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Geo Factbook

Laos vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 159 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Laos
lao
Leads on 61 of 159 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 89 of 159 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 8.2 times as many people as Laos (65.49 million vs 7.98 million). South Africa's economy is 30.5 times the size of Laos's ($424.75 billion vs $13.95 billion GDP).

Comparing Laos and South Africa: Laos leads on Major Urban Areas Population (721,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Laos leads on Radios (730,000) against South Africa (17); Laos leads on Televisions (52,000) against South Africa (6). Across 159 compared metrics, Laos wins on 61 and South Africa wins on 89.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 56 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 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
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration2.72 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)65.59 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)63.63 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 64% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed2.72 Mbps3.41 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score33.22 points75.71 points★
Radios730,000★17
Televisions52,000★6
Waterways4,587NA

Economy

56 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.85B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars13.95B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)29.01 %★16.96 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate37.65 %81.13 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.3 %5.75 %★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)18.5 %★10.38 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.3 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index62.7★59.6
Electricity Consumption5.47207.1★
Electricity Exports8.4716.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels2885★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants72★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables110★
Electricity Imports2.510.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity6.9450.02★
Electricity Production29.74234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)34.46 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate64.68 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient38.863★
Gross Fixed Investment28.6★19.5
Gross National Saving22.7★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage13.82 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries8,872.69 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.9 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate7.74 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)23.1 %4.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.2 % of GDP0.7 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption3,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports1,918521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line18.3 people★55.5 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)21.15 % of GDP★13.98 % of GDP
Public Debt58.4★76.2
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.3 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends12.29 %★3.49 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption18,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports17,460195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances1.8★0.2
Tax Burden (% of GDP)12.11 %★26.02 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)12.11 % of GDP26.02 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.126★
Top Exporting Countries5.28B USD91.11B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)5.99 %★0.58 %
Unemployment Rate1.3 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate66.09 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate2.38 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)242,858★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-35,333.98 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature23.2 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions23.41★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution2,107.77 mm★652.17 mm
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 Asiathe population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation18.89 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage18.8 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country37.9 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources333.5★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species49 species33 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.15 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)121.5★85.66
Agricultural land21,486.6 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km230,8001.21M★
Coastline Length (km)0 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita1,319.14 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land4,41016,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country29.3 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions17★9
Corruption Perception Index33 index★41 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score33 index41 index★
Independence1931★
LGBT Rights Index Score2.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate166 per 100,000★286 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception33★41
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water35.19 %68.01 %★
Average BMI for Adults22.7 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate69 %76 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.77.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders69.23 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends1.43 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita106.37 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score64 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.7 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy69.23 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.5 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.06 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence16.73 %16.64 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate0.13 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)112 %★118 %
Nurses and Midwives Density1.18 per 1,000 people★1.01 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.3 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending44.84 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS15,0007.8★
Total Number of Doctors0.330.79★
Underweight Children Under 524.34.9★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel29,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.19 %★1.03 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)129,000★89,000

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)61.45 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.46★0.42
Life expectancy at birth72.32 years★71.98 years
Median age of population25.25 years29 years★
Population Change102,278.9 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density34.57 per sq. km★53.74 per sq. km
Total population7.98M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.120.83★
Beer Consumption per Capita3.92 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)19.22 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.1 %54.6 %★
Crude Birth Rate20.93 per 1,000 people★18.48 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.07 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age2.16M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)12.69 %29.84 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate2.72 %3.41 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.64 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.230.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate3.5927.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.98 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population721,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)160.52166.68★
Mean Years of Schooling6.05 years10.47 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.99 %★9.65 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization32.65 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.33 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.22 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums47.45 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio24.16★30.33
Total deaths47,791 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)48.69 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate2.33 per woman★2.17 per woman
Total net-migration-10,536.3 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate34.16 per live births28.89 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate3.22 %★1.34 %

Transportation

2 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.260.37★
Airports20573★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita1.05B USD5.96B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Laos vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Laos or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 8.2 times as many people as Laos (65.49 million vs 7.98 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Laos or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 30.5 times the size of Laos's ($424.75 billion vs $13.95 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Laos or South Africa?▾

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $1,749 in Laos (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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