Destinations › Asia · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Laos.
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam. 236,800 sq km and 7,873,046 people, landlocked, with no coastline at all, tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April).
Region · AsiaPopulation · ~7,873,046Languages · Lao (official), Khmu, Hmong, and around 80 other languagesEco Index · 67/100 · Passable
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Conservation
Wildlife
Water
Food & farming
Organic & clean
Climate & energy
Waste
Health
Heritage
Ownership
Governance
Future
The History of Laos.
Laos holds a deeply living heritage. The lam vong circle dance and lam singing accompanied by the khaen mouth organ, inscribed by UNESCO, are performed across the country.
Where the name comes from
Lao PDR in its own usage. The name is for the Lao people; the plural 's' was added by the French. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
The land itself: rugged mountains for the most part, with plains and plateaus between them. Its high point is Phou Bia, 2,817 m. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
Where it starts
The oldest in mainland Asia
Fossils from Tam Pa Ling, the Cave of the Monkeys in northern Laos, date to between 86,000 and 68,000 years ago and are the oldest evidence of modern humans anywhere in mainland Southeast Asia. The cave records human presence repeatedly across tens of thousands of years. Later, thousands of carved stone jars, some three metres tall, were placed across the Xiangkhoang plateau as part of burial practice, from around 1200 BC.
How it got here
Lan Xang, and the bombing
The kingdom of Lan Xang was founded in 1353 and held much of the middle Mekong. Luang Prabang and Vientiane became centres of Theravada Buddhism, manuscript writing and temple building. Laos became part of French Indochina in 1893 and independent in 1953. Between 1964 and 1973 it became the most heavily bombed country per person in history, and unexploded ordnance still covers much of the land. The monarchy ended in 1975. The Plain of Jars was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2019.
The timeline
c. 86,000 to 68,000 years ago
Tam Pa Ling.
Fossils from the Cave of the Monkeys are the oldest evidence of modern humans in mainland Southeast Asia. ↗
c. 46,000 years ago
A long sequence.
The same cave records human presence repeatedly across tens of thousands of years. ↗
c. 1200 BC to AD 500
The Plain of Jars.
Thousands of carved stone jars, some three metres tall, are placed across the Xiangkhoang plateau as part of burial practice. ↗
c. 1353
Lan Xang.
The kingdom of a million elephants is founded, holding much of the middle Mekong. ↗
1500s to 1700s
Buddhist statecraft.
Luang Prabang and Vientiane become centres of Theravada Buddhism, manuscript writing and temple building. ↗
1893 to 1953
French rule.
Laos becomes part of French Indochina and gains independence in 1953. ↗
1964 to 1973
Bombing.
Laos became the most heavily bombed country per person in history, and unexploded ordnance still covers much of the land. ↗
1975
The republic.
The monarchy ends in 1975 and a people's republic is declared, after a civil war fought alongside the war in Vietnam. Laos had by then been bombed more heavily per head than any country in history, and unexploded ordnance still kills. ↗
2019
World Heritage.
The Plain of Jars is inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2019: carved stone jars made in the Iron Age for purposes still argued over. Clearance of unexploded bombs had to come first. ↗
About 18.8% of Laos lay inside terrestrial protected areas in 2024 (World Bank), including a network of National Protected Areas. Enforcement is weak, with documented illegal logging and wildlife trade, so paper coverage overstates real protection. The Golden Triangle border zone is a notorious wildlife-trafficking hub.
Is wild Laos protected? 18.8% of the land is, against a 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in Laos?
Forest cover71.8%
Terrestrial protected area18.8%
215 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Laos. GBIF holds 26 verified occurrence records.
Crested Argus (Rheinardia ocellata)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Laos. GBIF holds 54 verified occurrence records.
Yellow Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Laos. GBIF holds 20 verified occurrence records.
Burmese Rosewood (Dalbergia oliveri)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Laos. GBIF holds 20 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Laos filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
Botanical garden in Khammouane, mapped and named in the open record for Laos. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Laos.
Laos sits across the Mekong and its tributaries and holds abundant surface freshwater, so physical scarcity is not the core problem. The World Bank and JMP record 85.2% of the population using at least basic drinking water in 2020, up from 46% in 2000, but rural coverage and treatment lag. Large hydropower dams on the Mekong system have reshaped flows and fisheries.
Does Laos have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
35.2% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Coverage is well short of universal, so a visitor should not assume the tap is safe.
Cleanest water: Upper Nam Ou and the mountain streams of the north.
How much fresh water does Laos have, per person?
25,188 m³
Laos
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Laos withdraws about 7,350 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 4.8% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as no water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 96%, homes and towns 2%, industry 2%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
Where does the sewage go?
71.4%
of people have safely managed sanitation
71.4% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). The rest is what the rivers and the coast receive.
Is the tap water safe in Laos?
35.2% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 25,188 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 0 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 3.9% of what Laos renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit Laos? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does Laos actually have?
Nature renews about 25,188 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Laos 184 of 208 countries measured, placing it among the 30 best-watered countries measured. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
Agriculture supports a large majority of Laotians and glutinous rice is grown nationwide, leaving the country broadly self-sufficient in its staple. Farming is overwhelmingly smallholder and low-input, with home gardens, foraged greens and river fish supplementing rice. Food imports are modest relative to domestic production.
Where does the food in Laos come from?
12.7% imported
about US$1,312m a year
On the plate: Sticky (glutinous) rice, larb, papaya salad (tam mak hoong), bamboo shoots, fresh herbs.
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Larb51%
Bamboo shoots33%
Fresh herbs24%
1 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$1,312m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
About 12.7% of everything Laos buys in from abroad is food, roughly 1 in every 10 imported items on the dock (2023, World Bank). Farming itself is 16.6% of the economy and 9.9% of the land is agricultural, of which 5.3% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Laos? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined62.9%
Diabetes6.7%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 31%.
Can Laos feed itself?
5.3%
Arable land
9.9%
Agricultural land
2,504,122
Farmers
3,024,565
Arable acres
16.6%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Wet-season rice harvested roughly October to December; Bolaven Plateau coffee from October to February.
Feeding itself
Agriculture supports a large majority of Laotians and glutinous rice is grown nationwide, leaving the country broadly self-sufficient in its staple. Farming is overwhelmingly smallholder and low-input, with home gardens, foraged greens and river fish supplementing rice.
Certification
FiBL records about 3,266 hectares of certified organic farmland, roughly 0.1% of agricultural land in 2020. Much smallholder farming is de facto low-chemical but uncertified.
Water for crops
Laos sits across the Mekong and its tributaries and holds abundant surface freshwater, so physical scarcity is not the core problem. The World Bank and JMP record 85.2% of the population using at least basic drinking water in 2020, up from 46% in 2000, but rural coverage and treatment lag.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Laos, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 9.9% of the country is agricultural land and 5.3% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Laos are cassava, rice and sugarcane (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Buy direct where residents buy: Ban Anou Night Market, Ban Khone Lay small market, Dry Goods Market, Hga Market, Mai Market, Nam Ngam Market. Each is a mapped, named marketplace, so the money stays with the seller rather than the importer. OpenStreetMap.
Laos generates most of its electricity from hydropower and exports large volumes to neighbours, earning it the label battery of Southeast Asia. Emissions are modest at roughly 3.3 tonnes of CO2 per person, and the country has pledged net zero by 2050 with a large conditional cut by 2030. Its clean hydro base lifts the score, but the Hongsa lignite plant, further coal in the pipeline and heavy deforestation weigh against it. Big dams also carry serious social and ecological costs that temper the clean energy picture.
What powers Laos?
Renewable 76.7%Fossil 23.3%
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
3.35 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
3.35 tonnes
The grid
Laos generates most of its electricity from hydropower and exports large volumes to neighbours, earning it the label battery of Southeast Asia. Emissions are modest at roughly 3.35 tonnes of CO2 per person, and the country has pledged net zero by 2050 with a large conditional cut by 2030.
Pollution
Annual mean PM2.5 was about 29.6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (IQAir), well above the WHO guideline, driven partly by dry-season agricultural and forest burning that blankets the north each March and April. There is no comprehensive national single-use plastic ban and municipal waste systems are limited.
Water stress
Laos sits across the Mekong and its tributaries and holds abundant surface freshwater, so physical scarcity is not the core problem. The World Bank and JMP record 85.2% of the population using at least basic drinking water in 2020, up from 46% in 2000, but rural coverage and treatment lag.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.24%
2IndustryMekong hydropower impacts, illegal logging and Golden Triangle wildlife trade; avoid captive-elephant riding and wildlife markets..named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.29.6
4On the recordAnnual mean PM2.5 was about 29.6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (IQAir), well above the WHO guideline, driven partly by dry-season agricultural and forest burning that blankets the north each March and April.
What has Laos promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today63.3% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target18.8% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in policy document; in political pledge. Measured against it, 63.3% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 36.7% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year3.35 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
New York return, economy2.43 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy2.31 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy1.69 t CO2e
London return, economy1.68 t CO2e
Paris return, economy1.66 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Laos emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Laos.
Data centres
3
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
76.7 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Laos?
A machine here runs mostly on renewables, but not entirely.
Renewable 76.7%Fossil 23.3%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 63.3% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Laos has 3 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Vientiane (2), Chanthabouly (1). Named sites include ETL, GDMS LAO DC, Besttelecom.
62% residents to 38% visitors across a year. 4,791,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 7,873,046 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Laos
886k
Visitors a year
0.1
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Laos?· for every $100 Laos earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 2022 peak
$ 116The worst year on the IMF record. Laos owed $116 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2022signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 75What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 52The IMF's own forecast has this falling to $52 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Laos earns in a year, it owes $75 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Laos?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 4,791,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 7,873,046 residents, 0.6 visitors for every resident (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Laos is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is only 12.7% of everything Laos imports (2023, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, cassava, root vegetables, rice, sugarcane, vegetables, bananas, maize, rubber, coffee, watermelons, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown
4
The power
63.3% of the electricity is renewable (2021, World Bank), so the energy on the bill is mostly generated inside the country rather than shipped in.
made at home
5
What actually stays
Of the two parts of a visitor's bill that can be measured here, the plate and the power stay inside Laos. This is not an economy where a visitor's money drains away, and the board is shorter for it.
most of it
6
Pay the bank first
Laos owes $75 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$75 per $100
7
A spread hand
The largest single export, ores, slag and ash, is 16.0% of the total (2023, UN Comtrade). No one shock can take the whole board.
top export 16.0%
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 3.5% of everything Laos makes from exports (2020, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
3.5% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From New York a return economy seat is 2.43 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
2.43 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$19 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$19bn
GDPUS$18.3bn
Agriculture, share of GDP16.6%
Visitors a year886,400
Visitors per resident0.1
Residents~7,873,046
Agriculture
Farming is 16.6% of the economy. Agriculture supports a large majority of Laotians and glutinous rice is grown nationwide, leaving the country broadly self-sufficient in its staple.
Natural materials
Laos retains a living handloom tradition of silk and cotton weaving, natural dyeing and intricate ethnic textiles, still worn and sold across the country. Bamboo and rattan basketry and sticky-rice baskets are everyday household items.
Energy
Laos generates most of its electricity from hydropower and exports large volumes to neighbours, earning it the label battery of Southeast Asia. Emissions are modest at roughly 3.35 tonnes of CO2 per person, and the country has pledged net zero by 2050 with a large conditional cut by 2030.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Laos?
By rooms · company records and press.
The Gibbon Experience · ~6 roomsIndependentnot published
The Namkhan Resort · ~30 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
20154,684k
20164,239k
20173,869k
20184,186k
20194,791k
2020886k
International tourism receipts run at about US$0.23 billion in 2020 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 3.5% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking what the land here grows, cassava, root vegetables, rice, sugarcane, vegetables, bananas, maize, rubber, coffee and watermelons, over an imported menu. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use Slow buses, Mekong riverboats, the new China to Laos railway, and motorbikes; domestic flights link the main towns.
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
A mountainous, heavily forested Mekong nation where subsistence rice farming, hill-tribe weaving and Buddhist village life remain the norm, though logging, dams and dry-season burning weigh on the environment.
Best time: Cool, dry season.
Getting around
Slow buses, Mekong riverboats, the new China to Laos railway, and motorbikes; domestic flights link the main towns.
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate that actually grows here is cassava, root vegetables, rice, sugarcane, vegetables, bananas, maize, rubber, coffee and watermelons. Ordering those keeps the money with the grower and cuts the imported share of the meal.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
None of the 2 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Laos.
How well is Laos actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Laos scores 33 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That matters here because every pledge on this page is only as good as the machinery meant to deliver it.
How well is Laos run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 28 of 100
Control of corruption scores 28 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is below the halfway mark of governments measured.
28
Freedom and rights, scored 31 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 31.1 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Room to question the government publicly is limited.
31
Government effectiveness, scored 40 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 40 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated below average, so a pledge on paper is not the same as a pledge kept.
40
Income equality, scored 35 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 34.7 (2024, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Below 40 is the level usually treated as manageable, and Laos sits inside it.
35
LGBTQ+ status: MixedSolo female travel: Easy75.6% adult literacyIndustry to avoid: Mekong hydropower impacts, illegal logging and Golden Triangle wildlife trade; avoid captive-elephant riding and wildlife markets.
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Slow buses, Mekong riverboats, the new China to Laos railway, and motorbikes; domestic flights link the main towns.
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 29.6. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest Northern highlands outside the March to April burning season.
·Tap water Not drinkable
✓What to drink Bottled water everywhere; avoid ice outside tourist-grade venues.
✓Plastic rules No comprehensive national ban; localised reduction efforts only.
✓Sockets and voltage Type A/B/C, 220V (varies)
75.6%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 1.2% of GDP and 8.2% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 50.5% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2023 to 2025).
Made in Laos.
Laos retains a living handloom tradition of silk and cotton weaving, natural dyeing and intricate ethnic textiles, still worn and sold across the country. Bamboo and rattan basketry and sticky-rice baskets are everyday household items. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Laos actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Laos sells the world is ores, slag and ash, 16.0% of all exports in 2023 (about US$0.96 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are pearls, gemstones and precious metals at 12.0%, paper and paperboard at 7.7%, fertilisers at 6.8%, vegetables at 6.1%.
Made now · natural materials
Laos retains a living handloom tradition of silk
Worked in Laos from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Cotton weaving
Worked in Laos from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Natural dyeing
Worked in Laos from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Intricate ethnic textiles
Worked in Laos from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Still worn
Worked in Laos from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Sold across the country. Bamboo
Worked in Laos from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Buys in · 19.0% of imports
Mineral fuels and oils
Laos imported US$1.34 billion of mineral fuels and oils in 2023, 19.0% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 11.3% of imports
Machinery and mechanical appliances
Laos imported US$0.80 billion of machinery and mechanical appliances in 2023, 11.3% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 10.0% of imports
Vehicles
Laos imported US$0.71 billion of vehicles in 2023, 10.0% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 8.4% of imports
Electrical machinery and electronics
Laos imported US$0.59 billion of electrical machinery and electronics in 2023, 8.4% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Laos produces about US$18 billion a year, which is roughly US$2,325 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 16.6% of that, while food is 12.7% of everything the country imports. With 5.3% of the land arable, the raw material for that is already in the ground.
A living tradition of Laos, still practised rather than archived.
Khaen mouth organ music
A living tradition of Laos, still practised rather than archived.
Lam singing
A living tradition of Laos, still practised rather than archived.
Baci su khwan soul calling ceremony
A living tradition of Laos, still practised rather than archived.
Phi spirit ancestral traditions alongside Theravada BuddhismA living tradition of Laos, still practised rather than archived.
Hmong qeej musicA living tradition of Laos, still practised rather than archived.
Does Laos protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Laos holds a deeply living heritage. The lam vong circle dance and lam singing accompanied by the khaen mouth organ, inscribed by UNESCO, are performed across the country. The baci or su khwan soul calling ceremony and phi spirit traditions coexist with Theravada Buddhism as everyday ancestral practice.
Who it belongs to. Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups whose village life, animist and Buddhist traditions and crafts remain vital. Community-based and homestay tourism around places such as Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw channels some income directly to villages. Benefits are uneven and large projects can bypass communities.
Only here. The Plain of Jars, thousands of Iron Age stone jars, a UNESCO World Heritage site (inscribed 2019)..
Three futures for Laos, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: Luangprabang National Museum (Luang Prabang), Kaysone Museum (Vientiane Capital), Lao Textile Museum (Vientiane Capital), Lao People's Army History Museum (Vientiane Capital), Kaysone Phomvihane Museum (Vientiane Capital). OpenStreetMap. Named craft workshops on the open map: Boutsaya Art and Craft, Navang Handcraft Shop, Taibān.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
-6%
Forest cover
1995: 76.4 % → 2023: 71.5 %
-36%
Renewable electricity
2001: 99.7 % → 2021: 63.3 %
+4092%
CO2 per person
1995: 0.08 t → 2024: 3.35 t
+156%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 346 k → 2020: 886 k
+13%
Protected land
2013: 16.7 % → 2025: 18.8 %
-23%
Farm workforce
1995: 89.3 % → 2025: 68.6 %
+35%
Agricultural land
1995: 7.37 % → 2023: 9.91 %
+133%
Urban population
1995: 17.3 % → 2025: 40.3 %
-32%
Air pollution
1995: 38.2 µg/m³ → 2023: 26 µg/m³
-35%
Fresh water per person
1995: 38625.3 m³ → 2022: 25188.5 m³
+160%
Adult overweight
1995: 11.9 % → 2022: 31 %
+286%
Electricity access
1995: 25 % → 2024: 96.5 %
+549%
GDP per person
1995: 358 → 2025: 2325
+60%
Population
1995: 4929 k → 2025: 7873 k
-43%
Renewable energy use
1995: 85.6 % → 2022: 49.2 %
+197%
Energy per person
2000: 296.8 kg → 2023: 880.6 kg
+13%
Protected area, total
2013: 16.7 % → 2025: 18.8 %
+23%
Life expectancy
1995: 56.3 yrs → 2024: 69.2 yrs
+68%
Cereal yield
1995: 2493 ha → 2024: 4196 ha
+936%
Fertiliser use
1995: 7.5 ha → 2023: 77.4 ha
-28%
Rural population
1995: 82.7 % → 2025: 59.7 %
+38%
Water productivity
2005: 1.93 $/m3 → 2022: 2.66 $/m3
-69%
Health spending
2000: 4.28 % → 2023: 1.33 %
-6%
Forest area
1995: 176340 km2 → 2023: 164920 km2
+1315%
Electric power use
2000: 117.7 kWh → 2023: 1665 kWh
+94%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 6.4 e → 2023: 12.3 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 76.4% to 71.5% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 99.7% to 63.3% across 20 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 0.1 t to 3.4 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 346k to 886k across 25 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 16.7% to 18.8% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 89.3% to 68.6% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 7.4% to 9.9% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 17.3% to 40.3% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 38.2 µg/m³ to 26.0 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 38625.3 m³ to 25188.5 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 11.9% to 31.0% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 25.0% to 96.5% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 358 to 2325 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 4929k to 7873k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 85.6% to 49.2% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 296.83 kg to 880.6 kg across 23 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 16.7% to 18.8% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 56.34 yrs to 69.22 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 2493 kg/ha to 4196 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 7.47 kg/ha to 77.41 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 82.72% to 59.69% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 1.93 $/m3 to 2.66 $/m3 across 17 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 4.28% to 1.33% across 23 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 176340 km2 to 164920 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 117.65 kWh to 1665 kWh across 23 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 6.35 to 12.31 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, recycling at 1/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Laos already shows it can do this: heritage scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift recycling
It scores 1 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Laos's record. Laos has no reliable national municipal recycling rate and formal kerbside recycling is largely absent. Recovery happens mainly through informal waste pickers collecting metal and plastic for resale. Scored from documented waste-management reality rather than a published rate. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift organic farming
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Laos's record. FiBL records about 3,266 hectares of certified organic farmland, roughly 0.1% of agricultural land in 2020. Much smallholder farming is de facto low-chemical but uncertified. Certified organic remains a small, largely export-oriented niche. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift pollution
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Laos's record. Annual mean PM2.5 was about 29.6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (IQAir), well above the WHO guideline, driven partly by dry-season agricultural and forest burning that blankets the north each March and April. There is no comprehensive national single-use plastic ban and municipal waste systems are limited. Litter and open burning of rubbish are common outside the main towns. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Laos.
Who is in charge of Laos now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
Sonexay Siphandone
Prime Minister
Sonexay Siphandone is the head of government of Laos, in office since 30 December 2022. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 31.1 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 28 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 75.4 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 44.2 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 44.8 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Sonexay SiphandonePrime Minister
National Assembly (Sapha Heng Xat)Legislature, unicameral
Next electionMarch 2026
Last election22 March 2021
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1947
Government typecommunist party-led state
Laos national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Policy Document<br>In Political Pledge
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Policy Document (5/12/2021) In Political Pledge (12/12/2020) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
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Is Laos sustainable?
Laos scores 67 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. A mountainous, heavily forested Mekong nation where subsistence rice farming, hill-tribe weaving and Buddhist village life remain the norm, though logging, dams and dry-season burning weigh on the environment.
Is the water in Laos safe and plentiful?
Laos sits across the Mekong and its tributaries and holds abundant surface freshwater, so physical scarcity is not the core problem. The World Bank and JMP record 85.2% of the population using at least basic drinking water in 2020, up from 46% in 2000, but rural coverage and treatment lag. Large hydropower dams on the Mekong system have reshaped flows and fisheries.
Can Laos feed itself?
Agriculture supports a large majority of Laotians and glutinous rice is grown nationwide, leaving the country broadly self-sufficient in its staple. Farming is overwhelmingly smallholder and low-input, with home gardens, foraged greens and river fish supplementing rice. Food imports are modest relative to domestic production.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Laos?
Lao food is built on sticky rice, fresh herbs, bamboo shoots, foraged leaves and vegetables, with meat and fish often used sparingly in rural households. Markets overflow with fresh produce and unprocessed staples, so plant-based eating is easy and cheap. Padaek fermented fish is common, so strict vegans should check dishes.
How much of Laos is actually protected?
About 18.8% of Laos lay inside terrestrial protected areas in 2024 (World Bank), including a network of National Protected Areas. Enforcement is weak, with documented illegal logging and wildlife trade, so paper coverage overstates real protection. The Golden Triangle border zone is a notorious wildlife-trafficking hub.
What wildlife is left in Laos?
Laos lies in the biodiverse Annamite range and is home to endemics such as the Laotian rock rat, a rodent once known only from fossils, and historically the saola. Decades of intensive snaring and the wildlife trade have severely depleted large mammals, leaving many forests quiet. Real biodiversity remains but populations are much reduced.
Is Laos on clean energy?
Laos generates most of its electricity from hydropower and exports large volumes to neighbours, earning it the label battery of Southeast Asia. Emissions are modest at roughly 3.35 tonnes of CO2 per person, and the country has pledged net zero by 2050 with a large conditional cut by 2030. Its clean hydro base lifts the score, but the Hongsa lignite plant, further coal in the pipeline and heavy deforestation weigh against it.
How polluted is Laos?
Annual mean PM2.5 was about 29.6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (IQAir), well above the WHO guideline, driven partly by dry-season agricultural and forest burning that blankets the north each March and April. There is no comprehensive national single-use plastic ban and municipal waste systems are limited. Litter and open burning of rubbish are common outside the main towns.
Does recycling work in Laos?
Laos has no reliable national municipal recycling rate and formal kerbside recycling is largely absent. Recovery happens mainly through informal waste pickers collecting metal and plastic for resale. Scored from documented waste-management reality rather than a published rate.
Is the farming in Laos organic?
FiBL records about 3,266 hectares of certified organic farmland, roughly 0.1% of agricultural land in 2020. Much smallholder farming is de facto low-chemical but uncertified. Certified organic remains a small, largely export-oriented niche.
Are there natural materials and craft in Laos?
Laos retains a living handloom tradition of silk and cotton weaving, natural dyeing and intricate ethnic textiles, still worn and sold across the country. Bamboo and rattan basketry and sticky-rice baskets are everyday household items. This is one of Southeast Asia's strongest surviving natural-materials cultures.
Is there living culture in Laos?
Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups whose village life, animist and Buddhist traditions and crafts remain vital. Community-based and homestay tourism around places such as Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw channels some income directly to villages. Benefits are uneven and large projects can bypass communities.
What heritage does Laos keep alive?
Laos holds a deeply living heritage. The lam vong circle dance and lam singing accompanied by the khaen mouth organ, inscribed by UNESCO, are performed across the country. The baci or su khwan soul calling ceremony and phi spirit traditions coexist with Theravada Buddhism as everyday ancestral practice.
So is Laos actually green? The measured answer
What is working: renewable electricity at 63.3%.
What is not: the gaps are narrower here than in most of the directory, and each remaining one is named below.
Laos sits 44 of 77 at 67/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is Laos particularly good at?
✓Food and farming, scored 5/5. Agriculture supports a large majority of Laotians and glutinous rice is grown nationwide, leaving the country broadly self-sufficient in its staple. Farming is overwhelmingly smallholder and low-input, with home gardens, foraged greens and river fish supplementing rice. Food imports are modest relative to domestic production.
✓Heritage, scored 5/5. Laos holds a deeply living heritage. The lam vong circle dance and lam singing accompanied by the khaen mouth organ, inscribed by UNESCO, are performed across the country. The baci or su khwan soul calling ceremony and phi spirit traditions coexist with Theravada Buddhism as everyday ancestral practice. Highland peoples such as the Hmong keep their own textiles, qeej music and New Year rites, adding strong indigenous living culture.
✓Culture, scored 4/5. Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups whose village life, animist and Buddhist traditions and crafts remain vital. Community-based and homestay tourism around places such as Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw channels some income directly to villages. Benefits are uneven and large projects can bypass communities.
Where does Laos score worst?
✕Organic farming, scored 2/5. FiBL records about 3,266 hectares of certified organic farmland, roughly 0.1% of agricultural land in 2020. Much smallholder farming is de facto low-chemical but uncertified. Certified organic remains a small, largely export-oriented niche.
✕Pollution, scored 2/5. Annual mean PM2.5 was about 29.6 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (IQAir), well above the WHO guideline, driven partly by dry-season agricultural and forest burning that blankets the north each March and April. There is no comprehensive national single-use plastic ban and municipal waste systems are limited. Litter and open burning of rubbish are common outside the main towns.
✕Recycling, scored 1/5. Laos has no reliable national municipal recycling rate and formal kerbside recycling is largely absent. Recovery happens mainly through informal waste pickers collecting metal and plastic for resale. Scored from documented waste-management reality rather than a published rate.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
Sri LankaScored on the same twelve pillars as Laos.75
IndiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Laos.72
ThailandScored on the same twelve pillars as Laos.68
MongoliaScored on the same twelve pillars as Laos.60
JordanScored on the same twelve pillars as Laos.50
MaldivesScored on the same twelve pillars as Laos.42
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 4/5
Laos generates most of its electricity from hydropower and exports large volumes to neighbours, earning it the label battery of Southeast Asia. Emissions are modest at roughly 3.35 tonnes of CO2 per person, and the country has pledged net zero by 2050 with a large conditional cut by 2030.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Laos's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 5/5
Agriculture supports a large majority of Laotians and glutinous rice is grown nationwide, leaving the country broadly self-sufficient in its staple. Farming is overwhelmingly smallholder and low-input, with home gardens, foraged greens and river fish supplementing rice.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Laos's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 5/5
Laos holds a deeply living heritage. The lam vong circle dance and lam singing accompanied by the khaen mouth organ, inscribed by UNESCO, are performed across the country.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Laos's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The Laos Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Laos, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
40 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
44.2 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
75.4 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
31.1 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
26.3 / 100 · 178 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 178 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
40.5 / 100 · 139 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 139 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
50.6 / 100 · 82 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 82 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
16.2 / 100 · 174 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 174 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
63.0 / 100 · 67 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 67 of 180 countries assessed.
How Laos Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
One index, every destination. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
