Laos (Lao People's Democratic Republic)

Laos Lao People's Democratic Republic
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	161st best
Capital	Vientiane
Land Area	230 800km21
Location	Asia
Population	7.1m2
Life Expectancy	68.06yrs (2017)3
GNI	$7 700 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	LA, LAO, 4185
Internet Domain	.la6
Currency	Kip (LAK)7
Telephone	+8568

1. Overview
2. Laos National and Social Development
3. Laos's Demographics and Migration
4. Laos's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Laos's Health
6. Laos's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Laos's Modernity and Learning
8. National Culture
9. Peace Versus Instability
10. Economic Inequality and Poverty
11. Religion and Beliefs
12. Links

---

1. Overview

“Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997 and the WTO in 2013.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Laos, long a forgotten backwater, combines some of the best elements of Southeast Asia in one bite-sized destination. Pockets of pristine environment, a kaleidoscope of diverse cultures and quite possibly the most chilled-out people on earth have earned Laos cult status among travellers. Imagine a country where your pulse slows, smiles are genuine and the locals are still curious about you.Village life is refreshingly simple, and even in Vientiane it´s hard to believe this sort of languid riverfront life exists in a capital city. Magical Luang Prabang bears witness to hundreds of saffron-robed monks gliding through the streets in search of alms; it´s one of the region´s iconic images.Away from the cities, it´s easy to make a quick detour off the beaten track and end up in a fairytale landscape with jagged limestone cliffs, brooding jungle and the snaking Mekong River as a backdrop. Community-based trekking combines these natural attractions with a village homestay. The Lao people are wonderfully welcoming hosts and there is no better way to get to know their culture than by sharing their lives.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Laos National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
138	Sao Tome & Principe	0.618
139	Namibia	0.615
140=	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	0.607
140=	Laos	0.607
140=	Vanuatu	0.607
143	Nepal	0.602
144	Swaziland	0.597
145	Equatorial Guinea	0.596
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
120	Uzbekistan	$7 917
121	Cuba	$7 879
122	Vietnam	$7 867
123	Laos	$7 700
124	Swaziland	$7 679
125	Morocco	$7 303
126	Tonga	$6 822
127	India	$6 590
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	24.9
2	Norway	25.3
3	Sweden	27.7
	...
158	Benin	120.7
159	Madagascar	120.8
160	Djibouti	120.8
161	Laos	121.7
162	Malawi	121.8
163	Togo	121.8
164	Myanmar (Burma)	121.9
165	Nigeria	122.2
	Asia Avg	92.0
	World Avg	89.9
q=199.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Laos's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

Laos's population is predicted to rise to 7.754 million by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 2.45. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₃

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
101	Togo	7.9m
102	Sierra Leone	7.7m
103	Hong Kong	7.4m
104	Laos	7.1m
105	Bulgaria	7.1m
106	Paraguay	7.0m
107	Lebanon	6.9m
108	Libya	6.7m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
129	Guatemala	69.2
130	Moldova	68.8
131	Nepal	68.4
132	Laos	68.1
133	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	67.7
134	Sao Tome & Principe	67.6
135	Indonesia	67.6
136	Kiribati	67.4
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		202214
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
74=	Slovakia	1.57
74=	UK	1.57
76	Paraguay	2.44
77	Laos	2.45
78=	Denmark	1.55
78=	Slovenia	1.55
80	Chile	1.54
81	Fiji	2.46
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better15
Pos.		2016 Per 10015
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
51	UAE	07.7
52	Oman	07.8
53	Jordan	08.0
54	Laos	08.1
55	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	08.2
56	Belize	08.3
57	Gabon	08.5
58	Pakistan	08.6
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants16
Pos.		2017 %16
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
162	Mozambique	0.8%
163	Jamaica	0.8%
164	El Salvador	0.7%
165	Laos	0.7%
166	Nicaragua	0.7%
167	Nigeria	0.6%
168	Algeria	0.6%
169	Mongolia	0.6%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants17
Pos.		2010 %17
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
98	Netherlands	6.0%
99	Italy	5.8%
100	Benin	5.8%
101	Laos	5.7%
102	Turkey	5.6%
103	Comoros	5.6%
104	Congo, (Brazzaville)	5.6%
105	Togo	5.4%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Laos's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#antisemitism #equality #freedom #freethought #gender #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #laos #mass_media #misogyny #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #slavery #tolerance #women

Compared to Asia (2025)18
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18
1	Japan	34.5
2	Cyprus	40.5
3	Taiwan	43.7
	...
37	UAE	122.3
38	Cambodia	122.8
39	Oman	122.9
40	Laos	126.3
41	Brunei	132.7
42	Pakistan	133.7
43	Yemen	134.5
44	Iran	136.5
45	Syria	137.3
	Asia Avg	103.0
q=52.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)18
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18
1	Sweden	6.1
2	Denmark	8.6
3	Norway	9.0
	...
164	Cambodia	122.8
165	Oman	122.9
166	Togo	125.1
167	Laos	126.3
168	Comoros	126.8
169	Guinea-Bissau	127.3
170	Zimbabwe	129.1
171	Congo, (Brazzaville)	129.5
	World Avg	86.6
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway₁₉. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, N. Korea and Afghanistan₁₉.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₉, whereas the worst are Africa, The Middle East and Asia₁₉.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Press Freedom Higher is better20
Pos.		202520
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
146	Jordan	35.25
147	Uzbekistan	35.24
148	Bangladesh	33.71
149	Laos	33.22
150	India	32.96
151	Bhutan	32.62
152	Tajikistan	32.21
153	Yemen	31.45
	Asia Avg	39.69
	World Avg	54.65
q=179.

Laos is one of only 19 countries who in 2025 had better press freedom than in the 2010s.

Slavery Lower is better21
Pos.		2018 % Victims21
1	Japan	0.03
2=	Canada	0.05
2=	Taiwan	0.05
	...
143	Macedonia	0.87
144	Swaziland	0.88
145	Thailand	0.89
146	Laos	0.94
147	Papua New Guinea	1.03
148=	Belarus	1.09
148=	Brunei	1.09
150	Myanmar (Burma)	1.10
	Asia Avg	0.79
	World Avg	0.65
q=167.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better22
Pos.		2014 Rank22
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
106	Malawi	106
107	Thailand	107
108	Lebanon	108
109	Laos	109
110	Ivory Coast	110
111=	Ukraine	111
111=	Senegal	111
111=	Colombia	111
	Asia Avg	94.6
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
182	Russia	6.5
183=	Cuba	6.5
183=	Saudi Arabia	6.5
183=	Laos	6.5
183=	China	6.5
183=	Chad	6.5
183=	Burundi	6.5
183=	Swaziland	6.5
	Asia Avg	5.0
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better23
Pos.		2009 Treaties23
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
153	Swaziland	11
154=	Zimbabwe	11
155	Saudi Arabia	10
156=	Laos	10
156=	Solomon Islands	10
156=	Qatar	10
156=	Vatican City	10
156=	India	10
	Asia Avg	12.7
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better24
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty24
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
97	Afghanistan	10.23
98	Dominican Rep.	10.24
99	Kuwait	10.36
100	Laos	10.53
101	Cambodia	10.56
102	Ghana	10.64
103	Croatia	10.65
104	Zambia	10.81
	Asia Avg	10.97
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Laos stated:

“Prominent human rights defenders remained imprisoned. There was no progress in the investigation of various cases of enforced disappearance of activists and members of ethnic minorities. Members of the ChaoFa Hmong ethnic minority were continually blocked from adequate access to food, water, sanitation and healthcare. Trans-boundary hydropower projects and other business activities raised serious human rights concerns, including forced eviction, ill-treatment and human trafficking.”

"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₂₅

Gender Equality:

The 1950s saw a late rush of 43 countries, including Laos and many developing nations, move to cease preventing women from voting. Laos is an unequal country, with male rights dominating those of women.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree

Gender Inequality Lower is better26
Pos.		202226
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
112	Namibia	0.45
113	Jordan	0.45
114	Belize	0.46
115	Laos	0.46
116	Myanmar (Burma)	0.48
117	Guatemala	0.48
118	Mozambique	0.48
119	Botswana	0.49
	Asia Avg	0.33
	World Avg	0.34
q=166.

Data starts in 1998, so the 1990s average may be a little skewed due to too few datapoints.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
113=	Egypt	1956
113=	Comoros	1956
115	Malaysia	1957
116=	Laos	1958
116=	Hungary	1958
116=	Chad	1958
116=	Nigeria	1958
116=	Burkina Faso	1958
	Asia Avg	1907
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

Anti-Semite Opinions Lower is better27
Pos.		2014 %27
1	Laos	0
2	Philippines	3
3	Sweden	4
4	Netherlands	5
5	Vietnam	6
6	UK	8
7=	Denmark	9
7=	USA	9
9	Tanzania	12
10=	Thailand	13
10=	Czechia	13
12	Canada	14
	Asia Avg	48.2
	World Avg	36.8
q=101.

LGBT Equality Higher is better28
Pos.		2017 Score28
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
90=	Micronesia	20
90=	Armenia	20
92	Mozambique	17
93=	Laos	15
93=	Haiti	15
93=	Azerbaijan	15
93=	Equatorial Guinea	15
93=	Burkina Faso	15
	Asia Avg	-02.1
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better29
Pos.		202129
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
100	Spain	3.0
101=	Grenada	3.0
101=	Guatemala	3.0
101=	Laos	3.0
101=	Hungary	3.0
101=	India	3.0
101=	Cambodia	3.0
101=	Finland	3.0
	Asia Avg	3.7
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Laos's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #laos #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2025)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
1=	Japan	44.1
2	Hong Kong	48.2
3	Singapore	49.5
	...
42	Philippines	116.9
43	Tajikistan	118.2
44	Syria	122.2
45	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	124.4
46	Pakistan	127.9
47	Laos	135.6
48	Iraq	139.7
49=	Yemen	148.2
50	Afghanistan	155.0
	Asia Avg	80.9
q=50.

Health (2025)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
	...
166	Papua New Guinea	133.4
167	Rwanda	134.4
168	Sao Tome & Principe	134.9
169	Laos	135.6
170	Ghana	135.9
171	Iraq	139.7
172	Mauritania	140.8
173	Comoros	141.5
	World Avg	96.7
q=212.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man₃₁. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria₃₁.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans₃₁, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₁.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Laos is a pretty unhealthy country. Laos does better than average in its fertility rate₁₄. However Laos performs less well in most areas. It does worse than average in its smoking rate₃₂, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₃ (amongst the highest in Asia), its average life expectancy₁₁, its immunizations take-up₃₄, its alcohol consumption rate₃₅ (one of the highest in Asia) and in its adolescent birth rate₃₆ (one of the worst in Asia). The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Laos in 1990 was 53.7yrs, lower than the global average of 64.6. It improved by +14.4yrs in the 30 years from then, almost double the global average of +7.9yrs. Laos's peak fertility rate was 6.38 in 1984.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
129	Guatemala	69.2
130	Moldova	68.8
131	Nepal	68.4
132	Laos	68.1
133	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	67.7
134	Sao Tome & Principe	67.6
135	Indonesia	67.6
136	Kiribati	67.4
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better35
Pos.		2016 Per Capita35
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
150=	Swaziland	9.9
151	Spain	10.0
152	S. Korea	10.2
153=	Laos	10.4
153=	Greece	10.4
153=	Denmark	10.4
156	Cook Islands	10.6
157=	Australia	10.6
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		202214
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
74=	Slovakia	1.57
74=	UK	1.57
76	Paraguay	2.44
77	Laos	2.45
78=	Denmark	1.55
78=	Slovenia	1.55
80	Chile	1.54
81	Fiji	2.46
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Smoking Rates Lower is better32
Pos.		201432
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
109	Papua New Guinea	826
110	UK	827
111	Sweden	831
112	Laos	836
113	Iran	869
114	Thailand	895
115	Turkmenistan	92537
116	Chile	930
	Asia Avg	1 035
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
120	Seychelles	120
121	Guinea-Bissau	121
122	Argentina	122
123	Laos	123
124	Antigua & Barbuda	124
125	Burkina Faso	125
126	Mauritius	126
127	Congo, DR	127
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better38
Pos.		2016 %38
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
18	Myanmar (Burma)	24.8
19	Rwanda	25.1
20	Congo, DR	25.3
21	Laos	25.4
22	Kenya	25.5
23	Central African Rep.	26.2
24	Mozambique	26.4
25	Guinea	26.6
	Asia Avg	44.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better36
Pos.		2022 Per 100036
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
156	Paraguay	69.9
157	Nauru	71.1
158	Honduras	71.3
159	Laos	71.8
160	Bangladesh	73.3
161	Mauritania	76.8
162	Togo	77.0
163	Sao Tome & Principe	77.4
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better34
Pos.		2015 Avg %34
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
145	Zambia	84.2
146	Congo, (Brazzaville)	83.6
147	Cameroon	83.3
148	Laos	83.3
149	Djibouti	82.6
150	Uganda	82.5
151	Comoros	81.8
152	Marshall Islands	81.8
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Laos was amongst 49 countries in the 1990s who had an adolescent birth rate of over 100 (per 1000 girls aged 15-19).

6. Laos's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #food #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2023)39
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank39
1	India	54.3
2	Syria	57.5
3	Japan	59.6
	...
43	Cambodia	111.7
44	Mongolia	112.3
45	Israel	114.3
46	Pakistan	114.8
47	Laos	116.3
48=	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	118.5
49	Oman	119.0
50	Brunei	128.8
51	Myanmar (Burma)	135.2
	Asia Avg	88.8
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2023)39
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank39
1	Uruguay	46.1
2	Cuba	52.0
3	Fiji	53.7
	...
154	Congo, (Brazzaville)	115.6
155	Congo, DR	115.7
156	St Vincent & Grenadines	115.8
157	Laos	116.3
158	Angola	116.4
159	Guyana	116.6
160	Nicaragua	116.7
161	Panama	117.3
	World Avg	94.3
q=190.

Laos comes 157th in the world when it comes to its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is derived from 5 data sets. Laos does better than average in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₀ and in reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₁. And finally, it does worse than average in its environmental performance₄₂, how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₃.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better43
Pos.		Total43
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
170	Madagascar	-4.6%
171	Togo	-4.7%
172	Zambia	-4.8%
173	Laos	-4.8%
174	Zimbabwe	-5.1%
175	Panama	-5.2%
176	Samoa	-5.7%
177	Eritrea	-5.7%
	Asia Avg	3.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Environmental Performance Higher is better42
Pos.		201842
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
150	Cambodia	43.2
151	Solomon Islands	43.2
152	Iraq	43.2
153	Laos	42.9
154	Burkina Faso	42.8
155	Sierra Leone	42.5
156	Gambia	42.4
157	Congo, (Brazzaville)	42.4
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Convention on Biological Diversity Earlier is better
Pos.		Total Signed
1=	China	1993 Dec 29
1=	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
1=	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
	...
159	Qatar	1996 Nov 19
160	Bahrain	1996 Nov 28
161	Turkmenistan	1996 Dec 17
162	Laos	1996 Dec 19
163	Haiti	1996 Dec 24
164	Croatia	1997 Jan 05
165	Belgium	1997 Feb 20
166	Dominican Rep.	1997 Feb 23
	Asia Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better40
Pos.		2011 %40
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
47	Sudan	46.9%
48	Malaysia	46.6%
49	Mozambique	46.5%
50	Laos	45.3%
51	Slovenia	45.1%
52	Spain	44.8%
53	Tanzania	44.2%
54	Bosnia & Herzegovina	44.0%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better41
Pos.		2021 kg41
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
52	Sao Tome & Principe	28.3
53	Maldives	28.8
54	Egypt	29.1
55	Laos	29.8
56	Botswana	30.1
57	Nicaragua	31.5
58	Iran	31.6
59	Morocco	32.1
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

7. Laos's Modernity and Learning

#education #intelligence #it_security #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2020)44
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank44
1	S. Korea	22.2
2	Japan	24.7
3	Israel	29.5
	...
39	Nepal	116.8
40	Bangladesh	121.2
41	Bhutan	123.9
42	Laos	124.4
43	Iraq	124.6
44	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	125.5
45	Syria	126.9
46	Myanmar (Burma)	137.3
47	Cambodia	140.0
	Asia Avg	78.3
q=49.

Modernity & Learning (2020)44
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank44
1	Finland	7.1
2	Belgium	12.9
3	Denmark	13.6
	...
141	Rwanda	123.0
142	Bhutan	123.9
143	Guinea-Bissau	124.4
144	Laos	124.4
145	Iraq	124.6
146	Malawi	125.4
147	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	125.5
148	Vanuatu	125.6
	World Avg	86.3
q=190.

Modernity and Education:

Secondary Education Higher is better45
Pos.		201845
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
125	Syria	41.0%
126	Sao Tome & Principe	40.8%
127	Togo	40.5%
128	Laos	40.4%
129	Algeria	38.9%
130	Guatemala	37.8%
131	Pakistan	37.2%
132	Cameroon	37.2%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better46
Pos.		2021 Years46
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
164	Marshall Islands	10.2
165	Mozambique	10.2
166	Uganda	10.1
167	Laos	10.1
168	Madagascar	10.1
169	Honduras	10.1
170	Nigeria	10.1
171	Congo, DR	9.8
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
97	St Vincent & Grenadines	97
98	Zimbabwe	98
99	Panama	99
100	Laos	100
101	Cameroon	101
102	Peru	102
103	Cape Verde	103
104	Swaziland	104
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

IQ Higher is better47
Pos.		200647
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
57=	Kyrgyzstan	90
57=	Chile	90
59	Costa Rica	89
60=	Laos	89
61	Ecuador	88
62=	Mexico	88
63	Brazil	87
64=	Bolivia	87
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users Higher is better48
Pos.		201648
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
161=	Mauritania	17%
161=	S. Sudan	17%
163	Gambia	17%
164	Laos	16%
165	Namibia	16%
166	Turkmenistan	15%
167	Bangladesh	13%
168	Iraq	13%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IT Security Lower is better49
Pos.		201349
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
35	Ivory Coast	0.82
36	Ethiopia	0.84
37	Iran	0.85
38	Laos	0.86
39	Spain	0.88
40	Kuwait	0.93
41	Saudi Arabia	0.93
42	Malaysia	0.96
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better50
Pos.		2017 Ratio50
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
102=	Colombia	0.0
102=	Ghana	0.0
102=	Yemen	0.0
102=	Laos	0.0
102=	Malta	0.0
102=	Turkmenistan	0.0
102=	Bangladesh	0.0
102=	Qatar	0.0
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better51
Pos.		202451
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
100	Nigeria	32.7%
101	Iran	32.5%
102	Namibia	32.1%
103	Laos	31.5%
104	Guatemala	31.0%
105	Nepal	30.3%
106	Venezuela	30.1%
107	Zambia	30.1%
	Asia Avg	46.4%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. National Culture

#charity #corruption #happiness #laos #morals #politics

World Giving Index Higher is better52
Pos.		2022 %52
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
114=	Italy	29.0
114=	Armenia	29.0
116	Tunisia	28.0
117	Laos	27.0
118	Portugal	26.0
119	Lebanon	24.0
120	Egypt	23.0
121	S. Korea	22.0
	Asia Avg	37.9
	World Avg	39.6
q=125.

Corruption Higher is better53
Pos.		2022 Points53
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
124	Dominican Rep.	32.0
125=	Niger	32.0
126	Uzbekistan	31.0
127=	Laos	31.0
127=	Mexico	31.0
127=	Bolivia	31.0
130	Egypt	30.0
131=	Mauritania	30.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Thoughout the 2000s, Laos's score on the Corruption Perception Index declined terribly; it was amongst the 10 countries with the worse rise in perceived corruption that decade.

Happiness Higher is better54
Pos.		2024 Score54
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
90=	Tajikistan	5.4
91	Georgia	5.4
92	Nepal	5.3
93	Laos	5.3
94	Turkey	5.3
95	S. Africa	5.2
96	Mozambique	5.2
97	Gabon	5.1
	Asia Avg	5.41
	World Avg	5.58
q=147.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
142	Malawi	142
143	Benin	143
144	Cameroon	144
145	Laos	145
146	Nigeria	146
147	Equatorial Guinea	147
148	Angola	148
149	Zambia	149
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
109	Thailand	109
110	Ecuador	110
111	Malawi	111
112	Laos	112
113	China	113
114	S. Africa	114
115	Cape Verde	115
116	Russia	116
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

9. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index Lower is better55
Pos.		2023 Score55
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
43	S. Korea	1.76
44	Mongolia	1.77
45	Montenegro	1.77
46	Laos	1.78
47	Sierra Leone	1.79
48	Oman	1.79
49	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	1.80
50	Uruguay	1.80
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
102	Lesotho	102
103	Antigua & Barbuda	103
104	Latvia	104
105	Laos	105
106	Mozambique	106
107	Poland	107
108	Ukraine	108
109	Belgium	109
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
156	Ivory Coast	156
157	St Lucia	157
158	Vietnam	158
159	Laos	159
160	Equatorial Guinea	160
161	Fiji	161
162	Tonga	162
163	Brunei	163
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better56
Pos.		2019 Score56
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
53=	Vietnam	1.00
53=	Montenegro	1.00
55	Taiwan	1.01
56	Laos	1.03
57	Armenia	1.17
58	Senegal	1.19
59	Morocco	1.22
60	Guatemala	1.33
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better57
Pos.		201957
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
136	Namibia	22.10
137=	Kenya	22.50
137=	Bolivia	22.50
139	Laos	22.60
140=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	22.80
140=	Myanmar (Burma)	22.80
140=	Gabon	22.80
143	Turkmenistan	23.40
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better58
Pos.		2023 %58
1	Slovakia	24.1%59
2	Slovenia	24.3%59
3	Belarus	24.4%60
	...
110=	Kenya	38.7%59
111	El Salvador	38.8%61
112=	Gambia	38.8%60
112=	Laos	38.8%62
114	Bulgaria	39.0%59
115	Tuvalu	39.1%63
116	Suriname	39.2%61
117	Morocco	39.5%64
	Asia Avg	33.0%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167.

Income inequality data is rarely available for Laos - only for 6 years between 1980 and 2019.

Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better65
Pos.		2018 Severity65
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
	...
48	Honduras	.090
49	Sao Tome & Principe	.092
50	Bolivia	.094
51	Laos	.108
52	Congo, (Brazzaville)	.112
53	India	.123
54	Guatemala	.134
55	Zimbabwe	.137
	Asia Avg	.084
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion

Disbelief In God (2007)66
Pos.		Higher is better %66
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
47=	Cambodia	7
48	Moldova	6
49=	Italy	6
50	Laos	5
51=	Ireland	5
51=	Mozambique	5
53	Zimbabwe	4
54=	Namibia	4
54=	Iran	4
54=	Mexico	4
54=	Portugal	4
54=	Romania	4
54=	Argentina	4
54=	Georgia	4
54=	Uzbekistan	4
62	Lebanon	3
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₆₇:

Christian	1.5%
Muslim	0.1%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	66%
Folk Religion	30.7%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.9%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Buddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)₆₈.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₆₉, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Laos states:

“The constitution provides for freedom of religion or belief. However, other laws and policies restrict this right. The prime minister's Decree on Religious Practice (Decree 92) is the principal legal instrument defining rules for religious practice; it institutionalizes the government's role as the final arbiter of permissible religious activities. Although the government does not recognize an official state religion, the government's exemption of Buddhism from many of the Decree 92 restrictions, sponsorship of Buddhist facilities, incorporation of Buddhist ritual and ceremony in state functions, and promotion of Buddhism as an element of the country's cultural and spiritual identity give Theravada Buddhism an elevated status₇₀.”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₇₁

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?