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Population density: Laos vs Nepal compared

Updated on by Georank team

Laos has a population density of 89.5 people per square mile compared to 535 people in Nepal. Laos has 328,051 sq ft of land per person vs 53,430 sq ft in Nepal. Laos and Nepal rank 150th and 54th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Laos has 0.1% of the world's population and 0.15% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.36% of the population and 0.1% of the land area for Nepal, making the population density in Laos 83.3% lower than in Nepal.

Population density by year

Laos
Nepal

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Laos Nepal
2026 89.5 535
2025 88.4 535
2024 87.2 536
2023 86 537
2022 84.8 537
2021 83.6 533
2020 82.4 523
2019 81.2 513
2018 80 507
2017 78.8 506
2016 77.5 505
2015 76.3 503
2014 75.2 500
2013 74.2 498
2012 73.2 497
2011 72.1 496
2010 71.1 494
2009 70 491
2008 69 488
2007 68 484
2006 66.9 480
2005 65.9 475
2004 64.9 470
2003 63.9 464
2002 63 458
2001 62 451
2000 60.9 443
1999 59.9 437
1998 58.9 429
1997 57.8 421
1996 56.6 412
1995 55.3 403
1994 54 393
1993 52.6 384
1992 51.2 373
1991 49.8 363
1990 48.4 354
1989 47 345
1988 45.7 338
1987 44.4 331
1986 43.2 324
1985 42 317
1984 40.8 309
1983 39.7 302
1982 38.7 295.2
1981 37.8 288.4
1980 36.9 281.7
1979 36.2 275.1
1978 35.6 268.8
1977 35 262.6
1976 34.4 256.8
1975 33.7 251.2
1974 33 245.7
1973 32.2 240.4
1972 31.4 235.3
1971 30.7 230.2
1970 30 225.2
1969 29.3 220.4
1968 28.6 215.6
1967 27.9 211.1
1966 27.3 206.6
1965 26.7 202.4
1964 26.1 198.3
1963 25.5 194.3
1962 24.9 190.6
1961 24.3 186.9

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/laos/nepal | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Laos increased by 33.8%, compared to a 11.4% growth in Nepal.

In 2006, Laos ranked 152nd by population density and is 150th now. Nepal was 45th in 2006 and ranks 54th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Laos
Nepal
1x
Year Urban population
Laos Nepal
2024 39.6% 66.8%
2023 38.8% 66.5%
2022 38.1% 66.3%
2021 37.3% 66.1%
2020 36.6% 66.1%
2019 35.9% 66%
2018 35.2% 65.8%
2017 34.5% 65.6%
2016 33.8% 65.3%
2015 33.1% 65%
2014 32.7% 64.6%
2013 32.2% 64.1%
2012 31.7% 63.7%
2011 31.2% 63.1%
2010 30.6% 62%
2009 30% 59.9%
2008 29.4% 56.9%
2007 28.7% 53.4%
2006 28% 49.5%
2005 27.3% 45.5%
2004 26.5% 41.6%
2003 25.6% 38%
2002 24.5% 35%
2001 23.4% 32.8%
2000 22.2% 31.1%
1999 21% 29.5%
1998 19.9% 28%
1997 18.8% 26.6%
1996 18% 25.3%
1995 17.3% 24.1%
1994 16.8% 23%
1993 16.3% 22%
1992 15.9% 21.2%
1991 15.6% 20.4%
1990 15.2% 19.8%
1989 14.9% 19.2%
1988 14.7% 18.7%
1987 14.4% 18.3%
1986 14.1% 17.9%
1985 13.8% 17.5%
1984 13.5% 17.1%
1983 13.2% 16.6%
1982 12.9% 16.1%
1981 12.7% 15.5%
1980 12.4% 14.6%
1979 12.1% 13.4%
1978 11.9% 12%
1977 11.6% 10.5%
1976 11.3% 8.99%
1975 11.1% 7.51%
1974 10.8% 6.18%
1973 10.5% 5.09%
1972 10.2% 4.33%
1971 9.84% 4%
1970 9.48% 3.93%
1969 9.13% 3.87%
1968 8.82% 3.82%
1967 8.57% 3.78%
1966 8.4% 3.75%
1965 8.28% 3.72%
1964 8.17% 3.69%
1963 8.07% 3.66%
1962 7.98% 3.62%
1961 7.9% 3.57%
1960 7.85% 3.51%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/laos/nepal | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 26.5% to 39.6% in Laos and from 41.6% to 66.8% in Nepal.

Densely populated cities

Laos
City Population
Vientiane 948K
Thakhek 90.8K
Luang Prabang 53.8K
Nepal
City Population
Kathmandu 846K
Lalitpur 513K
Pokhara 354K
Birgunj 268K
Biratnagar 243K
Bheemdatta 105K
Dhangadhi 102K
Janakpur 97.8K
Hetauda 84.7K
Damak 75.1K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/laos/nepal | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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