Population and Demographics of Laos
Population changed +1.37% in 2024 · median age 25 years
The age structure puts 65.13% in the 15-to-64 band, leaving a 25.53-point gap between children and older adults. The medium projection reaches 9.76 million in 2050, placing the mid-century total 25.6% above 2024.
Population Over Time in Laos
Over the 24 years from 2000 to 2024, Laos added roughly 2.34 million people, leaving the 2024 total at 7.770M. Looking ahead, the medium projection points to 9.757M in 2050, 25.6% higher than the 2024 level. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
The broad age bands show a young population structure in Laos. Children under 15 make up 30.20% of the population, compared with 4.67% aged 65 or older, and 65.13% are 15 to 64. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
In the World Bank 2024 series, females account for 49.8% of Laos's population and males 50.2%. The split is close to even.
Female and male population share
Males made up 50.2% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.8% females.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Annual change of +1.37% is one part of Laos's 2024 profile; fertility of 2.4 is another, as the working-age group accounts for 65.13% of the population.
Laos is 43.1% larger than its 2000 population in the 2024 reference year, and the UN medium projection subsequently changes the total +25.6% by 2050; separate component statistics would be needed to attribute the movement.
2024 estimate for Laos. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Laos vs. World
Relative to the 2024 world benchmarks, Laos's population change is higher than the global rate, its fertility is above the global level, and its population is younger than the corresponding global median-age profile.
| Indicator | Laos | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +1.37% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 2.4 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 25 | 30.6 | 2024 |
All three comparison rows use 2024 values from the same harmonized country table. That table attributes its demographic series to UN World Population Prospects 2024, so no different-year values are mixed into this comparison.
Key Takeaways
The 2024 total is 7,769,819 people. Annual change in the same harmonized table is +1.37%.
Broad age shares show 4.67% aged 65+ compared with 30.20% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 65.13%.
Females make up 49.8% of the 2024 population in the World Bank indicator, with males at 50.2%.
On the medium path, 2050 reaches 9.757M, a +25.6% shift from the 2024 level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Laos?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Laos is 7,769,819 people.
Is the population of Laos growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Laos's population is growing, with annual change of +1.37%.
What percentage of the population of Laos is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 4.67% of Laos's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Laos in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Laos's 2050 population at 9,757,285.
What is the fertility rate in Laos?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Laos is 2.4 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.