China vs Laos
China vs Laos: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 9.3 years in China and 6.3 years in Laos, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in China, by 3 years, or 1.48 times that in Laos.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2017.
- In 2020, China ranked 50 and Laos ranked 125 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | China | Laos |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 9.3 | 6.3 |
| 2018 | 9.2 | 6.3 |
| 2017 | 9.7 | 6.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The years of school a child can expect by 18, cut to what students actually learn: the World Bank’s learning-adjusted years of school.
- Source: World Bank Human Capital Index, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 174 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
China vs Laos
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Laos: 69 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Laos: 2.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Laos: 31.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Laos: 2.91% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Laos: 8.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Laos: 7.67 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Laos: 1.38% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Laos: 2.42 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Laos: 40.3% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Laos: 24.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Laos: 4.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Laos: -1.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Laos: 0.19% of GDP in 2013
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025Laos: $21.8M in 2013
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Laos: $3 in 2013
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Laos: 0.8% of government spending in 2013
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Laos: 129,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Laos: 0.06% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Laos: 4.08% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Laos: 7 million TIV in 2024