Laos Population (LIVE)

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Laos Population (1950 - 2026)

Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is 7,953,003 as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.
  • Laos 2026 population is estimated at 7,974,017 people at mid-year.
  • Laos population is equivalent to 0.096% of the total world population.
  • Laos ranks number 103 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Laos is 35 per Km² (89 people per mi²).
  • The total land area is 230,800 Km² (89,112 sq. miles).
  • 38.93% of the population is urban (3,104,665 people in 2026)
  • The median age in Laos is 25.3 years.
1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of Laos (2026 and historical)

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population Laos Global Rank
2026 7,974,017 1.28% 100,971 −11,125 25.3 2.33 35 38.9% 3,104,665 0.096% 8,300,678,395 103
2025 7,873,046 1.33% 103,227 −10,645 24.9 2.36 34 38.3% 3,018,824 0.096% 8,231,613,070 103
2024 7,769,819 1.37% 104,826 −10,284 24.6 2.4 34 37.8% 2,933,677 0.095% 8,161,972,572 103
2023 7,664,993 1.4% 105,986 −10,003 24.3 2.42 33 37.2% 2,849,332 0.095% 8,091,734,930 103
2022 7,559,007 1.44% 106,237 −10,003 24 2.46 33 36.6% 2,765,699 0.094% 8,021,407,192 103
2020 7,346,533 1.55% 108,978 −10,305 23.4 2.54 32 35.4% 2,600,131 0.093% 7,887,001,292 104
2015 6,801,645 1.43% 93,490 −12,991 22 2.8 29 32.4% 2,206,330 0.091% 7,470,491,872 106
2010 6,334,194 1.54% 92,934 −30,046 19.9 3.14 27 29.6% 1,877,890 0.090% 7,021,732,148 106
2005 5,869,523 1.56% 87,662 −24,138 17.8 3.69 25 26.7% 1,564,297 0.089% 6,586,970,132 104
2000 5,431,212 1.96% 100,361 −33,965 17 4.43 24 21.6% 1,171,236 0.088% 6,171,702,993 103
1995 4,929,409 2.71% 123,491 −14,279 16.8 5.36 21 17.1% 843,190 0.086% 5,758,878,982 105
1990 4,311,955 2.89% 114,394 −3,100 16.8 6.06 19 15.2% 657,373 0.081% 5,327,803,110 111
1985 3,739,985 2.58% 89,482 −1,376 16.7 6.33 16 13.6% 509,071 0.077% 4,868,943,465 112
1980 3,292,573 1.84% 57,410 −17,339 16.8 6.33 14 12.2% 403,247 0.074% 4,447,606,236 114
1975 3,005,521 2.4% 67,164 −13,858 17.5 6.29 13 11.3% 338,147 0.074% 4,070,735,277 114
1970 2,669,702 2.36% 58,700 0 17.7 6.31 12 9.7% 258,749 0.072% 3,694,683,794 117
1965 2,376,200 2.29% 50,937 0 17.9 6.32 10 8.3% 198,298 0.071% 3,334,533,703 116
1960 2,121,514 2.3% 45,660 0 18.2 6.29 9 7.9% 168,533 0.070% 3,015,470,894 115
1955 1,893,213 2.36% 41,733 0 18.5 6.26 8 7.6% 143,427 0.069% 2,740,213,792 115

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Laos Population Forecast

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population Laos Global Rank
2030 8,357,023 1.2% 96,795 −11,046 26.6 2.21 36 41.3% 3,452,176 0.098% 8,569,124,911 103
2035 8,788,756 1.01% 86,347 −12,376 28.2 2.1 38 44.3% 3,889,031 0.099% 8,885,210,181 102
2040 9,169,002 0.85% 76,049 −13,444 29.8 2.01 40 47.1% 4,314,948 0.100% 9,177,190,203 100
2045 9,492,503 0.7% 64,700 −13,205 31.4 1.94 41 49.7% 4,719,484 0.10% 9,439,639,668 100
2050 9,757,285 0.55% 52,956 −12,657 33 1.89 42 52.3% 5,101,582 0.10% 9,664,378,587 99

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Laos Demographics (2026)

Life Expectancy
69.7 years

(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)

View by sex and historical chart

Infant Mortality Rate
27.8

(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Deaths under age 5
34.2

(per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in Laos

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

Rank Urban Area Population Estimate (2025)
1 Viangchan (Vientiane) 216,305
2 Pakse 103,630
3 Luang Prabang 66,982
More info

See also


Notes

The Laos Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Laos delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Laos (1950 - 2026) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2026.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2026. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2026: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2026: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Laos in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.