Laos

communist party-led state

name: Vientiane (Viangchan) geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name Viangchan means "city of sandalwood" in Laotian; the standard spelling reflects French influence

chief of state: President THONGLOUN Sisoulith (since 22 March 2021) head of government: Prime Minister SONEXAY (also spelled SONXAI) Siphandon (since 30 December 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (no term limits); prime minister nominated by the president, elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term most recent election date: 22 March 2021 election results: 2021: THONGLOUN Sisoulith (LPRP) elected president; National Assembly vote - 161-1; PHANKHAM Viphavanh (LPRP) elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - 158-3 2016: BOUNNHANG Vorachit (LPRP) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA; THONGLOUN Sisoulith (LPRP) elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA expected date of next election: March 2026 note: President THONGLOUN Sisoulith is also general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party

legislature name: National Assembly (Sapha Heng Xat) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 164 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 2/21/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) (158); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 22% expected date of next election: February 2026

highest court(s): People's Supreme Court (consists of the court president and organized into criminal, civil, administrative, commercial, family, and juvenile chambers, each with a vice president and several judges) judge selection and term of office: president of People's Supreme Court appointed by the National Assembly upon the recommendation of the president of the republic for a 5-year term; vice presidents of the People's Supreme Court appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the National Assembly; appointment of chamber judges NA; tenure of court vice presidents and chamber judges NA subordinate courts: appellate courts; provincial, municipal, district, and military courts

history: previous 1947 (pre-independence); latest promulgated 13-15 August 1991 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the president of the republic

ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

0.2% of GDP (2019 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2018 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2017 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2016 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF; aka Lao People's Army): Lao People's Army (LPA, includes Riverine Force), Lao People's Air Force (LPAF); Self-Defense Militia Forces (2025) note: the Ministry of Public Security maintains internal security and is responsible for law enforcement; it oversees local, traffic, immigration, and security police, village police auxiliaries, and other armed police units

18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory military service for men 18-35 with a minimum 18-month service obligation (2025)

the LPAF s primary missions are border and internal security, including counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, and counter-narcotics operations, as well as protecting the regime; its defense partners include Cambodia, China, Russia, and Vietnam (2025)

$66.905 billion (2024 est.) $64.173 billion (2023 est.) $61.856 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$8,600 (2024 est.) $8,400 (2023 est.) $8,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4.3% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 2.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

23.1% (2024 est.) 31.2% (2023 est.) 23% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

58.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

$9.698 billion (2023 est.) $8.604 billion (2022 est.) $7.82 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$8.596 billion (2023 est.) $7.983 billion (2022 est.) $6.527 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

1.3% (2024 est.) 1.2% (2023 est.) 1.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $2.288 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $2.259 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

mining (copper, tin, gold, gypsum); timber, electric power, agricultural processing, rubber, construction, garments, cement, tourism

cassava, root vegetables, rice, sugarcane, vegetables, bananas, maize, rubber, coffee, watermelons (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 7,953,556 (2024 est.) male: 3,966,320 female: 3,987,236

1.22% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 30.1% (male 1,214,429/female 1,181,845) 15-64 years: 65% (male 2,573,668/female 2,599,957) 65 years and over: 4.8% (2024 est.) (male 178,223/female 205,434)

19.22 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

6.07 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-0.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 69 years (2024 est.) male: 67.4 years female: 70.7 years

urban population: 38.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Lao 53.2%, Khmou 11%, Hmong 9.2%, Phouthay 3.4%, Tai 3.1%, Makong 2.5%, Katong 2.2%, Lue 2%, Akha 1.8%, other 11.6% (2015 est.) note: the Laos Government officially recognizes 49 ethnic groups, but the total number of ethnic groups is estimated to be well over 200

Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages major-language sample(s): ແຫລ່ງທີ່ຂາດບໍ່ໄດ້ສຳລັບຂໍ້ມູນຕົ້ນຕໍ່ (Lao) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Buddhist 64.7%, Christian 1.7%, none 31.4%, other/not stated 2.1% (2015 est.)

total population: 75.6% (2023 est.) male: 85.1% (2023 est.) female: 66.7% (2023 est.)

timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)

tier rating: Tier 3 Laos does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Laos was downgraded to Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/laos/

IDPs: 1,274 (2024 est.)

20 (2025)

total: 422 km (2023) standard gauge: 422 km (2023) 1.435-m gauge (422 km overhead electrification)

total: 1 (2023) by type: general cargo 1

total subscriptions: 4.96 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 65 (2023 est.)

percent of population: 64% (2023 est.)