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Geo Factbook

Laos vs United States: Compare Statistics

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

Laos
lao
Leads on 35 of 105 metrics
United States
usa
Leads on 63 of 105 metrics

Summary

Comparing Laos and United States: Laos leads on Major Urban Areas Population (721,000 people) against United States (18.94 people); Laos leads on Refined Petroleum Products Imports (17,460) against United States (2.17); United States leads on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars (32.95 trillion $) against Laos (13.95 billion $). Across 105 compared metrics, Laos wins on 35 and United States wins on 63.

  • 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🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)63.63 %93.14 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 64% (2023 est.)percent of population: 93% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score33.22 points65.49 points★
Radios730,000★575
Televisions52,000★219
Waterways4,60041,009★

Economy

44 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country2.85B $350.60B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars13.95B $32.95T $★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)4.3 %★0.5 %
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)18.5 %★4.1 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.3 % of GDP16.9 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index62.792★
Electricity Consumption5.47★3.9
Electricity Exports8.479.7★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels2870★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants72★7
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels09★
Electricity from Other Renewables114★
Electricity Imports2.572.72★
Electricity Installed Capacity6.94★1.09
Electricity Production29.74★4.1
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)34.46 USD per capita278.47 USD per capita★
Gini Index Coefficient38.841.8★
Gross Fixed Investment28.6★12.9
Gross National Saving22.7★18.9
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)3.9 %★3.25 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)23.1 %2.9 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.2 % of GDP3.2 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption0767.6★
Natural Gas Exports089.7★
Natural Gas Imports086.15★
Natural Gas Production0772.8★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption3,000★19.15
Oil Exports01.92★
Oil Imports1,918★10.27
Oil Production09.69★
Oil Proved Reserves020.68★
Population Below Poverty Line18.3 people15.1 people★
Public Debt58.4★114.8
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.3 USD★2.8 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption18,000★19.96
Refined Petroleum Products Exports05.22★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports17,460★2.18
Refined Petroleum Products Production020.3★
Remittances1.8★0
Revenue from Forest Resources1.48★0.04
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)15.661★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.1★10.6
Unemployment Rate1.3 %★4.2 %

Environment

5 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)242,858-14.29M★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions23.414.8★
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 Asialarge urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western-tier states; mountainous areas such as the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, deserts in the southwest
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country37.9 Cubic meters per year1,383 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources333.5★3.07

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.15 %2.11 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)121.5★94.67
Agricultural land21,486.6 sq. km4.17M sq. km★
Coastline Length (km)0 km19,924 km★
Dam capacity per capita1,319.14 cubic meters per inhabitant2,113 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land4,410234,782★

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Rule of Law Index by Country29.3 %88.3 %★
Administrative Divisions1750★
Independence19★4
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

8 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.713.7★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2.7 % of GDP16.6 % of GDP★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %NA
Hospital Bed Density1.3 people/sq km2.7 people/sq km★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)112 %17 %★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)5.3 %★36.2 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS15,000NA
Underweight Children Under 524.30.4★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)129,0001.40M★

People and Society

29 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Currently married (Percent)61.45 %★51.38 %
Human Capital Index0.460.72★
Life expectancy at birth72.32 years83.22 years★
Median age of population25.25 years38.79 years★
Population Change102,278.9 persons2.26M persons★
Population density34.57 per sq. km★38.15 per sq. km
Total population7.98M persons349.13M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.120.4★
Birth Rate (%)19.22 %★10.75 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate54.1 %73.9 %★
Death Rate (%)6.07 %★8.76 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP5.4 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age2.16M persons78.56M persons★
Labor Force Participation Rate3.59174.17★
Learning-adjusted years of school5.98 years11.07 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days183.4 days★
Major Urban Areas Population721,000 people★18.94 people
Mean Male Height (cm)160.52177.13★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation18★17
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization32.65 %74.52 %★
Physician Density0.33 people/sq km3.68 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.22 %★0.45 %
Population living in slums47.45 %★0.05 %
Total deaths47,791 persons★2.87M persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)48.69 %65.73 %★
Total fertility rate2.33 per woman★1.61 per woman
Total net-migration-10,536.3 persons1.49M persons★
Under-five mortality rate34.16 per live births5.52 per live births★

Transportation

2 metrics
Metric🇱🇦 Laos🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.262.06★
Airports2016,116★

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