Lao PDR — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Lao PDR, 1985–2025.
GDP growth for Lao PDR was 4.54% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 41 years, from 1985 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 14.19% in 1989. The lowest was -2.01% in 1988 (about -2.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.28% per year.
Lao PDR ranks 62 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 29%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 3.62%, so Lao PDR sits above it. It peaked in 1989 and has fallen 68% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 38%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 14 of 36 economies; Philippines (4.40%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 806% in 1989. That is 2% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1985 level: doubled by 1989.
World ranking. Slipped: 45th of 168 in 1985 → 36th of 176 in 1990 → 58th of 199 in 2000 → 23rd of 209 in 2010 → 36th of 209 in 2020 → 55th of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1985 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.54% | +0.4 pp |
| 2024 | 4.13% | +0.4 pp |
| 2023 | 3.75% | +1.0 pp |
| 2022 | 2.71% | +0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 2.53% | +2.0 pp |
| 2020 | 0.5% | -5.0 pp |
| 2019 | 5.46% | -0.8 pp |
| 2018 | 6.25% | -0.6 pp |
| 2017 | 6.89% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 7.02% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 7.27% | -0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 7.61% | -0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 8.03% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 8.03% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 8.04% | -0.5 pp |
| 2010 | 8.53% | +1.0 pp |
| 2009 | 7.5% | -0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 7.82% | +0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 7.6% | -1.0 pp |
| 2006 | 8.62% | +1.5 pp |
| 2005 | 7.11% | +0.7 pp |
| 2004 | 6.36% | +0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 6.07% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 5.92% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 5.75% | -0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 5.8% | -1.5 pp |
| 1999 | 7.31% | +3.3 pp |
| 1998 | 3.97% | -2.9 pp |
| 1997 | 6.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 6.93% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 7.03% | -1.1 pp |
| 1994 | 8.16% | +2.2 pp |
| 1993 | 5.91% | +0.4 pp |
| 1992 | 5.56% | +1.3 pp |
| 1991 | 4.3% | -2.4 pp |
| 1990 | 6.7% | -7.5 pp |
| 1989 | 14.19% | +16.2 pp |
| 1988 | -2.01% | -0.6 pp |
| 1987 | -1.43% | -6.3 pp |
| 1986 | 4.89% | -0.2 pp |
| 1985 | 5.07% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Lao PDR’s GDP growth in 1986?
4.89% (1986). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Lao PDR’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1985 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -10.5% in total — about 0.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. 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: 2025: 4.54%; 2024: 4.13%; 2023: 3.75%; 2022: 2.71%; 2021: 2.53%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). 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.