Laos has a population density of 87.2 people per square mile compared to 363 people in Thailand. Laos has 328,051 sq ft of land per person vs 77,066 sq ft in Thailand. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Laos and Thailand are ranked 150th and 70th, 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 0.88% of the population and 0.34% of the land area for Thailand, hence the population density in Laos is 76% lower than in Thailand.
Population density comparison
Laos
|
Thailand
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 87.2 ppl/mi² | 363 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 150/197 | 70/197 |
| Population |
7954155
|
71619867
|
| Land area | 89,112 sq mi | 197,256 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 319,739 sq ft | 76,731 sq ft |
| Rural population | 61.1% | 45.7% |
| Urban population | 38.9% | 54.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 9.59% |
Laos vs Thailand:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Laos increased by 34.4%, compared to a 9.5% growth in Thailand.
In 2004, Laos ranked 150th for population density and is in 150th place still. Thailand was 60th in 2004 and ranks 70th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Laos
|
Thailand
|
|
| 2024 | 87.2 | 363 |
| 2023 | 86 | 363 |
| 2022 | 84.8 | 364 |
| 2021 | 83.6 | 364 |
| 2020 | 82.4 | 363 |
| 2019 | 81.2 | 363 |
| 2018 | 80 | 362 |
| 2017 | 78.8 | 361 |
| 2016 | 77.5 | 359 |
| 2015 | 76.3 | 358 |
| 2014 | 75.2 | 356 |
| 2013 | 74.2 | 354 |
| 2012 | 73.2 | 352 |
| 2011 | 72.1 | 350 |
| 2010 | 71.1 | 348 |
| 2009 | 70 | 345 |
| 2008 | 69 | 343 |
| 2007 | 68 | 340 |
| 2006 | 66.9 | 337 |
| 2005 | 65.9 | 335 |
| 2004 | 64.9 | 332 |
| 2003 | 63.9 | 329 |
| 2002 | 63 | 326 |
| 2001 | 62 | 323 |
| 2000 | 60.9 | 319 |
| 1999 | 59.9 | 316 |
| 1998 | 58.9 | 312 |
| 1997 | 57.8 | 308 |
| 1996 | 56.6 | 304 |
| 1995 | 55.3 | 299.6 |
| 1994 | 54 | 295.4 |
| 1993 | 52.6 | 291 |
| 1992 | 51.2 | 286.6 |
| 1991 | 49.8 | 282.1 |
| 1990 | 48.4 | 277.5 |
| 1989 | 47 | 273 |
| 1988 | 45.7 | 268.5 |
| 1987 | 44.4 | 264 |
| 1986 | 43.2 | 259.4 |
| 1985 | 42 | 254.9 |
| 1984 | 40.8 | 250.2 |
| 1983 | 39.7 | 245.5 |
| 1982 | 38.7 | 240.8 |
| 1981 | 37.8 | 236.1 |
| 1980 | 36.9 | 231.4 |
| 1979 | 36.2 | 226.7 |
| 1978 | 35.6 | 222 |
| 1977 | 35 | 217.2 |
| 1976 | 34.4 | 212.4 |
| 1975 | 33.7 | 207.5 |
| 1974 | 33 | 202.5 |
| 1973 | 32.2 | 197.4 |
| 1972 | 31.4 | 192.3 |
| 1971 | 30.7 | 187.3 |
| 1970 | 30 | 182.3 |
| 1969 | 29.3 | 177.3 |
| 1968 | 28.6 | 172.4 |
| 1967 | 27.9 | 167.5 |
| 1966 | 27.3 | 162.7 |
| 1965 | 26.7 | 157.9 |
| 1964 | 26.1 | 153.3 |
| 1963 | 25.5 | 148.8 |
| 1962 | 24.9 | 144.4 |
| 1961 | 24.3 | 140.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Laos
|
Thailand
|
|
| 2024 | 38.9% | 54.3% |
| 2023 | 38.2% | 53.6% |
| 2022 | 37.6% | 52.9% |
| 2021 | 36.9% | 52.2% |
| 2020 | 36.3% | 51.4% |
| 2019 | 35.6% | 50.7% |
| 2018 | 35% | 49.9% |
| 2017 | 34.4% | 49.2% |
| 2016 | 33.7% | 48.4% |
| 2015 | 33.1% | 47.7% |
| 2014 | 32.5% | 46.9% |
| 2013 | 31.9% | 46.2% |
| 2012 | 31.3% | 45.4% |
| 2011 | 30.7% | 44.7% |
| 2010 | 30.1% | 43.9% |
| 2009 | 29.5% | 42.5% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | 41.2% |
| 2007 | 28.3% | 39.9% |
| 2006 | 27.7% | 38.7% |
| 2005 | 27.2% | 37.4% |
| 2004 | 26.2% | 36.2% |
| 2003 | 25.1% | 34.9% |
| 2002 | 24% | 33.7% |
| 2001 | 23% | 32.5% |
| 2000 | 22% | 31.4% |
| 1999 | 21% | 31% |
| 1998 | 20% | 30.8% |
| 1997 | 19.1% | 30.6% |
| 1996 | 18.2% | 30.4% |
| 1995 | 17.4% | 30.3% |
| 1994 | 16.9% | 30.1% |
| 1993 | 16.5% | 29.9% |
| 1992 | 16.1% | 29.8% |
| 1991 | 15.8% | 29.6% |
| 1990 | 15.4% | 29.4% |
| 1989 | 15.1% | 29.2% |
| 1988 | 14.8% | 28.9% |
| 1987 | 14.4% | 28.6% |
| 1986 | 14.1% | 28.4% |
| 1985 | 13.8% | 28.1% |
| 1984 | 13.5% | 27.8% |
| 1983 | 13.2% | 27.6% |
| 1982 | 12.9% | 27.3% |
| 1981 | 12.7% | 27% |
| 1980 | 12.4% | 26.8% |
| 1979 | 12.1% | 26.2% |
| 1978 | 11.8% | 25.6% |
| 1977 | 11.6% | 25% |
| 1976 | 11.3% | 24.4% |
| 1975 | 11.1% | 23.8% |
| 1974 | 10.8% | 23.2% |
| 1973 | 10.6% | 22.6% |
| 1972 | 10.3% | 22% |
| 1971 | 9.95% | 21.4% |
| 1970 | 9.63% | 20.9% |
| 1969 | 9.3% | 20.7% |
| 1968 | 8.99% | 20.6% |
| 1967 | 8.69% | 20.4% |
| 1966 | 8.4% | 20.3% |
| 1965 | 8.32% | 20.2% |
| 1964 | 8.25% | 20.1% |
| 1963 | 8.17% | 20% |
| 1962 | 8.1% | 19.9% |
| 1961 | 8.02% | 19.8% |
| 1960 | 7.95% | 19.7% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 26.2% to 38.9% in Laos and from 36.2% to 54.3% in Thailand.
Densely populated cities
|
Laos
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Vientiane | 948K |
| Thakhek | 90.8K |
| Luang Prabang | 53.8K |
|
Thailand
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Bangkok | 5.68M |
| Chiang Mai | 1.2M |
| Nonthaburi | 256K |
| Pak Kret | 185K |
| Hat Yai | 159K |
| Nakhon Ratchasima | 134K |
| Chaophraya Surasak | 133K |
| Surat Thani | 131K |
| Udon Thani | 130K |
| Klaeng | 130K |
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people per square mile
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