Laos vs Myanmar (Burma)
Laos vs Myanmar (Burma): Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 56.6% in Laos and 42% in Myanmar (Burma), by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Laos, by 14.7 percentage points, or 1.35 times that in Myanmar (Burma).
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- Laos has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2024, Laos ranked 41 and Myanmar (Burma) ranked 75 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | Laos | Myanmar (Burma) | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 56.6 | 42 | – |
| 2023 | 56.8 | 42.4 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 56.9 | 42.9 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 57.1 | 43.3 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 57.3 | 43.7 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 57.4 | 44.2 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 57.5 | 44.6 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 57.7 | 45.1 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 57.8 | 45.5 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 57.9 | 45.9 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 58.2 | 46.4 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 58.4 | 46.8 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 58.7 | 47.3 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 58.9 | 47.7 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 59.2 | 48.1 | 32 |
| 2009 | 59.4 | 48.7 | 32 |
| 2008 | 59.5 | 49.2 | 32 |
| 2007 | 59.7 | 49.7 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 59.9 | 50.2 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 60 | 50.7 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 60.2 | 51.3 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 60.4 | 51.8 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 60.5 | 52.3 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 60.7 | 52.8 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 60.9 | 53.4 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 61 | 54 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 61.2 | 54.7 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 61.3 | 55.4 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 61.5 | 56 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 61.6 | 56.7 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 61.8 | 57.4 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 61.9 | 58 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 62.1 | 58.7 | 33 |
| 1991 | 62.2 | 59.3 | – |
| 1990 | 62.4 | 60 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
- Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 209 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