Primary education, pupils in Laos
Laos: Primary education, pupils was 739,554 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils in Laos, 1971–2025
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils in Laos is 739,554, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Laos peaked at 916,341 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 244,803, in 1971.
That places Laos 94th out of 206 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in Laos, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 244,803 | — |
| 1972 | 266,790 | +9.0% |
| 1973 | 274,067 | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 317,126 | +15.7% |
| 1977 | 414,423 | +30.7% |
| 1978 | 424,330 | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 451,814 | +6.5% |
| 1980 | 463,098 | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 479,291 | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 480,535 | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 480,871 | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 485,741 | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 495,375 | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 523,347 | +5.6% |
| 1988 | 558,852 | +6.8% |
| 1990 | 563,734 | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 576,472 | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 580,792 | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 637,359 | +9.7% |
| 1994 | 681,044 | +6.9% |
| 1995 | 710,702 | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 757,551 | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 786,335 | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 821,546 | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 827,664 | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 831,521 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 828,113 | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 852,857 | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 875,300 | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 884,629 | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 890,821 | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 891,881 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 891,807 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 900,817 | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 908,880 | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 916,341 | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 900,123 | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 883,938 | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 878,283 | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 870,893 | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 850,466 | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 827,981 | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 808,705 | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 786,246 | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 770,659 | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 760,566 | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 756,191 | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 738,642 | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 741,976 | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 740,084 | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 739,554 | -0.1% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 739,554 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.66 million, 45% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 739,554 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 227,656, 3.2× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, pupils in Laos changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +30.7% | 317,126 | 414,423 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 341,908 | 244,803 | 451,814 | 7 |
| 1980s | 495,889 | 463,098 | 558,852 | 8 |
| 1990s | 694,320 | 563,734 | 827,664 | 10 |
| 2000s | 875,663 | 828,113 | 908,880 | 10 |
| 2010s | 849,364 | 770,659 | 916,341 | 10 |
| 2020s | 746,169 | 738,642 | 760,566 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More education data for Laos
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 35,584 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 16,396 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 116,303 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 115,863 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 532,092 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 739,554 (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0716 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0939 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in Laos?
- Primary education, pupils in Laos was 739,554 in 2025, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 916,341 in 2010.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 244,803 in 1971.
- How does Laos rank for primary education, pupils?
- Laos ranks 94th out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, pupils. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.