# Demographics of Laos

This article describes the demographic aspects of Laos.

## Population
### Lao statistics bureau estimates

| Year | Population | Crude birth rate | Crude death rate | Rate of natural increase | TFR |
| 1976 | 2,886,000 | | | | |
| 1980 | 3,199,000 | | | | |
| 1985 | 3,618,000 | | | | |
| 1990 | 4,140,000 | | | | |
| 1995 | 4,605,000 | 41.3 | 15.1 | 26.2 | 5.40 |
| 2000 | 5,218,000 | | | | |
| 2005 | 5,619,000 | 34.7 | 9.8 | 24.9 | 4.50 |
| 2009 | | 30.7 | 8.4 | 22.3 | 3.90 |
| 2010 | 6,256,000 | 29.9 | 8.0 | 21.9 | 3.70 |
| 2011 | 6,385,000 | 28.0 | 7.7 | 20.3 | 3.50 |
| 2012 | 6,514,000 | 28.1 | 7.4 | 20.7 | 3.40 |
| 2013 | 6,644,000 | 27.5 | 6.5 | 21.0 | 3.22 |
| 2014 | 6,809,000 | 26.6 | 6.3 | 20.3 | 3.03 |
| 2015 | 6,492,000 | 26.6 | 6.3 | 20.3 | 3.06 |
| 2016 | 6,787,000 | 24.6 | 7.7 | 16.9 | 2.90 |
| 2017 | 6,901,000 | 24.0 | 7.5 | 16.5 | 2.82 |
| 2018 | 7,013,000 | 23.3 | 7.4 | 15.9 | 2.76 |
| 2019 | 7,123,000 | 22.7 | 7.2 | 15.5 | 2.68 |
| 2020 | 7,231,000 | 21.2 | 7.0 | 14.2 | 2.50 |
| 2021 | 7,338,000 | 21.5 | 6.9 | 14.6 | 2.54 |
| 2022 | 7,443,000 | 20.9 | 6.8 | 14.1 | 2.48 |

### Structure

| Age group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 2,800,551 | 2,821,431 | 5,621,982 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 351 559 | 349 356 | 700 915 | 12.47 |
| 5–9 | 379 137 | 370 071 | 749 208 | 13.33 |
| 10–14 | 391 785 | 375 371 | 767 156 | 13.65 |
| 15–19 | 323 729 | 323 540 | 647 269 | 11.51 |
| 20–24 | 253 926 | 261 371 | 515 297 | 9.17 |
| 25–29 | 211 279 | 218 330 | 429 609 | 7.64 |
| 30–34 | 176 515 | 183 480 | 359 995 | 6.40 |
| 35–39 | 164 415 | 165 362 | 329 777 | 5.87 |
| 40–44 | 132 335 | 133 532 | 265 867 | 4.73 |
| 45–49 | 113 869 | 113 298 | 227 167 | 4.04 |
| 50–54 | 86 770 | 91 210 | 177 980 | 3.17 |
| 55–59 | 62 691 | 65 640 | 128 331 | 2.28 |
| 60–64 | 50 006 | 55 008 | 105 014 | 1.87 |
| 65–69 | 38 289 | 41 251 | 79 540 | 1.41 |
| 70–74 | 27 652 | 31 927 | 59 579 | 1.06 |
| 75–79 | 17 964 | 19 208 | 37 172 | 0.66 |
| 80–84 | 10 402 | 12 180 | 22 582 | 0.40 |
| 85–89 | 4 631 | 5 697 | 10 328 | 0.18 |
| 90–94 | 1 964 | 2 781 | 4 745 | 0.08 |
| 95–99 | 982 | 1 393 | 2 375 | 0.04 |
| 100+ | 480 | 936 | 1 416 | 0.03 |
| unknown | 171 | 489 | 660 | 0.01 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Per cent |
| 0–14 | 1,122,481 | 1,094,798 | 2,217,279 | 39.44 |
| 15–64 | 1,575,535 | 1,610,771 | 3,186,306 | 56.68 |
| 65+ | 102 364 | 115 373 | 217 737 | 3.87 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 3,254,770 | 3,237,458 | 6,492,228 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 346 462 | 335 521 | 681 983 | 10.50 |
| 5–9 | 345 380 | 333 829 | 679 209 | 10.46 |
| 10–14 | 363 026 | 355 580 | 718 606 | 11.07 |
| 15–19 | 354 360 | 344 650 | 699 010 | 10.77 |
| 20–24 | 325 601 | 328 436 | 654 037 | 10.07 |
| 25–29 | 308 988 | 307 000 | 615 988 | 9.49 |
| 30–34 | 250 383 | 245 851 | 496 234 | 7.64 |
| 35–39 | 212 523 | 207 560 | 420 083 | 6.47 |
| 40–44 | 170 808 | 173 062 | 343 870 | 5.30 |
| 45–49 | 149 656 | 146 251 | 295 907 | 4.56 |
| 50–54 | 127 272 | 140 146 | 267 418 | 4.12 |
| 55–59 | 98 615 | 98 992 | 197 607 | 3.04 |
| 60–64 | 74 106 | 73 073 | 147 179 | 2.27 |
| 65–69 | 47 563 | 51 338 | 98 901 | 1.52 |
| 70–74 | 32 930 | 38 497 | 71 427 | 1.10 |
| 75–79 | 21 871 | 25 207 | 47 078 | 0.73 |
| 80–84 | 13 519 | 16 671 | 30 190 | 0.47 |
| 85–89 | 6 744 | 8 523 | 15 267 | 0.24 |
| 90–94 | 3 041 | 3 995 | 7 036 | 0.11 |
| 95+ | 1 922 | 3 276 | 5 198 | 0.08 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Per cent |
| 0–14 | 1,054,868 | 1,024,930 | 2,079,798 | 32.04 |
| 15–64 | 2,072,312 | 2,065,021 | 4,137,333 | 63.73 |
| 65+ | 127 590 | 147 507 | 275 097 | 4.24 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 3,622,996 | 3,608,214 | 7,231,210 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 392 890 | 376 310 | 769 200 | 10.64 |
| 5–9 | 397 353 | 389 566 | 786 919 | 10.88 |
| 10–14 | 371 259 | 362 687 | 733 945 | 10.15 |
| 15–19 | 355 474 | 346 423 | 701 896 | 9.71 |
| 20–24 | 346 620 | 342 462 | 689 083 | 9.53 |
| 25–29 | 327 955 | 325 732 | 653 687 | 9.04 |
| 30–34 | 293 003 | 292 362 | 585 365 | 8.09 |
| 35–39 | 254 782 | 251 614 | 506 396 | 7.00 |
| 40–44 | 208 008 | 206 509 | 414 517 | 5.73 |
| 45–49 | 173 373 | 172 659 | 346 031 | 4.79 |
| 50–54 | 143 504 | 149 136 | 292 640 | 4.05 |
| 55–59 | 117 622 | 123 171 | 240 793 | 3.33 |
| 60–64 | 90 651 | 97 330 | 187 982 | 2.60 |
| 65–69 | 62 968 | 66 823 | 129 791 | 1.79 |
| 70–74 | 40 691 | 45 525 | 86 216 | 1.19 |
| 75–79 | 23 916 | 28 997 | 52 912 | 0.73 |
| 80+ | 22 928 | 30 908 | 53 836 | 0.74 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Per cent |
| 0–14 | 1,161,502 | 1,128,563 | 2,290,065 | 31.67 |
| 15–64 | 2,310,991 | 2,307,398 | 4,618,389 | 63.87 |
| 65+ | 150 503 | 172 253 | 322 756 | 4.46 |

### UN estimates

| Period | Live births per year | Deaths per year | Natural change per year | CBR$^1$ | CDR$^1$ | NC$^1$ | TFR$^1$ | IMR$^1$ |
| 1950–1955 | 80,000 | 37,000 | 43,000 | 44.8 | 20.9 | 23.9 | 5.94 | 167.1 |
| 1955–1960 | 87,000 | 40,000 | 47,000 | 43.2 | 20.1 | 23.1 | 5.96 | 160.1 |
| 1960–1965 | 96,000 | 44,000 | 52,000 | 42.4 | 19.3 | 23.1 | 5.97 | 153.5 |
| 1965–1970 | 107,000 | 47,000 | 60,000 | 42.3 | 18.7 | 23.6 | 5.98 | 147.0 |
| 1970–1975 | 122,000 | 52,000 | 70,000 | 42.5 | 18.1 | 24.4 | 5.99 | 140.5 |
| 1975–1980 | 132,000 | 54,000 | 78,000 | 42.2 | 17.2 | 25.0 | 6.15 | 132.4 |
| 1980–1985 | 145,000 | 56,000 | 90,000 | 42.2 | 16.2 | 26.0 | 6.36 | 122.6 |
| 1985–1990 | 165,000 | 56,000 | 109,000 | 42.1 | 14.4 | 27.7 | 6.27 | 107.6 |
| 1990–1995 | 180,000 | 53,000 | 127,000 | 40.0 | 11.9 | 28.1 | 5.88 | 88.3 |
| 1995–2000 | 170,000 | 48,000 | 122,000 | 33.6 | 9.4 | 24.2 | 4.81 | 70.8 |
| 2000–2005 | 154,000 | 44,000 | 110,000 | 29.9 | 9.1 | 20.8 | 3.90 | |
| 2005–2010 | 144,000 | 39,000 | 105,000 | 28.1 | 7.9 | 20.2 | 3.40 | |
| 2010–2015 | | | | 25.6 | 7.0 | 18.6 | 2.93 | |
| 2015–2020 | | | | 23.8 | 6.5 | 17.3 | 2.70 | |
| 2020–2025 | | | | 21.4 | 6.2 | 15.2 | 2.48 | |
| 2025–2030 | | | | 19.3 | 6.2 | 13.1 | 2.30 | |
| $^1$ CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births |||||||||

## Health

Total fertility rate (TFR) and Crude birth rate (CBR):
| Year | Total | Total | Urban | Urban | Rural | Rural |
| Year | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR |
| 2011–2012 | 25 | 3.2 | 20 | 2.2 | 26 | 3.6 |
| 2017 | 22 | 2.7 | 18 | 2.1 | 23 | 3.0 |
Total fertility rate and other related statistics by province, as of 2011–2012:
| Province | Total fertility rate | Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant | Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49 | Adolescent birth rate (Age-specific fertility rate for women age 15–19) |
| Vientiane Capital | 2.0 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 37 |
| Phongsaly | 3.7 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 145 |
| Luang Namtha | 2.6 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 124 |
| Oudomxay | 3.6 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 138 |
| Bokeo | 3.6 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 149 |
| Luang Prabang | 3.1 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 95 |
| Huaphan | 3.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 137 |
| Xayabury | 2.2 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 83 |
| Xieng Khuang | 3.6 | 4.5 | 6.1 | 101 |
| Vientiane Province | 2.7 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 86 |
| Borikhamxay | 2.8 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 79 |
| Khammouane | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 108 |
| Savannakhet | 3.5 | 6.3 | 5.4 | 99 |
| Saravane | 4.3 | 7.5 | 6.0 | 106 |
| Sekong | 4.5 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 107 |
| Champasak | 3.6 | 5.7 | 4.7 | 70 |
| Attapeu | 3.6 | 6.8 | 5.7 | 107 |

### Life expectancy

| Period | Life expectancy in Years | Period | Life expectancy in Years |
| 1950–1955 | 40.9 | 1985–1990 | 52.4 |
| 1955–1960 | 42.4 | 1990–1995 | 54.9 |
| 1960–1965 | 44.0 | 1995–2000 | 57.5 |
| 1965–1970 | 45.5 | 2000–2005 | 60.3 |
| 1970–1975 | 47.0 | 2005–2010 | 63.2 |
| 1975–1980 | 48.4 | 2010–2015 | 65.4 |
| 1980–1985 | 49.9 | | |
Source: UN World Population Prospects

## Ethnic groups

Some specialists are in agreement as to the ethnolinguistic classification of the ethnic groups of Laos. For the purposes of the 1995 census, the government of Laos recognised 149 ethnic groups within 47 main ethnicities. whereas the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) recently revised the list to include 49 ethnicities consisting of over 160 ethnic groups.
The term ethnic minorities is used by some to classify the non-Lao ethnic groups, while the term indigenous peoples is not used by the Lao PDR. These 160 ethnic groups speak a total of 82 living languages.
Lao 53.2%, Khmu 11%, Hmong 9.2%, and other (over 100 minor ethnic groups) 26.6% (2015 census).
Population of Laos according to ethnic group in 1985, 1995, 2005, and 2015 :
| Ethnic group | Language family | census 1985 | census 1985 | census 1995 | census 1995 | census 2005 | census 2005 | census 2015 | census 2015 |
| Ethnic group | Language family | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % |
| Lao | Tai-Kadai | 1,804,101 | | 2,403,891 | 52.5 | 3,067,005 | 54.6 | 3,427,665 | 53.2 |
| Khmu (Keummeu) | Mon-Khmer | 389,694 | | 500,957 | 11.0 | 613,893 | 10.9 | 708,412 | 11.0 |
| Hmong (Mong) | Hmong-Mien | 231,168 | | 315,465 | 6.9 | 415,946 | 8.0 | 595,028 | 9.2 |
| Thai (Tai) | Tai-Kadai | 1,459 | | | | 215,254 | 3.8 | 201,576 | 3.1 |
| Tai Nuea | Tai-Kadai | | | | | 14,799 | | 11,622 | 0.2 |
| Puthai (Phuthai or Phouthay) | Tai-Kadai | 441,497 | | 472,458 | 10.3 | 187,391 | 3.3 | 218,108 | 3.4 |
| Lü (Lue or Leu) | Tai-Kadai | 102,760 | | 119,191 | 2.6 | 123,054 | 2.2 | 126,229 | 2.0 |
| Katang | Mon-Khmer | 72,391 | | 95,440 | 2.1 | 118,276 | 2.1 | 144,255 | 2.2 |
| Makong (So) (Bru) | Mon-Khmer | 70,382 | | 92,321 | 2.0 | 117,872 | 2.1 | 163,285 | 2.5 |
| Akha (Kor) | Sino-Tibetan | 57,500 | | 66,108 | 1.4 | 90,698 | 1.6 | 112,979 | 1.8 |
| Yrou (Laven, Loven, Jru', Yuroo) | Mon-Khmer | 28,057 | | 40,519 | 0.9 | 47,175 | 0.8 | 56,411 | 0.9 |
| Xuay (Juk, Suai, Kui, Kuy, Suay, or Shuay) | Mon-Khmer | 49,059 | | 45,498 | 1.0 | 42,834 | 0.8 | 46,592 | 0.7 |
| Singsily (Phounoy) (Singsiri) | Sino-Tibetan | 23,618 | | 35,635 | 0.8 | 37,447 | 0.7 | 39,192 | 0.6 |
| Duon (Nhuon, Nghieu, San | | 33,240 | | | | | | | |
| Taoey (Ta-oy) | Mon-Khmer | 24,577 | | 30,876 | 0.7 | 32,177 | 0.6 | 45,991 | 0.7 |
| Nguan (Nguồn, Ngoaun, Nguane, Nguan or Nguane) | Mon-Khmer | 988 | | | | 29,442 | 0.5 | 27,779 | 0.4 |
| Iewmien (Yao, Ewmien, Mien, Ilmearn) | Hmong-Mien | 18,091 | | 22,665 | 0.5 | 27,449 | 0.5 | 32,400 | 0.5 |
| Phong | Mon-Khmer | 18,165 | | 21,395 | 0.5 | 26,314 | 0.5 | 30,696 | 0.5 |
| Brao (Larvae) | Mon-Khmer | 16,434 | | 17,544 | 0.4 | 22,772 | 0.4 | 26,010 | 0.4 |
| Katu | Mon-Khmer | 14,676 | | 17,024 | 0.4 | 22,759 | 0.4 | 28,378 | 0.4 |
| Oey (Oy or Oi) | Mon-Khmer | 11,194 | | 14,947 | 0.3 | 22,458 | 0.4 | 23,513 | 0.4 |
| Pray (Prai) | Mon-Khmer | | | 15,000 | 0.3 | 21,922 | 0.4 | 28,732 | 0.4 |
| Lamed (Lamet) | Mon-Khmer | 14,355 | | 16,740 | 0.3 | 19,827 | 0.4 | 22,383 | 0.3 |
| Lahu (Musir, Mussor, Lahoo, or Lahou) | Sino-Tibetan | 9,200 | | 8,702 | 0.2 | 15,238 | 0.3 | 19,187 | 0.3 |
| Kriang (Griang, Grieng, Ngae, or Ngeh) | Mon-Khmer | 8,917 | | 12,189 | 0.3 | 12,879 | 0.2 | 16,807 | 0.2 |
| Hor (Haw, Ho, Hoa, Chin Haw, Yunnanese, Yunnanese Chinese, or Panthay) | Sino-Tibetan | 6,361 | | 8,900 | 0.2 | 10,437 | 0.2 | 12,098 | 0.2 |
| Xingmoon (Puoc, Sing Mun, Xinhmun, or Xingmoun) | Mon-Khmer | 2,164 | | 5,834 | 0.1 | 8,565 | 0.2 | 9,874 | 0.2 |
| Jeng (Cheng, Ceng, Chieng, Chenh, Jeng) | Mon-Khmer | 4,540 | | 6,511 | 0.1 | 7,559 | 0.1 | 8,688 | 0.1 |
| Nhaheun (Nyaheun, Nahoen, Nha Heun, Nha Hon, Nya Hoen, Ngahearn, Nhahem) | Mon-Khmer | 3,960 | | 5,152 | 0.1 | 6,785 | 0.1 | 8,976 | 0.1 |
| Kmer (Khmer, Kamer, Khome) | Mon-Khmer | 169 | | 3,902 | 0.1 | 5,825 | 0.1 | 7,141 | 0.1 |
| Toum (Tum, Hung) | Mon-Khmer | 2,042 | | 2,510 | 0.05 | 4,458 | 0.08 | 3,632 | 0.05 |
| Xaek (Saek or Sairk) | Tai-Kadai | 2,459 | | 2,745 | 0.06 | 3,733 | 0.07 | 3,841 | 0.05 |
| Samtao (Sam Tao) | Mon-Khmer | 2,359 | | 2,213 | 0.05 | 3,533 | 0.06 | 3,417 | 0.05 |
| Sila (Sida or Syla) | Sino-Tibetan | 1,538 | | 1,772 | 0.04 | 2,939 | 0.05 | 3,151 | 0.05 |
| Tri (Chali, Cali, or So Tri) | Mon-Khmer | 20,902 | | 20,906 | 0.5 | 26,680 | 0.05 | 37,446 | 0.6 |
| Harak (Alak, Alack, Hahak) | Mon-Khmer | 13,217 | | 16,594 | 0.4 | 21,280 | 0.04 | 25,430 | 0.4 |
| Bid (Bit) | Mon-Khmer | 1,530 | | 1,509 | 0.03 | 1,691 | 0.03 | 2,372 | 0.04 |
| Lolo (Alu) | Sino-Tibetan | 842 | | 1,407 | 0.03 | 1,691 | 0.03 | 2,203 | 0.03 |
| Pako (Pacoh) | Mon-Khmer | 12,923 | | 13,224 | 0.3 | 16,750 | 0.03 | 22,640 | 0.4 |
| Lavy (Lavi) | Mon-Khmer | 584 | | 538 | 0.01 | 1,193 | 0.02 | 1,215 | 0.02 |
| Yae (Jeh, Gie, Yerh) | Mon-Khmer | 3,376 | | 8,013 | 0.2 | 10,570 | 0.02 | 11,452 | 0.2 |
| Sadang (Sedang, Sdang, Gayong) | Mon-Khmer | 520 | | 786 | 0.02 | 938 | 0.02 | 898 | 0.01 |
| Hanyi (Hayi or Hayee) | Sino-Tibetan | 727 | | 1,122 | 0.02 | 848 | 0.02 | 741 | 0.01 |
| Guan (Kuan or Tai Guan) | Tai-Kadai | | | | | 722 | 0.01 | 886 | 0.01 |
| Oedou (Ơ Đu, Adoo) | Mon-Khmer | | | | | 649 | 0.01 | 602 | 0.01 |
| Yang (Giáy, Nhang, Dang, or Niang) | Tai-Kadai | | | 4,630 | 0.1 | 616 | 0.01 | 5,843 | 0.1 |
| Moy | | | | | | 534 | 0.01 | 789 | 0.01 |
| Thin (Mal, Htin, or Thein) | Mon-Khmer | 13,977 | | 23,193 | 0.51 | 514 | 0.01 | | |
| Kree (Kri) | Mon-Khmer | 110 | | 739 | 0.02 | 495 | 0.01 | 1,067 | 0.02 |
| Trieng (Talieng, Tariang, Caliang, or Treang) | Mon-Khmer | 23,665 | | 23,091 | 0.5 | 29,134 | 0.5 | 38,407 | 0.6 |
| Kui (Yellow Lahu) | Sino-Tibetan | 6,493 | | 6,268 | 0.1 | | | | |
| Khir | | | | 1,639 | 0.04 | | | | |
| Numbri (Yumbri, Mlabri, or Yhumbri) | Mon-Khmer | 67 | | | | | | | |
| Yung | | | | | | 6,160 | | | |
| Thaen | | | | | | | | 828 | 0.01 |
| Mone (Meuang or Mon) | | 2,022 | | 217 | 0.00 | | | | |
| Vietnamese | | 12,086 | | | | | | | |
| Chinese | | 2,624 | | | | | | | |
| Thai | | 1,459 | | | | | | | |
| Cambodian | | 274 | | | | | | | |
| Burmese | | 185 | | | | | | | |
| Indian | | 44 | | | | | | | |
| French | | 13 | | | | | | | |
| Others & not stated | Others & not stated | 11,277 | | 19,285 | 0.4 | 67,175 | 1.2 | | |
| Total | Total | 3,584,803 | 3,584,803 | 4,574,848 | 4,574,848 | 5,621,982 | 5,621,982 | 6,446,690 | 6,446,690 |