Laos Demographics: Median age, Gender, Race, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Laos vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Laos	World
1960	19.2	22.5
1961	19.2	22.5
1962	19.1	22.4
1963	19	22.2
1964	19	22
1965	18.9	21.8
1966	18.9	21.7
1967	18.9	21.6
1968	18.8	21.5
1969	18.8	21.5
1970	18.7	21.4
1971	18.7	21.4
1972	18.7	21.5
1973	18.7	21.5
1974	18.6	21.6
1975	18.5	21.7
1976	18.4	21.9
1977	18.3	22
1978	18.1	22.2
1979	18	22.3
1980	17.9	22.5
1981	17.9	22.6
1982	17.8	22.7
1983	17.8	22.9
1984	17.8	23
1985	17.8	23.2
1986	17.8	23.3
1987	17.8	23.4
1988	17.9	23.6
1989	17.9	23.8
1990	17.9	23.9
1991	17.9	24.1
1992	17.9	24.3
1993	17.9	24.5
1994	17.9	24.7
1995	17.9	25
1996	17.9	25.2
1997	18	25.4
1998	18	25.7
1999	18	25.9
2000	18.1	26.1
2001	18.2	26.3
2002	18.4	26.5
2003	18.5	26.7
2004	18.7	27
2005	18.9	27.2
2006	19.2	27.4
2007	19.6	27.6
2008	20	27.8
2009	20.5	28
2010	21	28.2
2011	21.4	28.4
2012	21.9	28.6
2013	22.3	28.9
2014	22.7	29.1
2015	23	29.3
2016	23.3	29.5
2017	23.6	29.8
2018	23.8	30
2019	24.1	30.3
2020	24.4	30.6
2021	24.7	30.8
2022	25	31
2023	25.3	31.3
2024	25.6	31.6
2025	25.9	31.9
2026	26.3	32.1
2027	26.6	32.3
2028	26.9	32.6
2029	27.3	32.8
2030	27.6	33
2031	27.9	33.2
2032	28.2	33.4
2033	28.5	33.6
2034	28.8	33.8
2035	29.2	34
2036	29.5	34.2
2037	29.8	34.4
2038	30.1	34.6
2039	30.4	34.8
2040	30.8	35
2041	31.1	35.2
2042	31.4	35.4
2043	31.7	35.6
2044	32	35.8
2045	32.4	36
2046	32.7	36.2
2047	33	36.4
2048	33.3	36.6
2049	33.7	36.8
2050	34	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Laos was 19.2 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 25.6 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 111th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Laos ranks 130th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Laos is expected to increase to around 34 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Laos demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Laos
	Male	Female
0-4	5.21%	4.98%
5-9	5.23%	5.03%
10-14	4.96%	4.79%
15-19	4.81%	4.67%
20-24	4.65%	4.54%
25-29	4.49%	4.4%
30-34	4.18%	4.14%
35-39	3.78%	3.7%
40-44	3.14%	3.06%
45-49	2.54%	2.51%
50-54	2.08%	2.1%
55-59	1.69%	1.81%
60-64	1.34%	1.48%
65-69	0.97%	1.07%
70-74	0.61%	0.7%
75-79	0.33%	0.42%
80+	0.23%	0.34%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Laos has average demographic potential with 66.1% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 63/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Laos			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	80%	75.2%	4.82%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	80.4%	75.5%	4.92%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	80.7%	75.7%	5.01%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	81.1%	76%	5.1%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	81.7%	76.5%	5.2%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	82.2%	76.9%	5.3%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	82.3%	76.9%	5.39%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	82.4%	76.9%	5.48%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	82.6%	77%	5.57%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	82.8%	77.1%	5.66%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	83.1%	77.3%	5.73%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	83.3%	77.5%	5.8%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	83.6%	77.8%	5.86%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	84%	78.1%	5.91%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	84.4%	78.4%	5.96%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	85.1%	79%	6.03%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	86%	79.9%	6.1%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	87.1%	80.9%	6.19%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	88.2%	81.9%	6.28%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	89.2%	82.8%	6.37%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	89.9%	83.4%	6.44%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	90.3%	83.8%	6.5%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	90.5%	83.9%	6.55%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	90.5%	83.9%	6.58%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	90.5%	83.9%	6.6%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	90.5%	83.9%	6.61%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	90.4%	83.8%	6.61%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	90.2%	83.6%	6.61%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	90.1%	83.5%	6.59%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	90%	83.4%	6.58%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	89.9%	83.3%	6.56%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	89.8%	83.3%	6.54%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	89.9%	83.4%	6.52%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	90%	83.5%	6.51%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	90%	83.5%	6.49%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	89.9%	83.4%	6.46%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	89.6%	83.2%	6.43%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	89.2%	82.8%	6.4%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	88.8%	82.4%	6.37%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	88.2%	81.8%	6.34%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	87.2%	80.9%	6.3%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	86%	79.8%	6.27%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	84.7%	78.4%	6.23%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	83.1%	76.9%	6.2%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	81.5%	75.4%	6.16%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	79.6%	73.5%	6.12%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	76.9%	70.8%	6.11%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	74%	67.8%	6.15%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	71.3%	65.1%	6.2%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	68.9%	62.7%	6.25%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	66.9%	60.6%	6.31%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	65.1%	58.7%	6.38%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	63.6%	57.1%	6.46%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	62.2%	55.6%	6.53%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	60.9%	54.2%	6.61%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	59.7%	53.1%	6.6%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	58.6%	52.1%	6.51%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	57.8%	51.3%	6.47%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	57.1%	50.6%	6.49%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	56.5%	50%	6.54%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	55.9%	49.3%	6.61%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	55.3%	48.5%	6.7%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	54.6%	47.8%	6.83%	54%	39%	15%
2023	54.1%	47.1%	6.99%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	53.5%	46.4%	7.16%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Laos decreased from 81.5% to 53.5% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Laos working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Laos	World
1960	55.5%	57.6%
1961	55.4%	57.5%
1962	55.3%	57.4%
1963	55.2%	57.2%
1964	55%	57%
1965	54.9%	56.9%
1966	54.9%	56.8%
1967	54.8%	56.9%
1968	54.8%	56.9%
1969	54.7%	56.9%
1970	54.6%	57%
1971	54.5%	57.1%
1972	54.5%	57.2%
1973	54.4%	57.3%
1974	54.2%	57.3%
1975	54%	57.4%
1976	53.8%	57.5%
1977	53.4%	57.7%
1978	53.1%	58%
1979	52.9%	58.4%
1980	52.7%	58.7%
1981	52.6%	59%
1982	52.5%	59.3%
1983	52.5%	59.6%
1984	52.5%	59.9%
1985	52.5%	60.1%
1986	52.5%	60.4%
1987	52.6%	60.5%
1988	52.6%	60.7%
1989	52.6%	60.8%
1990	52.7%	60.9%
1991	52.7%	61%
1992	52.7%	61.1%
1993	52.6%	61.2%
1994	52.6%	61.3%
1995	52.7%	61.5%
1996	52.7%	61.7%
1997	52.8%	61.9%
1998	53%	62.2%
1999	53.1%	62.5%
2000	53.4%	62.8%
2001	53.7%	63.1%
2002	54.2%	63.4%
2003	54.6%	63.7%
2004	55.1%	64%
2005	55.7%	64.3%
2006	56.5%	64.5%
2007	57.5%	64.7%
2008	58.4%	64.9%
2009	59.2%	65%
2010	59.9%	65.1%
2011	60.6%	65.2%
2012	61.1%	65.2%
2013	61.7%	65.2%
2014	62.2%	65.2%
2015	62.6%	65.1%
2016	63%	65.1%
2017	63.4%	65%
2018	63.6%	64.9%
2019	63.9%	64.9%
2020	64.2%	64.8%
2021	64.4%	64.9%
2022	64.7%	64.9%
2023	64.9%	65%
2024	65.1%	65.1%
2025	65.4%	65.2%
2026	65.6%	65.3%
2027	65.8%	65.4%
2028	66%	65.4%
2029	66.2%	65.4%
2030	66.5%	65.4%
2031	66.7%	65.4%
2032	67%	65.4%
2033	67.3%	65.4%
2034	67.5%	65.3%
2035	67.7%	65.2%
2036	67.9%	65%
2037	68.1%	64.9%
2038	68.3%	64.7%
2039	68.5%	64.6%
2040	68.6%	64.5%
2041	68.7%	64.4%
2042	68.8%	64.3%
2043	68.9%	64.2%
2044	68.9%	64.1%
2045	68.9%	63.9%
2046	68.9%	63.8%
2047	68.9%	63.7%
2048	68.9%	63.6%
2049	68.8%	63.4%
2050	68.7%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Laos changed from 55.1% to 65.1% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Laos	World
1960	41.8%	37.4%
1961	41.8%	37.5%
1962	41.9%	37.6%
1963	42%	37.8%
1964	42.1%	38%
1965	42.2%	38%
1966	42.2%	38%
1967	42.2%	38%
1968	42.2%	37.9%
1969	42.2%	37.8%
1970	42.2%	37.7%
1971	42.3%	37.6%
1972	42.4%	37.5%
1973	42.4%	37.3%
1974	42.5%	37.2%
1975	42.7%	37.1%
1976	43%	36.9%
1977	43.2%	36.7%
1978	43.5%	36.3%
1979	43.8%	35.9%
1980	43.9%	35.5%
1981	44%	35.2%
1982	44.1%	34.9%
1983	44.1%	34.6%
1984	44.1%	34.3%
1985	44%	34%
1986	44%	33.8%
1987	44%	33.6%
1988	43.9%	33.4%
1989	43.9%	33.2%
1990	43.9%	33%
1991	43.9%	32.9%
1992	43.9%	32.7%
1993	43.9%	32.5%
1994	44%	32.3%
1995	43.9%	32.1%
1996	43.9%	31.8%
1997	43.8%	31.5%
1998	43.7%	31.1%
1999	43.5%	30.8%
2000	43.2%	30.4%
2001	42.9%	30%
2002	42.5%	29.6%
2003	42%	29.2%
2004	41.5%	28.8%
2005	40.9%	28.5%
2006	40%	28.1%
2007	39%	27.9%
2008	38%	27.6%
2009	37.1%	27.5%
2010	36.3%	27.3%
2011	35.6%	27.1%
2012	34.9%	27%
2013	34.3%	26.9%
2014	33.7%	26.8%
2015	33.2%	26.6%
2016	32.9%	26.5%
2017	32.5%	26.4%
2018	32.2%	26.2%
2019	31.9%	26%
2020	31.6%	25.8%
2021	31.3%	25.6%
2022	30.9%	25.3%
2023	30.6%	25%
2024	30.2%	24.7%
2025	29.8%	24.4%
2026	29.5%	24.1%
2027	29.1%	23.8%
2028	28.8%	23.4%
2029	28.4%	23.1%
2030	27.9%	22.8%
2031	27.5%	22.6%
2032	27.1%	22.3%
2033	26.6%	22.1%
2034	26.2%	21.9%
2035	25.8%	21.7%
2036	25.5%	21.6%
2037	25.1%	21.5%
2038	24.8%	21.4%
2039	24.4%	21.3%
2040	24.1%	21.2%
2041	23.8%	21.1%
2042	23.5%	21%
2043	23.2%	21%
2044	22.9%	20.9%
2045	22.7%	20.8%
2046	22.4%	20.7%
2047	22.1%	20.7%
2048	21.9%	20.6%
2049	21.6%	20.5%
2050	21.4%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Laos decreased from 41.5% to 30.2% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Laos	World
1960	2.68%	4.97%
1961	2.73%	4.99%
1962	2.77%	5.01%
1963	2.82%	5.02%
1964	2.86%	5.04%
1965	2.91%	5.08%
1966	2.96%	5.12%
1967	3.01%	5.16%
1968	3.05%	5.2%
1969	3.1%	5.24%
1970	3.13%	5.28%
1971	3.16%	5.32%
1972	3.19%	5.37%
1973	3.21%	5.42%
1974	3.23%	5.47%
1975	3.26%	5.53%
1976	3.28%	5.59%
1977	3.31%	5.65%
1978	3.34%	5.71%
1979	3.37%	5.77%
1980	3.39%	5.81%
1981	3.42%	5.81%
1982	3.44%	5.8%
1983	3.45%	5.79%
1984	3.46%	5.8%
1985	3.47%	5.82%
1986	3.47%	5.86%
1987	3.47%	5.91%
1988	3.47%	5.95%
1989	3.46%	6.01%
1990	3.45%	6.07%
1991	3.44%	6.14%
1992	3.44%	6.21%
1993	3.42%	6.29%
1994	3.41%	6.37%
1995	3.4%	6.45%
1996	3.39%	6.53%
1997	3.38%	6.61%
1998	3.37%	6.68%
1999	3.37%	6.76%
2000	3.37%	6.84%
2001	3.37%	6.92%
2002	3.38%	7.01%
2003	3.38%	7.1%
2004	3.4%	7.18%
2005	3.41%	7.26%
2006	3.45%	7.34%
2007	3.54%	7.41%
2008	3.62%	7.47%
2009	3.7%	7.52%
2010	3.78%	7.58%
2011	3.87%	7.66%
2012	3.95%	7.78%
2013	4.03%	7.92%
2014	4.11%	8.08%
2015	4.13%	8.26%
2016	4.1%	8.45%
2017	4.1%	8.65%
2018	4.13%	8.88%
2019	4.18%	9.1%
2020	4.24%	9.33%
2021	4.32%	9.53%
2022	4.42%	9.74%
2023	4.54%	9.98%
2024	4.67%	10.2%
2025	4.81%	10.4%
2026	4.96%	10.6%
2027	5.11%	10.8%
2028	5.27%	11.1%
2029	5.43%	11.5%
2030	5.6%	11.7%
2031	5.76%	12%
2032	5.93%	12.3%
2033	6.09%	12.6%
2034	6.25%	12.8%
2035	6.41%	13.1%
2036	6.58%	13.4%
2037	6.75%	13.7%
2038	6.93%	13.9%
2039	7.11%	14.1%
2040	7.3%	14.3%
2041	7.5%	14.5%
2042	7.71%	14.7%
2043	7.92%	14.9%
2044	8.15%	15%
2045	8.4%	15.2%
2046	8.67%	15.4%
2047	8.95%	15.7%
2048	9.25%	15.9%
2049	9.58%	16.1%
2050	9.92%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Laos increased from 3.4% to 4.67% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.