Laos has a population density of 87.2 people per square mile compared to 1,373 people in South Korea. Laos has 328,051 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Laos and South Korea are ranked 150th and 18th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.64% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for South Korea, hence the population density in Laos is 93.7% lower than in South Korea.
Population density comparison
Laos
|
South Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 87.2 ppl/mi² | 1,373 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 150/197 | 18/197 |
| Population |
7954155
|
51700480
|
| Land area | 89,112 sq mi | 37,684 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 319,739 sq ft | 20,300 sq ft |
| Rural population | 61.1% | 18.5% |
| Urban population | 38.9% | 81.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 52% |
Laos vs South Korea:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Laos increased by 34.4%, compared to a 6.77% growth in South Korea.
In 2004, Laos ranked 150th for population density and is in 150th place still. South Korea was 13th in 2004 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Laos
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 87.2 | 1,373 |
| 2023 | 86 | 1,372 |
| 2022 | 84.8 | 1,371 |
| 2021 | 83.6 | 1,374 |
| 2020 | 82.4 | 1,376 |
| 2019 | 81.2 | 1,374 |
| 2018 | 80 | 1,370 |
| 2017 | 78.8 | 1,364 |
| 2016 | 77.5 | 1,361 |
| 2015 | 76.3 | 1,356 |
| 2014 | 75.2 | 1,349 |
| 2013 | 74.2 | 1,341 |
| 2012 | 73.2 | 1,336 |
| 2011 | 72.1 | 1,331 |
| 2010 | 71.1 | 1,320 |
| 2009 | 70 | 1,316 |
| 2008 | 69 | 1,310 |
| 2007 | 68 | 1,301 |
| 2006 | 66.9 | 1,295 |
| 2005 | 65.9 | 1,289 |
| 2004 | 64.9 | 1,286 |
| 2003 | 63.9 | 1,281 |
| 2002 | 63 | 1,275 |
| 2001 | 62 | 1,268 |
| 2000 | 60.9 | 1,262 |
| 1999 | 59.9 | 1,252 |
| 1998 | 58.9 | 1,243 |
| 1997 | 57.8 | 1,234 |
| 1996 | 56.6 | 1,222 |
| 1995 | 55.3 | 1,211 |
| 1994 | 54 | 1,199 |
| 1993 | 52.6 | 1,187 |
| 1992 | 51.2 | 1,175 |
| 1991 | 49.8 | 1,163 |
| 1990 | 48.4 | 1,151 |
| 1989 | 47 | 1,140 |
| 1988 | 45.7 | 1,129 |
| 1987 | 44.4 | 1,118 |
| 1986 | 43.2 | 1,107 |
| 1985 | 42 | 1,096 |
| 1984 | 40.8 | 1,085 |
| 1983 | 39.7 | 1,072 |
| 1982 | 38.7 | 1,056 |
| 1981 | 37.8 | 1,040 |
| 1980 | 36.9 | 1,024 |
| 1979 | 36.2 | 1,008 |
| 1978 | 35.6 | 993 |
| 1977 | 35 | 978 |
| 1976 | 34.4 | 963 |
| 1975 | 33.7 | 947 |
| 1974 | 33 | 932 |
| 1973 | 32.2 | 916 |
| 1972 | 31.4 | 900 |
| 1971 | 30.7 | 883 |
| 1970 | 30 | 866 |
| 1969 | 29.3 | 847 |
| 1968 | 28.6 | 828 |
| 1967 | 27.9 | 809 |
| 1966 | 27.3 | 790 |
| 1965 | 26.7 | 771 |
| 1964 | 26.1 | 751 |
| 1963 | 25.5 | 732 |
| 1962 | 24.9 | 712 |
| 1961 | 24.3 | 692 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Laos
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 38.9% | 81.5% |
| 2023 | 38.2% | 81.5% |
| 2022 | 37.6% | 81.4% |
| 2021 | 36.9% | 81.4% |
| 2020 | 36.3% | 81.4% |
| 2019 | 35.6% | 81.4% |
| 2018 | 35% | 81.5% |
| 2017 | 34.4% | 81.5% |
| 2016 | 33.7% | 81.6% |
| 2015 | 33.1% | 81.6% |
| 2014 | 32.5% | 81.7% |
| 2013 | 31.9% | 81.8% |
| 2012 | 31.3% | 81.9% |
| 2011 | 30.7% | 81.9% |
| 2010 | 30.1% | 81.9% |
| 2009 | 29.5% | 81.8% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | 81.7% |
| 2007 | 28.3% | 81.6% |
| 2006 | 27.7% | 81.5% |
| 2005 | 27.2% | 81.3% |
| 2004 | 26.2% | 81% |
| 2003 | 25.1% | 80.7% |
| 2002 | 24% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 23% | 79.9% |
| 2000 | 22% | 79.6% |
| 1999 | 21% | 79.4% |
| 1998 | 20% | 79.1% |
| 1997 | 19.1% | 78.9% |
| 1996 | 18.2% | 78.7% |
| 1995 | 17.4% | 78.2% |
| 1994 | 16.9% | 77.5% |
| 1993 | 16.5% | 76.6% |
| 1992 | 16.1% | 75.8% |
| 1991 | 15.8% | 75% |
| 1990 | 15.4% | 73.8% |
| 1989 | 15.1% | 72.1% |
| 1988 | 14.8% | 70.4% |
| 1987 | 14.4% | 68.6% |
| 1986 | 14.1% | 66.7% |
| 1985 | 13.8% | 64.9% |
| 1984 | 13.5% | 63.3% |
| 1983 | 13.2% | 61.7% |
| 1982 | 12.9% | 60.1% |
| 1981 | 12.7% | 58.4% |
| 1980 | 12.4% | 56.7% |
| 1979 | 12.1% | 55% |
| 1978 | 11.8% | 53.2% |
| 1977 | 11.6% | 51.5% |
| 1976 | 11.3% | 49.7% |
| 1975 | 11.1% | 48% |
| 1974 | 10.8% | 46.6% |
| 1973 | 10.6% | 45.1% |
| 1972 | 10.3% | 43.7% |
| 1971 | 9.95% | 42.3% |
| 1970 | 9.63% | 40.7% |
| 1969 | 9.3% | 38.8% |
| 1968 | 8.99% | 36.8% |
| 1967 | 8.69% | 35% |
| 1966 | 8.4% | 33.3% |
| 1965 | 8.32% | 32.4% |
| 1964 | 8.25% | 31.4% |
| 1963 | 8.17% | 30.4% |
| 1962 | 8.1% | 29.5% |
| 1961 | 8.02% | 28.5% |
| 1960 | 7.95% | 27.7% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 26.2% to 38.9% in Laos and from 81% to 81.5% in South Korea.
Densely populated cities
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