Laos vs Myanmar (Burma)
Laos vs Myanmar (Burma): Access to electricity
Access to electricity in 2024: 96.5% in Laos and 80.4% in Myanmar (Burma), by World Bank estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Laos, by 16.1 percentage points, or 1.2 times that in Myanmar (Burma).
% of people · World Bank
What the numbers say
- Laos has been higher since 2003, when it overtook Myanmar (Burma).
- The world as a whole: 91.9% in 2024.
Every year
% of people · World Bank
| Year | Laos | Myanmar (Burma) | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 96.5 | 80.4 | 91.9 |
| 2023 | 96.5 | 76.8 | 91.6 |
| 2022 | 100 | 73.7 | 91.3 |
| 2021 | 100 | 72.5 | 91.3 |
| 2020 | 99.3 | 70.4 | 90.4 |
| 2019 | 98.4 | 68.3 | 90.1 |
| 2018 | 92.9 | 66.1 | 89.8 |
| 2017 | 93.6 | 69.8 | 88.9 |
| 2016 | 89 | 55.6 | 88.1 |
| 2015 | 89.7 | 60.5 | 86.9 |
| 2014 | 82.5 | 52 | 86.2 |
| 2013 | 79.3 | 56.5 | 85.7 |
| 2012 | 76.4 | 55.3 | 84.9 |
| 2011 | 70 | 54.1 | 84.5 |
| 2010 | 70.2 | 48.8 | 83.5 |
| 2009 | 67.4 | 51.8 | 82.9 |
| 2008 | 66 | 50.6 | 82.7 |
| 2007 | 55 | 49.5 | 82 |
| 2006 | 57 | 48.4 | 81.4 |
| 2005 | 57.2 | 47.3 | 80.7 |
| 2004 | 53.5 | 46.2 | 80 |
| 2003 | 48 | 45.1 | 80 |
| 2002 | 46.3 | 47 | 79.1 |
| 2001 | 45.3 | 43 | 78.7 |
| 2000 | 42.6 | 41.9 | 78.2 |
| 1999 | 39.7 | – | 74.5 |
| 1998 | 36.9 | – | 73.2 |
| 1997 | 34.1 | – | – |
| 1996 | 31.3 | – | – |
| 1995 | 25 | – | – |
| 1994 | 25.6 | – | – |
| 1993 | 31 | – | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people with access to electricity, from national surveys and the power industry.
- Source: Tracking SDG 7 (World Bank ESMAP), via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 213 countries with a value in 2024, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Laos vs Myanmar (Burma)
Health
- Life expectancyLaos: 69 years in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 66.9 years in 2023
- Child mortalityLaos: 2.9 per 100 live births in 2024Myanmar (Burma): 3.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityLaos: 31.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 31.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterLaos: 17.9% in 2022Myanmar (Burma): 57.4% in 2022
- DepressionLaos: 2.91% in 2017Myanmar (Burma): 2.3% in 2017
- Suicide rateLaos: 8.4 per 100,000 people in 2017Myanmar (Burma): 5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationLaos: 7.67 million people in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 54.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthLaos: 1.38% a year in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 0.69% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateLaos: 2.42 births per woman in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 2.12 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationLaos: 40.3% in 2025Myanmar (Burma): 30.6% in 2025
- Median ageLaos: 24.3 years in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 29.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overLaos: 4.5% in 2023Myanmar (Burma): 7.1% in 2023
- Net migration rateLaos: -1.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Myanmar (Burma): -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingLaos: 0.19% of GDP in 2013Myanmar (Burma): 6.61% of GDP in 2024
- Military spending in US dollarsLaos: $21.8M in 2013Myanmar (Burma): $4.65B in 2024
- Military spending per personLaos: $3 in 2013Myanmar (Burma): $92 in 2024
- Military share of state spendingLaos: 0.8% of government spending in 2013Myanmar (Burma): 32% of government spending in 2024
- Armed forces personnelLaos: 129,000 people in 2020Myanmar (Burma): 463,000 people in 2020
- National powerLaos: 0.06% of world capability in 2022Myanmar (Burma): 0.53% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersLaos: 4.08% of the labour force in 2020Myanmar (Burma): 1.94% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsLaos: 7 million TIV in 2024Myanmar (Burma): 70 million TIV in 2025