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Geo Factbook

Laos vs Thailand: Compare Statistics

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

Laos
lao
Leads on 30 of 105 metrics
Thailand
tha
Leads on 66 of 105 metrics

Summary

Comparing Laos and Thailand: Laos leads on Major Urban Areas Population (721,000 people) against Thailand (11.07 people); Laos leads on Radios (730,000) against Thailand (13.96); Laos leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (18,000) against Thailand (1.33). Across 105 compared metrics, Laos wins on 30 and Thailand wins on 66.

  • 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🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)63.63 %89.54 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 64% (2023 est.)percent of population: 90% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score33.22 points56.72 points★
Radios730,000★13.96
Televisions52,000★15.19
Waterways4,600★4,000

Economy

44 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.85B $45.86B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars13.95B $533.67B $★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.3 %★1.5 %
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)18.5 %★4.42 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.3 % of GDP3.8 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index62.784.6★
Electricity Consumption5.47187.7★
Electricity Exports8.47★2.27
Electricity from Fossil Fuels2876★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants72★8
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables116★
Electricity Imports2.519.83★
Electricity Installed Capacity6.9444.89★
Electricity Production29.74181.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)34.46 USD per capita80.6 USD per capita★
Gini Index Coefficient38.8★33.5
Gross Fixed Investment28.628.8★
Gross National Saving22.734.1★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.9 %★0.9 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)23.1 %1.4 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.2 % of GDP1.1 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption052.64★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports014.41★
Natural Gas Production038.59★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves0193.4★
Oil Consumption3,000988,000★
Oil Exports0269,100★
Oil Imports1,918807,100★
Oil Production0406,800★
Oil Proved Reserves0435★
Population Below Poverty Line18.3 people5.4 people★
Public Debt58.4★61.1
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.3 USD★2.5 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption18,000★1.33
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0278,300★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports17,460134,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production01.33★
Remittances1.81.8
Revenue from Forest Resources1.48★0.34
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)15.660.11★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.115.4★
Unemployment Rate1.3 %0.7 %★

Environment

5 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)242,858★3.03M
Carbon Dioxide Emissions23.41★336.69
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 Asiahighest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters throughout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country37.9 Cubic meters per year41.9 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources333.5438.61★

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.15 %5.23 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)121.5142.5★
Agricultural land21,486.6 sq. km243,086.8 sq. km★
Coastline Length (km)0 km3,219 km★
Dam capacity per capita1,319.14 cubic meters per inhabitant★1,098 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land4,41064,150★

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Rule of Law Index by Country29.3 %56.88 %★
Administrative Divisions1776★
Independence19123★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

8 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.710.2★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.7 % of GDP5.2 % of GDP★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %★1 %
Hospital Bed Density1.3 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)112 %34 %★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.3 %★10 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS15,000★500,000
Underweight Children Under 524.36.7★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)129,000455,000★

People and Society

29 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Currently married (Percent)61.45 %★50.17 %
Human Capital Index0.460.63★
Life expectancy at birth72.32 years80.78 years★
Median age of population25.25 years41.03 years★
Population Change102,278.9 persons★-87,807.2 persons
Population density34.57 per sq. km★140.16 per sq. km
Total population7.98M persons71.57M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.120.38★
Birth Rate (%)19.22 %★9.82 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.1 %73 %★
Death Rate (%)6.07 %★8.08 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP2.5 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age2.16M persons16.94M persons★
Labor Force Participation Rate3.5940.62★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.98 years8.95 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population721,000 people★11.07 people
Mean Male Height (cm)160.52169.16★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization32.65 %62.64 %★
Physician Density0.33 people/sq km0.54 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.22 %★0.13 %
Population living in slums47.45 %★2 %
Total deaths47,791 persons★685,767.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)48.69 %★44.11 %
Total fertility rate2.33 per woman★1.18 per woman
Total net-migration-10,536.3 persons36,266.2 persons★
Under-five mortality rate34.16 per live births10.25 per live births★

Transportation

2 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇹🇭 ThailandShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.261.01★
Airports20105★

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