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Geo Factbook

Laos vs Malaysia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 105 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Laos
lao
Leads on 27 of 105 metrics
Malaysia
mys
Leads on 72 of 105 metrics

Summary

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 105 compared metrics, Laos wins on 27 and Malaysia wins on 72.

  • Communications: 6 metrics compared
  • Economy: 44 metrics compared
  • Environment: 5 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 8 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 29 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 2 metrics compared

Communications

6 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)63.63 %97.69 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 64% (2023 est.)percent of population: 98% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score33.22 points56.09 points★
Radios730,000★10.9
Televisions52,000★10.8
Waterways4,6007,200★

Economy

44 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.85B $47.38B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars13.95B $466.53B $★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.3 %★3 %
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)18.5 %★4.61 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.3 % of GDP3.8 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index62.783.3★
Electricity Consumption5.47136.9★
Electricity Exports8.47★3
Electricity from Fossil Fuels2878★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants72★18
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables14★
Electricity Imports2.533★
Electricity Installed Capacity6.9433★
Electricity Production29.74148.3★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)34.46 USD per capita113.16 USD per capita★
Gini Index Coefficient38.840.7★
Gross Fixed Investment28.6★25.2
Gross National Saving22.728.5★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.9 %4.9 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)23.1 %1.8 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.2 % of GDP1 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption030.44★
Natural Gas Exports038.23★
Natural Gas Imports02.8★
Natural Gas Production069.49★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves01.18★
Oil Consumption3,000561,000★
Oil Exports0644,900★
Oil Imports1,918355,300★
Oil Production0664,800★
Oil Proved Reserves04★
Population Below Poverty Line18.3 people6.2 people★
Public Debt58.4★64.3
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.3 USD5.1 USD★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption18,000704,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0208,400★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports17,460304,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0528,300★
Remittances1.8★0.4
Revenue from Forest Resources1.481.57★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)15.660.03★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.112.6★
Unemployment Rate1.3 %★3.9 %

Environment

5 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)242,858★13.93M
Carbon Dioxide Emissions23.41★260.01
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
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country37.9 Cubic meters per year64 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources333.5580★

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.15 %4.11 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)121.5209.87★
Agricultural land21,486.6 sq. km85,710 sq. km★
Coastline Length (km)0 km4,675 km★
Dam capacity per capita1,319.14 cubic meters per inhabitant★611.58 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land4,4104,420★

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country29.3 %67.87 %★
Administrative Divisions17★13
Independence1931★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

8 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.721.1★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.7 % of GDP4.4 % of GDP★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %0.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.3 people/sq km2 people/sq km★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)112 %26 %★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.3 %★15.6 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS15,000★92,000
Underweight Children Under 524.315.3★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)129,000136,000★

People and Society

29 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Currently married (Percent)61.45 %★58.88 %
Human Capital Index0.460.65★
Life expectancy at birth72.32 years80.87 years★
Median age of population25.25 years31.44 years★
Population Change102,278.9 persons428,622.9 persons★
Population density34.57 per sq. km★110.8 per sq. km
Total population7.98M persons36.40M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.120.29★
Birth Rate (%)19.22 %★14.05 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.1 %★52.2 %
Death Rate (%)6.07 %5.8 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP3.5 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age2.16M persons9.69M persons★
Labor Force Participation Rate3.5918.26★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.98 years9.72 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population721,000 people★8.62 people
Mean Male Height (cm)160.52167.88★
Military Manpower at Military Age1821★
Military Service Age and Obligation18★17
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization32.65 %83.21 %★
Physician Density0.33 people/sq km2.34 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.22 %★0.97 %
Population living in slums47.45 %★0.2 %
Total deaths47,791 persons★179,998.3 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)48.69 %★42.17 %
Total fertility rate2.33 per woman★1.53 per woman
Total net-migration-10,536.3 persons162,673.4 persons★
Under-five mortality rate34.16 per live births5.53 per live births★

Transportation

2 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.261.58★
Airports20100★

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