Laos
GDP growth in Laos
GDP growth in Laos: 10% a year in 1980 and 4.8% a year in 2025, by IMF estimates.
- Latest, 2025
- 4.8% a year
- Since 1980
- −5.2 percentage points
- Rank, 2025
- 39 of 143
- counting from the highest
- Projected, 2031
- 3% a year
- IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)
% a year · IMF
What the numbers say
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts it at 3% a year in 2031.
- The highest was 15.3% a year in 1981, the lowest -2.1% a year in 1988.
Every year
% a year · IMF
| Year | Laos |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.8 |
| 2024 | 13.5 |
| 2023 | 3.7 |
| 2022 | 2.3 |
| 2021 | 2.1 |
| 2020 | -0.4 |
| 2019 | 4.7 |
| 2018 | 6.2 |
| 2017 | 6.9 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2015 | 7.3 |
| 2014 | 7.6 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2012 | 7.8 |
| 2011 | 8 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2009 | 7.4 |
| 2008 | 7.8 |
| 2007 | 7.9 |
| 2006 | 9 |
| 2005 | 6.9 |
| 2004 | 7.2 |
| 2003 | 6.2 |
| 2002 | 6.8 |
| 2001 | 4.8 |
| 2000 | 6.4 |
| 1999 | 4 |
| 1998 | 4.3 |
| 1997 | 6.9 |
| 1996 | 6.9 |
| 1995 | 7 |
| 1994 | 8.2 |
| 1993 | 5.9 |
| 1992 | 7 |
| 1991 | 4 |
| 1990 | 6.7 |
| 1989 | 9.9 |
| 1988 | -2.1 |
| 1987 | -1 |
| 1986 | 4.8 |
| 1985 | 9.1 |
| 1984 | 6.4 |
| 1983 | 3 |
| 1982 | 4.7 |
| 1981 | 15.3 |
| 1980 | 10 |
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | Laos |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.5 |
| 2027 | 4.5 |
| 2028 | 4 |
| 2029 | 3.5 |
| 2030 | 3 |
| 2031 | 3 |
Good to know
- How much the economy grew or shrank in a year, after inflation.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 143 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Laos in numbers
Every measure for Laos on one page
Health
People
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending0.19% of GDP in 2013
- Military spending in US dollars$21.8M in 2013
- Military spending per person$3 in 2013
- Military share of state spending0.8% of government spending in 2013
- Armed forces personnel129,000 people in 2020
- National power0.06% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workers4.08% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms imports7 million TIV in 2024