Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Laos
Laos: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 40.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
40.3%
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
185th
of 236 countries
All-time high
40.3%
in 2025
All-time low
7.5%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Laos, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Laos stood at 40.3%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Laos peaked at 40.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 1950.
Laos ranks 185th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 7.5% | — |
| 1951 | 7.5% | +0.2% |
| 1952 | 7.6% | +0.3% |
| 1953 | 7.6% | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 7.6% | +0.4% |
| 1955 | 7.7% | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 7.7% | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 7.8% | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 7.8% | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 7.8% | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 7.8% | +0.5% |
| 1961 | 7.9% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 8.0% | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 8.1% | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 8.2% | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 8.3% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 8.4% | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 8.6% | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 8.8% | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 9.1% | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 9.5% | +3.8% |
| 1971 | 9.8% | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 10.2% | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 10.5% | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 10.8% | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 11.1% | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 11.3% | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 11.6% | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 11.9% | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 12.1% | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 12.4% | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 12.7% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 12.9% | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 13.2% | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 13.5% | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 13.8% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 14.1% | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 14.4% | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 14.7% | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 14.9% | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 15.2% | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 15.6% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 15.9% | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 16.3% | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 16.8% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 17.3% | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 18.0% | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 18.8% | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 19.9% | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 21.0% | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 22.2% | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 23.4% | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 24.5% | +4.9% |
| 2003 | 25.6% | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 26.5% | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 27.3% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 28.0% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 28.7% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 29.4% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 30.0% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 30.6% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 31.2% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 31.7% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 32.2% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 32.7% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 33.1% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 33.8% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 34.5% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 35.2% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 35.9% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 36.6% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 37.3% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 38.1% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 38.8% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 39.6% | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 40.3% | +1.9% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 40.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 79% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 40.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 62% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.7% | 7.5% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.3% | 7.8% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.9% | 9.5% | 12.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.7% | 12.4% | 14.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.5% | 15.2% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.6% | 22.2% | 30.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.1% | 30.6% | 35.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.5% | 36.6% | 40.3% | 6 |
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 urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Laos?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Laos was 40.3% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 40.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 1950.
- How does Laos rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- Laos ranks 185th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.