Lao PDR — CO2 per capita
CO2 Emissions per Capita for Lao PDR, 1970–2024.
CO2 per capita for Lao PDR was 3.35 in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 55 years, from 1970 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 3.36 in 2023. The lowest was 0.04 in 1984 (about 80.7× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 6.55% per year.
Lao PDR ranks 89 of 203 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 44%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 2.50, so Lao PDR sits above it. It peaked in 2023 and has fallen 0% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved up 412%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 16 of 37 economies; Indonesia (2.87) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 101% in 2015. That is 31% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1970 level: doubled by 2005; grown tenfold by 2015. Doubling roughly every 11 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 174th of 203 in 1970 → 169th of 203 in 1980 → 184th of 203 in 1990 → 172nd of 203 in 2000 → 157th of 203 in 2010 → 93rd of 203 in 2020 → 89th of 203 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1970 to 2024
| Year | metric tons per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3.35 | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 3.36 | +5.6% |
| 2022 | 3.18 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 3.2 | +20.8% |
| 2020 | 2.65 | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 2.68 | -4.0% |
| 2018 | 2.79 | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 2.74 | +19.4% |
| 2016 | 2.3 | +75.0% |
| 2015 | 1.31 | +100.5% |
| 2014 | 0.65 | +9.7% |
| 2013 | 0.6 | +16.6% |
| 2012 | 0.51 | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 0.49 | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 0.47 | +10.5% |
| 2009 | 0.42 | +23.3% |
| 2008 | 0.34 | +15.0% |
| 2007 | 0.3 | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 0.29 | +29.1% |
| 2005 | 0.22 | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 0.22 | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 0.21 | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 0.21 | +10.4% |
| 2001 | 0.19 | +8.3% |
| 2000 | 0.17 | +73.8% |
| 1999 | 0.1 | -4.8% |
| 1998 | 0.1 | +5.3% |
| 1997 | 0.1 | +8.2% |
| 1996 | 0.09 | +14.5% |
| 1995 | 0.08 | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 0.08 | +7.5% |
| 1993 | 0.08 | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 0.08 | +7.2% |
| 1991 | 0.07 | +18.8% |
| 1990 | 0.06 | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 0.06 | +5.6% |
| 1988 | 0.05 | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 0.06 | +9.9% |
| 1986 | 0.05 | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 0.05 | +15.5% |
| 1984 | 0.04 | -18.9% |
| 1983 | 0.05 | +4.6% |
| 1982 | 0.05 | -11.1% |
| 1981 | 0.06 | -59.6% |
| 1980 | 0.14 | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 0.13 | +5.4% |
| 1978 | 0.12 | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 0.13 | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 0.12 | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 0.13 | -18.8% |
| 1974 | 0.15 | +19.3% |
| 1973 | 0.13 | +16.8% |
| 1972 | 0.11 | +3.9% |
| 1971 | 0.11 | -2.3% |
| 1970 | 0.11 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Lao PDR’s CO2 per capita in 1971?
0.11 (1971). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Lao PDR’s CO2 per capita figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — metric tons per capita — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Lao PDR’s CO2 per capita growing or shrinking?
Between 1970 and 2024 the series was growing overall: +2973.1% in total — about 6.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 3.35; 2023: 3.36; 2022: 3.18; 2021: 3.2; 2020: 2.65. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5 — CO2 Emissions per Capita. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.