Labor force participation rate by age in Laos
Laos: Labor force participation rate by age was 54.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate by age in Laos, 1990–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, labor force participation rate by age in Laos stood at 54.1%.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate by age in Laos peaked at 63.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 49.4%, in 2017.
Laos ranks 34th of 188 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate by age in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 63.7% | — |
| 1991 | 63.6% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 63.3% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 63.0% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 62.4% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 62.0% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 61.5% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 61.0% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 60.8% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 60.2% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 59.8% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 59.4% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 58.9% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 58.5% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 58.0% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 57.4% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 56.6% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 56.0% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 55.3% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 54.7% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 54.0% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 53.3% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 52.6% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 51.9% | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 51.2% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 50.6% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 50.0% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 49.4% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 50.3% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 51.1% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 51.9% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 53.5% | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 54.5% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 54.3% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 54.1% | -0.4% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 54.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34.6%, 1.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Laos's 54.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 39.8%, 1.4× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 62.2% | 60.2% | 63.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.5% | 54.7% | 59.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.4% | 49.4% | 54.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.7% | 51.9% | 54.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More work & labour data for Laos
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 1,934 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 66.2 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 3,788 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.25 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.16 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 19,084 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 6,038 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 65.37 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.63 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate by age in Laos?
- Labor force participation rate by age in Laos was 54.1% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 63.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate by age recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.4% in 2017.
- How does Laos rank for labor force participation rate by age?
- Laos ranks 34th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is labor force participation rate by age rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population aged 15-24 who are economically active (employed or unemployed).