦ LaosšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Annual COā‚‚ Emissions Growth (abs)242,858ā˜…13.93M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-35,333.98 %ā˜…-60,000 %
Average Annual Temperature23.2 Ā°C25.87 Ā°Cā˜…
Carbon Dioxide Emissions23.41ā˜…260.01
Global Precipitation Distribution2,107.77 mm3,150.09 mmā˜…
Population Distributionmost densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asiaa highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula
Protected Land Area for Adaptation18.89 sq kmā˜…13.3 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage18.8 %ā˜…13.3 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country37.9 Cubic meters per year64 Cubic meters per yearā˜…
Total Renewable Water Resources333.5580ā˜…
Total Threatened Mammal Species49 speciesā˜…80 species

Geography

7 metrics
MetricšŸ‡±šŸ‡¦ LaosšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.15 %4.11 %ā˜…
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)121.5209.87ā˜…
Agricultural land21,486.6 sq. km85,710 sq. kmā˜…
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km230,800328,550ā˜…
Coastline Length (km)0 km4,675 kmā˜…
Dam capacity per capita1,319.14 cubic meters per inhabitantā˜…611.58 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land4,4104,420ā˜…

Government

10 metrics
MetricšŸ‡±šŸ‡¦ LaosšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country29.3 %67.87 %ā˜…
Administrative Divisions17ā˜…13
Corruption Perception Index33 indexā˜…50 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score33 index50 indexā˜…
Independence1931ā˜…
LGBT Rights Index Score2.07ā˜…-2.46
Political Stability Index75 indexā˜…51 index
Prison Population Rate166 per 100,000ā˜…188 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception33ā˜…50
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
MetricšŸ‡±šŸ‡¦ LaosšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water35.19 %94.7 %ā˜…
Average BMI for Adults22.7 kg/mĀ²25.3 kg/mĀ²ā˜…
Change in Measles Immunization Rate69 %96 %ā˜…
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.721.1ā˜…
Female Life Expectancy Leaders69.23 years76.82 yearsā˜…
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.43 per 1,000 births0.48 per 1,000 birthsā˜…
Health Care Spending per Capita106.37 USD1,703.34 USDā˜…
Health Coverage Index Score64 score80 scoreā˜…
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.7 % of GDP4.4 % of GDPā˜…
Highest Male Life Expectancy69.23 years76.82 yearsā˜…
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %0.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.3 people/sq km2 people/sq kmā˜…
Hospital Beds per Capita1.71 beds per 1,0001.96 beds per 1,000ā˜…
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.73 %13.81 %ā˜…
Malaria Incidence Rate4 cases per 1,0000.07 cases per 1,000ā˜…
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)112 %26 %ā˜…
Nurses and Midwives Density1.03 per 1,000 people4.05 per 1,000 peopleā˜…
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.3 %ā˜…15.6 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending44.84 %37.09 %ā˜…
People Living With HIV/AIDS15,000ā˜…92,000
Total Number of Doctors0.332.29ā˜…
Underweight Children Under 524.315.3ā˜…

Military and Security

3 metrics
MetricšŸ‡±šŸ‡¦ LaosšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Active Military Personnel29,000 personnel113,000 personnelā˜…
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.19 %ā˜…1.5 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)129,000136,000ā˜…

People and Society

39 metrics
MetricšŸ‡±šŸ‡¦ LaosšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Currently married (Percent)61.45 %ā˜…58.88 %
Human Capital Index0.460.65ā˜…
Life expectancy at birth72.32 years80.87 yearsā˜…
Median age of population25.25 years31.44 yearsā˜…
Population Change102,278.9 persons428,622.9 personsā˜…
Population density34.57 per sq. kmā˜…110.8 per sq. km
Total population7.98M persons36.40M personsā˜…
Academic Freedom Index0.120.29ā˜…
Beer Consumption per Capita3.92 litersā˜…0.51 liters
Birth Rate (%)19.22 %ā˜…14.05 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.1 %ā˜…52.2 %
Crude Birth Rate20.93 per 1,000 peopleā˜…12.36 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.07 %5.8 %ā˜…
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP3.5 % of GDPā˜…
Female population of reproductive age2.16M persons9.69M personsā˜…
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)12.69 %44.3 %ā˜…
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate2.72 %13.03 %ā˜…
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.64 male/female106.37 male/femaleā˜…
Human Development Index0.230.48ā˜…
Labor Force Participation Rate3.5918.26ā˜…
Learning-adjusted years of school5.98 years9.72 yearsā˜…
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population721,000 peopleā˜…8.62 people
Mean Male Height (cm)160.52167.88ā˜…
Mean Years of Schooling6.05 years11.96 yearsā˜…
Military Manpower at Military Age1821ā˜…
Military Service Age and Obligation18ā˜…17
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.99 %ā˜…10.6 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization32.65 %83.21 %ā˜…
Physician Density0.33 people/sq km2.34 people/sq kmā˜…
Population Growth Rate1.22 %ā˜…0.97 %
Population living in slums47.45 %ā˜…0.2 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio22.3411.66ā˜…
Total deaths47,791 personsā˜…179,998.3 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)48.69 %ā˜…42.17 %
Total fertility rate2.33 per womanā˜…1.53 per woman
Total net-migration-10,536.3 persons162,673.4 personsā˜…
Under-five mortality rate34.16 per live births5.53 per live birthsā˜…
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.22 %ā˜…1.79 %

Transportation

2 metrics
MetricšŸ‡±šŸ‡¦ LaosšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.261.58ā˜…
Airports20100ā˜…

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
MetricšŸ‡±šŸ‡¦ LaosšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita1.05B USD17.90B USDā˜…

Frequently Asked Questions About Laos vs Malaysia

Which has a larger population, Laos or Malaysia?ā–¾

Malaysia. Malaysia has 4.6 times as many people as Laos (36.4 million vs 7.98 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Laos or Malaysia?ā–¾

Malaysia. Malaysia's economy is 33.4 times the size of Laos's ($466.53 billion vs $13.95 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Laos or Malaysia?ā–¾

Malaysia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $12,818 in Malaysia vs $1,749 in Laos (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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