Laos
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Lao People's Democratic Republic.
CIA 2026
Identity
Name origin: name means "Land of the Lao [people].
CIA 2026
Matchup file
Laos vs Vietnam
116 shared metrics.
Turn the comparison into a round
Think you can spot the next winner?
Vietnam leads by 42 metrics. Use the same instinct in a quick real-data brawl.
Country briefing
What matters for both sides
Short real-world notes so the comparison reads like more than a stat strip.
Vietnam
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
CIA 2026
Analysis
Vietnam leads in 79 of 116 shared metrics, while Laos leads in 37.
Laos's Spirits Consumption is 15.3x that of Vietnam (3.0 L/person/yr vs 0.18 L/person/yr).
Laos's Capital Elevation is 9.9x that of Vietnam (174 m vs 16 m).
Laos's Inflation Rate is 5.4x that of Vietnam (23.1% vs 3.6%).
Laos's Obesity Rate is 2.7x that of Vietnam (7.8% vs 2.1%).
Laos's Firms with Female Top Manager is 1.6x that of Vietnam (50.69% of firms vs 19.4% of firms).
Key Comparisons
Spirits ConsumptionLaos leads
Laos
3.0 L/person/yr
Vietnam
0.18 L/person/yr
Capital ElevationLaos leads
Laos
174 m
Vietnam
16 m
Inflation RateLaos leads
Laos
23.1%
Vietnam
3.6%
Obesity RateLaos leads
Laos
7.8%
Vietnam
2.1%
Firms with Female Top ManagerLaos leads
Laos
50.69% of firms
Vietnam
19.4% of firms
Infant MortalityLaos leads
Laos
35.2 per 1k births
Vietnam
14 per 1k births
All Metrics
Spirits Consumption
LaosLaos
3.0 L/person/yr
Vietnam
0.18 L/person/yr
1527% higher
Capital Elevation
LaosLaos
174 m
Vietnam
16 m
988% higher
Inflation Rate
LaosLaos
23.1%
Vietnam
3.6%
542% higher
Obesity Rate
LaosLaos
7.8%
Vietnam
2.1%
273% higher
Firms with Female Top Manager
LaosLaos
50.69% of firms
Vietnam
19.4% of firms
161% higher
Infant Mortality
LaosLaos
35.2 per 1k births
Vietnam
14 per 1k births
151% higher
Protected Land (%)
LaosLaos
18.8%
Vietnam
7.6%
147% higher
Teen Birth Rate
LaosLaos
81.65 per 1k
Vietnam
34.28 per 1k
138% higher
Renewable Energy (%)
LaosLaos
49.2%
Vietnam
24.2%
103% higher
Merchant Fleet Size
VietnamLaos
1.0
Vietnam
2.0K
100% lower
Scientific Publications
VietnamLaos
83.93
Vietnam
10.5K
99% lower
Air Passengers
VietnamLaos
842.3K
Vietnam
55.11M
98% lower
Solar Electricity Share
VietnamLaos
0.17%
Vietnam
7.4%
98% lower
GDP (Nominal)
VietnamLaos
$16,502,933,121.34
Vietnam
$476,388,230,307.17
97% lower
Child Mortality
LaosLaos
39 per 1k births
Vietnam
20 per 1k births
95% higher
Total CO2 Emissions
VietnamLaos
26.06 Mt CO2e
Vietnam
430.82 Mt CO2e
94% lower
EV Chargers per 100,000 People
VietnamLaos
0.03 per 100k people
Vietnam
0.39 per 100k people
94% lower
Population
VietnamLaos
7.95M
Vietnam
106.69M
93% lower
Tourism Revenue
VietnamLaos
$227,000,000
Vietnam
$3,232,000,000
93% lower
Water Withdrawal
VietnamLaos
7.3 B m³
Vietnam
81.86 B m³
91% lower
Population Density
VietnamLaos
33.21 /km²
Vietnam
320.18 /km²
90% lower
Irrigated Land
VietnamLaos
4.4K km²
Vietnam
46.0K km²
90% lower
Military Spending
VietnamLaos
0.19% of GDP
Vietnam
1.8% of GDP
89% lower
Broadband Access (%)
VietnamLaos
2.7 per 100 people
Vietnam
23 per 100 people
88% lower
Electric Generating Capacity
VietnamLaos
12.74M kW
Vietnam
85.72M kW
85% lower
Railway Length
VietnamLaos
422 km
Vietnam
2.6K km
84% lower
Water Stress (%)
VietnamLaos
3.9%
Vietnam
22.78%
83% lower
High-Tech Exports (%)
VietnamLaos
7.4%
Vietnam
44.26%
83% lower
Electricity Generation
VietnamLaos
52.3 TWh
Vietnam
306.33 TWh
83% lower
Milk Consumption per Person
VietnamLaos
2.9 kg/person/yr
Vietnam
16.36 kg/person/yr
82% lower
Credit Card Ownership
VietnamLaos
1.1% of adults
Vietnam
5.8% of adults
81% lower
Health Spending Per Capita
VietnamLaos
$41.35
Vietnam
$188.9
78% lower
Tourist Arrivals
VietnamLaos
886.4K
Vietnam
3.84M
77% lower
Agricultural Land (%)
VietnamLaos
9.9%
Vietnam
39.21%
75% lower
Armed Forces Personnel
VietnamLaos
129.0K
Vietnam
522.0K
75% lower
Doctors (per 1,000)
VietnamLaos
0.33 per 1k
Vietnam
1.1 per 1k
70% lower
Current Account Balance (% of GDP)
LaosLaos
11.4% of GDP
Vietnam
6.7% of GDP
70% higher
Mobile Money Accounts
VietnamLaos
11.84% of adults
Vietnam
38.72% of adults
69% lower
Freedom of Expression Index
VietnamLaos
0.03
Vietnam
0.10
69% lower
Border Neighbors
LaosLaos
5.0
Vietnam
3.0
67% higher
Political Corruption Index
LaosLaos
0.77
Vietnam
0.47
64% higher
Youth Unemployment Rate
VietnamLaos
2.4% of youth labor force
Vietnam
6.2% of youth labor force
61% lower
University Enrollment Rate
VietnamLaos
14.88%
Vietnam
37.59%
60% lower
Education Spending (% GDP)
VietnamLaos
1.2% of GDP
Vietnam
2.9% of GDP
57% lower
Digital Payments Used
VietnamLaos
26.53% of adults
Vietnam
62.38% of adults
57% lower
Health Spending (% GDP)
VietnamLaos
2.0% of GDP
Vietnam
4.6% of GDP
56% lower
GNI Per Capita
VietnamLaos
$2,000
Vietnam
$4,490
55% lower
Meat Consumption per Person
VietnamLaos
30.41 kg/person/yr
Vietnam
63.34 kg/person/yr
52% lower
Coal Electricity Share
VietnamLaos
23.28%
Vietnam
48.14%
52% lower
Electricity Use (Per Capita)
VietnamLaos
1.3K kWh/person
Vietnam
2.6K kWh/person
52% lower
Forest Coverage (%)
LaosLaos
71.46%
Vietnam
47.45%
51% higher
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
VietnamLaos
1.3 per 1k
Vietnam
2.6 per 1k
50% lower
Vehicles per 1,000 People
VietnamLaos
267.78 per 1k people
Vietnam
539.01 per 1k people
50% lower
Electricity Carbon Intensity
VietnamLaos
232.08 gCO2/kWh
Vietnam
460.73 gCO2/kWh
50% lower
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
VietnamLaos
4.0 sites
Vietnam
8.0 sites
50% lower
Mobile Subscriptions (%)
VietnamLaos
65 per 100 people
Vietnam
128 per 100 people
49% lower
Insufficient Physical Activity
VietnamLaos
15.58% of adults
Vietnam
30.32% of adults
49% lower
Elderly Population (%)
VietnamLaos
4.7%
Vietnam
9.0%
48% lower
Airports
VietnamLaos
20
Vietnam
36
44% lower
Beer Consumption
LaosLaos
3.7 L/person/yr
Vietnam
2.6 L/person/yr
42% higher
GDP Growth Rate
VietnamLaos
4.1%
Vietnam
7.1%
42% lower
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
LaosLaos
6.0% of GDP
Vietnam
4.2% of GDP
41% higher
Seafood Consumption per Person
VietnamLaos
24.01 kg/person/yr
Vietnam
39.84 kg/person/yr
40% lower
Safe Drinking Water (%)
VietnamLaos
35.19%
Vietnam
58.58%
40% lower
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
VietnamLaos
$9,775.83
Vietnam
$16,385.51
40% lower
Women's Political Empowerment
VietnamLaos
0.51
Vietnam
0.81
37% lower
Suicide Rate
VietnamLaos
4.6 per 100k
Vietnam
7.3 per 100k
37% lower
Alcohol Consumption
LaosLaos
10.82 L/adult/yr
Vietnam
8.0 L/adult/yr
35% higher
Informal Employment Share
LaosLaos
90.49% of employed people
Vietnam
67.03% of employed people
35% higher
Birth Rate
LaosLaos
19.22 per 1k
Vietnam
14.58 per 1k
32% higher
Youth Population (%)
LaosLaos
30.2%
Vietnam
23.22%
30% higher
Women in Parliament (%)
VietnamLaos
21.95%
Vietnam
30.63%
28% lower
Land Area
VietnamLaos
230.8K km²
Vietnam
313.4K km²
26% lower
Minimum Paid Vacation Days
LaosLaos
15 days/yr
Vietnam
12 days/yr
25% higher
Median Age
VietnamLaos
24.3 years
Vietnam
32.4 years
25% lower
Internet Users (%)
VietnamLaos
64%
Vietnam
84.15%
24% lower
Smoking Rate
LaosLaos
27.2%
Vietnam
22.5%
21% higher
Adult Literacy Rate
VietnamLaos
75.64%
Vietnam
96.13%
21% lower
Energy Use (Per Capita)
VietnamLaos
815.09 kg oil eq/person
Vietnam
1.0K kg oil eq/person
20% lower
Human Development Index
VietnamLaos
0.62
Vietnam
0.77
19% lower
Corruption Perceptions Index
VietnamLaos
34 pts
Vietnam
41 pts
17% lower
Tobacco Use Prevalence
LaosLaos
25.4% of adults
Vietnam
21.7% of adults
17% higher
Unemployment Rate
VietnamLaos
1.2%
Vietnam
1.4%
15% lower
CO2 Per Capita
VietnamLaos
3.1 t/person/yr
Vietnam
3.7 t/person/yr
15% lower
Life Evaluation Score
VietnamLaos
5.5 pts
Vietnam
6.4 pts
14% lower
Land Border Length
LaosLaos
5.3K km
Vietnam
4.6K km
14% higher
Dependency Ratio
LaosLaos
53.53% of working-age pop.
Vietnam
47.65% of working-age pop.
12% higher
Forest Area
LaosLaos
164.9K km²
Vietnam
148.7K km²
11% higher
Food Waste per Person
LaosLaos
174.08 kg/person/yr
Vietnam
156.69 kg/person/yr
11% higher
Highest Elevation
VietnamLaos
2.8K m
Vietnam
3.1K m
10% lower
Fertility Rate
LaosLaos
2.2 children/woman
Vietnam
2.0 children/woman
9% higher
Liberal Democracy Index
LaosLaos
0.11
Vietnam
0.10
8% higher
Life Expectancy
VietnamLaos
69.0 years
Vietnam
74.6 years
8% lower
Electoral Democracy Index
VietnamLaos
0.14
Vietnam
0.15
8% lower
Sanitation Access (%)
VietnamLaos
88.73%
Vietnam
95.45%
7% lower
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
LaosLaos
22.32 µg/m³
Vietnam
20.8 µg/m³
7% higher
Road Traffic Death Rate
VietnamLaos
16.4 per 100k
Vietnam
17.7 per 100k
7% lower
ATMs per 100,000 Adults
LaosLaos
28.67 per 100k
Vietnam
27.25 per 100k
5% higher
Can Raise Emergency Money
VietnamLaos
93.29% of adults
Vietnam
98.26% of adults
5% lower
Hypertension Prevalence
VietnamLaos
28.4% of adults
Vietnam
29.7% of adults
4% lower
Death Rate
LaosLaos
6.1 per 1k
Vietnam
5.8 per 1k
4% higher
Firms Hit by Power Outages
VietnamLaos
41.46% of firms
Vietnam
43.01% of firms
4% lower
Firms Making Informal Payments
LaosLaos
26.44% of firms
Vietnam
25.51% of firms
4% higher
Electricity Access (%)
VietnamLaos
96.5%
Vietnam
99.8%
3% lower
Urban Population (%)
LaosLaos
39.56%
Vietnam
38.49%
3% higher
Firms Asked for Bribes
VietnamLaos
30.6% of firms
Vietnam
31.07% of firms
2% lower
Average Weekly Work Hours
VietnamLaos
41.53 hrs/week
Vietnam
41.85 hrs/week
1% lower
Women in Senior Management
VietnamLaos
25.68% of managers
Vietnam
26.07% of managers
1% lower
Time Zones Count
LaosLaos
2.0 time zones
Vietnam
2.0 time zones
equal
Coastline Length
VietnamLaos
0 km
Vietnam
3.4K km
ranked lower
Wind Electricity Share
VietnamLaos
0%
Vietnam
4.6%
ranked lower
Government Debt (% GDP)
VietnamLaos
58.4% of GDP
Vietnam
58.5% of GDP
equal
Nobel Laureates Born per Million People
VietnamLaos
0 per 1M people
Vietnam
0.01 per 1M people
ranked lower
Lowest Elevation
LaosLaos
70 m
Vietnam
0 m
ranked higher
Official Languages Count
LaosLaos
1.0
Vietnam
1.0
equal
McDonald's Outlets per Million People
VietnamLaos
0 per 1M people
Vietnam
0.21 per 1M people
ranked lower
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