Laos has a population density of 87.2 people per square mile compared to 96.3 people in the United States. Laos has 328,051 sq ft of land per person vs 310,997 sq ft in the United States. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Laos and the United States are ranked 150th and 149th, 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 4.18% of the population and 6.14% of the land area for the United States, hence the population density in Laos is 9.46% lower than in the United States.
Population density comparison
Laos
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 87.2 ppl/mi² | 96.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 150/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
7954155
|
343323530
|
| Land area | 89,112 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 319,739 sq ft | 289,500 sq ft |
| Rural population | 61.1% | 16.5% |
| Urban population | 38.9% | 83.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 7.68% |
Laos vs the United States:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Laos increased by 34.4%, compared to a 16.3% growth in the United States.
In 2004, Laos ranked 150th for population density and is in 150th place still. The United States was 145th in 2004 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Laos
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 87.2 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 86 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 84.8 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 83.6 | 94 |
| 2020 | 82.4 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 81.2 | 93 |
| 2018 | 80 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 78.8 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 77.5 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 76.3 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 75.2 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 74.2 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 73.2 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 72.1 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 71.1 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 70 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 69 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 68 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 66.9 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 65.9 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 64.9 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 63.9 | 82 |
| 2002 | 63 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 62 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 60.9 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 59.9 | 79 |
| 1998 | 58.9 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 57.8 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 56.6 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 55.3 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 54 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 52.6 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 51.2 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 49.8 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 48.4 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 47 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 45.7 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 44.4 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 43.2 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 42 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 40.8 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 39.7 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 38.7 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 37.8 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 36.9 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 36.2 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 35.6 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 35 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 34.4 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 33.7 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 33 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 32.2 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 31.4 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 30.7 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 30 | 58 |
| 1969 | 29.3 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 28.6 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 27.9 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 27.3 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 26.7 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 26.1 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 25.5 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 24.9 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 24.3 | 51.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Laos
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 38.9% | 83.5% |
| 2023 | 38.2% | 83.3% |
| 2022 | 37.6% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 36.9% | 82.9% |
| 2020 | 36.3% | 82.7% |
| 2019 | 35.6% | 82.5% |
| 2018 | 35% | 82.3% |
| 2017 | 34.4% | 82.1% |
| 2016 | 33.7% | 81.9% |
| 2015 | 33.1% | 81.7% |
| 2014 | 32.5% | 81.5% |
| 2013 | 31.9% | 81.3% |
| 2012 | 31.3% | 81.1% |
| 2011 | 30.7% | 80.9% |
| 2010 | 30.1% | 80.8% |
| 2009 | 29.5% | 80.6% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | 80.4% |
| 2007 | 28.3% | 80.3% |
| 2006 | 27.7% | 80.1% |
| 2005 | 27.2% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 26.2% | 79.8% |
| 2003 | 25.1% | 79.6% |
| 2002 | 24% | 79.4% |
| 2001 | 23% | 79.2% |
| 2000 | 22% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 21% | 78.7% |
| 1998 | 20% | 78.4% |
| 1997 | 19.1% | 78% |
| 1996 | 18.2% | 77.6% |
| 1995 | 17.4% | 77.3% |
| 1994 | 16.9% | 76.9% |
| 1993 | 16.5% | 76.5% |
| 1992 | 16.1% | 76.1% |
| 1991 | 15.8% | 75.7% |
| 1990 | 15.4% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 15.1% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 14.8% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 14.4% | 74.8% |
| 1986 | 14.1% | 74.6% |
| 1985 | 13.8% | 74.5% |
| 1984 | 13.5% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 13.2% | 74.2% |
| 1982 | 12.9% | 74% |
| 1981 | 12.7% | 73.9% |
| 1980 | 12.4% | 73.7% |
| 1979 | 12.1% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 11.8% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 11.6% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 11.3% | 73.7% |
| 1975 | 11.1% | 73.7% |
| 1974 | 10.8% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 10.6% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 10.3% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 9.95% | 73.6% |
| 1970 | 9.63% | 73.6% |
| 1969 | 9.3% | 73.3% |
| 1968 | 8.99% | 73% |
| 1967 | 8.69% | 72.6% |
| 1966 | 8.4% | 72.2% |
| 1965 | 8.32% | 71.9% |
| 1964 | 8.25% | 71.5% |
| 1963 | 8.17% | 71.1% |
| 1962 | 8.1% | 70.8% |
| 1961 | 8.02% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 7.95% | 70% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 26.2% to 38.9% in Laos and from 79.8% to 83.5% in the United States.
Densely populated cities
|
Laos
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Vientiane | 948K |
| Thakhek | 90.8K |
| Luang Prabang | 53.8K |
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| New York | 8.8M |
| Los Angeles | 3.9M |
| Chicago | 2.75M |
| Houston | 2.3M |
| Phoenix | 1.61M |
| Philadelphia | 1.6M |
| San Antonio | 1.43M |
| San Diego | 1.39M |
| Dallas | 1.3M |
| San Jose | 1.01M |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
