Lao PDR — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for Lao PDR, 2000–2023.
Health spending for Lao PDR was 1.33% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 24 years, from 2000 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 4.48% in 2003. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -4.96% per year.
Lao PDR ranks 189 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 100%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 5.94%, so Lao PDR sits below it. It peaked in 2003 and has fallen 70% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved down 45%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 29 of 29 economies; Brunei Darussalam (2.23%) is just above it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 34% in 2023. That is 42% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 113th of 184 in 2000 → 172nd of 188 in 2010 → 189th of 189 in 2020 → 188th of 188 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.33% | -0.7 pp |
| 2022 | 2.02% | -0.7 pp |
| 2021 | 2.74% | +0.7 pp |
| 2020 | 2.06% | -0.5 pp |
| 2019 | 2.6% | +0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 2.25% | -0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 2.53% | +0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 2.36% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 2.45% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 2.4% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 2.08% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 1.94% | -1.0 pp |
| 2010 | 2.91% | -0.6 pp |
| 2009 | 3.46% | +0.7 pp |
| 2008 | 2.77% | -0.4 pp |
| 2007 | 3.13% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 2.93% | -0.4 pp |
| 2005 | 3.34% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 3.54% | -0.9 pp |
| 2003 | 4.48% | +0.8 pp |
| 2002 | 3.7% | -0.6 pp |
| 2001 | 4.29% | +0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 4.28% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Lao PDR’s Health spending in 2001?
4.29% (2001). 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 % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Lao PDR’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2023 the series was shrinking overall: -69.0% in total — about 5.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. 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: 2023: 1.33%; 2022: 2.02%; 2021: 2.74%; 2020: 2.06%; 2019: 2.6%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). 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.