Population by labor force status in Laos
Laos: Population by labor force status was 2.35 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2.35 million people
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
93rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
2.40 million people
in 2005
All-time low
1.95 million people
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Population by labor force status in Laos, 1991–2025
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2025, population by labor force status in Laos stood at 2.35 million people.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by labor force status in Laos peaked at 2.40 million people in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1.95 million people, in 1991.
Laos ranks 93rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Population by labor force status in Laos, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.95 million people | — |
| 1992 | 2.00 million people | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 2.06 million people | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 2.11 million people | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 2.17 million people | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 2.21 million people | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 2.26 million people | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 2.29 million people | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 2.32 million people | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 2.35 million people | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 2.37 million people | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 2.38 million people | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 2.39 million people | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 2.40 million people | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 2.40 million people | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2.39 million people | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 2.36 million people | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 2.34 million people | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 2.32 million people | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 2.30 million people | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 2.29 million people | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 2.28 million people | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 2.27 million people | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 2.26 million people | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 2.26 million people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2.27 million people | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 2.28 million people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 2.30 million people | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 2.31 million people | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 2.32 million people | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 2.33 million people | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 2.34 million people | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 2.34 million people | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 2.35 million people | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 2.35 million people | +0.1% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 2.35 million people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.79 million people, 62% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Laos's 2.35 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.11 million people, 2.1× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.15 million people | 1.95 million people | 2.32 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.37 million people | 2.32 million people | 2.40 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.28 million people | 2.26 million people | 2.31 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.34 million people | 2.32 million people | 2.35 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 90 Congo 2.59 million people compare
- 91 Israel 2.59 million people compare
- 92 Turkmenistan 2.38 million people compare
- 94 Kyrgyzstan 2.33 million people compare
- 95 Mauritania 2.25 million people compare
- 96 Liberia 2.24 million people compare
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 population by labor force status in Laos?
- Population by labor force status in Laos was 2.35 million people in 2025, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by labor force status recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 2.40 million people in 2005.
- What is the lowest population by labor force status recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.95 million people in 1991.
- How does Laos rank for population by labor force status?
- Laos ranks 93rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by labor force status rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by labor force status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Population below working age (under 15 years old).